The Quickest & Easiest of Quiche Recipes

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19 May 2021

The weather has warmed up, the cherry blossom is on the trees and Spring is definitely here. With an abundance of bank holidays and a lift in restrictions to allow meeting loved ones outside, May lends itself to picnics in the gorgeous Dorset countryside.

I have put together this delicious quiche recipe that is simple to make and can be made ahead of time. My mum used to make this for me when I was growing up and it is equally as delicious warm straight from the oven as it is cold as part of a picnic.

If you want to add some local ingredients to your quiche, then I recommend getting hold of some Black Cow Cheddar. It will add some amazing depth to the flavour and is wonderfully creamy. You can also add any seasonal veg that you find in your local farm shop or you have grown in your garden!

I have also teamed up with fellow Blackmore Vale columnist Andrew Livingston to use his farm’s beautiful white chicken eggs in my recipe, from their Dekalb White chickens. You can find out more about these beautiful white eggs in his article on page…

Ingredients

1 pack ready rolled puff pastry* 125g strong cheddar
100ml double cream
handful of cherry tomatoes some asparagus spears

pinch of salt and black pepper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 fan/gas 5.
Line an 8” square baking tin with baking paper.

Unroll the pastry and carefully place into the baking tin, allowing the extra to fold up the sides of the tin.

In a jug, mix together well the cream, eggs, salt and pepper. You can use garlic salt here if you wish and add more black pepper if you want to.

Grate the cheese onto the base of the pastry case. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the pastry, along with the asparagus spears.

Eggs courtesy of Andrew Livingston’s Hens – Image Heather Brown

Gently pour over the cream and egg mixture. You can egg wash the pastry if you want to but you don’t need to.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until the top goes golden brown and middle jiggles when you shake the tin gently (the edges should be firm).

Eat straight from the oven with fresh green salad or leave to cool and then slice as you wish.

*You can make your own pastry here if you would like – I recommend using Delia Smith’s Flaky pastry recipe. Just roll out to about half a centimetre thick, before adding to the tin.

By: Heather Brown

A sneak peek into St Mary’s Shaftesbury as it transforms into Centre of Excellence for Dorset with £10m SEND School

By

Laura

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18 May 2021

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It’s the sense of calm that is most striking at St Mary’s Shaftesbury. The dinner bell is silent and poignant displays of artwork lie abandoned by pupils and staff who always expected to return to their much loved school. An old newspaper dated 4 March 2020 gives a sense of time stood still.

An old newspaper from March 2020 feels like a mark of time standing still.

But behind the scenes there’s a new energy at St Marys as the campus undergoes an ambitious transformation into a school and centre of excellence for children with special needs.

st marys Centre of Excellence for Dorset with £10m SEND School — St Mary’s School in Shaftesbury is set to be a Centre of Excellence for Dorset with £10m SEND School

“It’s not every day you have the opportunity to buy a purpose built school,” says Dorset Council’s Director of Education Vick Verma as I’m shown round the buildings. A cloakroom is set to become a sensory area and classrooms will on average have around ten pupils at a time. Some areas like the catering department will require minimal change. Dorset Council spent £10m to acquire the buildings and grounds and have allocated a further £5 million to adapt the campus. So why did the council spend so much money?

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Many children with special needs are unable to access the support they require to develop and are placed in schools outside Dorset. Each out of county place costs £60,000 on average but placements within Dorset are a third of that cost, making it more economical in the long term. A third of the children currently needing a SEND place live within a 45 minute drive of Shaftesbury.

st mary's school pupil artwork — pupil artwork still adorns the walls of St Mary’s classrooms.

However, Dorset Council’s plans go far beyond money. Councillor Andrew Parry explained: “We are a bold council, and St Mary’s is a very good example of how we have demonstrated that mantra. This is a fabulous place for children to learn and to gain skills to transition in to adulthood. I want families to have confidence and for young people to go on and thrive.”

A sneak peek into St Mary’s Shaftesbury

Phase one will see 60 children access the facilities from January 2022 as day pupils. Residential places will follow along with professional teaching and training for staff so the school develops a reputation as a centre of excellence. Vocational training in subjects like agriculture will be available to prepare young people for the workplace. There are places for 280 pupils when the school runs at full capacity. Existing head teachers are working in partnership with the project as St Mary’s will be one of the wider family of SEND schools in Dorset. An interim head teacher will take charge for the first year as it is vital to find the person with the best fit for the substantive role. Appointing an interim team and working in partnership on recruitment will also help avoid a brain drain from other local areas. A charity will be established to support some aspects of the school.

“There’s real warmth within these walls,” says Theresa Levy, Director of Children’s Services at Dorset Council. It was a much respected school where generations studied and has a glittering alumni of former pupils. It’s that warmth, energy and positivity that stays with me at the end of the visit. St Mary’s means a lot to people in the area but it is the new chapter in its history that is probably its most exciting. It is an opportunity for some of Dorset’s most vulnerable young people to learn and thrive and ultimately shape the future of special needs education -and inspire all of us as the alumni of the future.

by Rachael Rowe – http://rachaelrowe.com/

It’s Eggism

By

Editorial team

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17 May 2021

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When I began writing for The Blackmore Vale, I’d promised myself that I wouldn’t talk about chickens every month – I have enough abuse from my friends if I dare mention my passion for the two-legged critters. This month’s issue, I was planning to use as therapy and share with you all the tale with the alpaca that still keeps me up at night in cold sweats. Fortunately, there is a more pressing matter.

I feel as though I need to use my voice on this digital platform to begin to make a change and to save myself from having to march down the streets of Shaftesbury handing out flyers calling for equality!

“Inequality in the egg industry?” I hear you ask. Unbelievably – yes – it’s true.

Within our shed we have a mix of both brown and white birds, which both lay eggs in their respective colours. Other than the colour of the shell, the two are identical. However, when it comes to selling on the farm gate, the pristine white eggs are shunned for their brown counterpart, even when sold 80 pence cheaper per dozen.

Image by Heather Brown https://www.heather-brown.com/

Thankfully this hasn’t always been the case. The golden age for our white feathered friends was during the Second World War and the following few decades. Unfortunately, during the 70s, public perception began to change and people started to believe that brown eggs were healthier as they resembled brown bread rather than white processed loaves. Today, only 0.5% of the market is made up of white eggs.

It may seem trivial to complain about people’s preference on the colour of their egg, but in a few years brown eggs may be rarer than hen’s teeth on the supermarket shelves if the UK government bans the process of ‘beak trimming’.

Currently, most chicks at a day old will have the sharp tip of their beaks trimmed by an infra-red beam to protect one another from pecking and other aggressive behaviours. ‘Debeaking’, as it is also known, is a controversial topic for many and is accompanied by the constant talk of prohibiting the practice.

The supermarket shelves with a ban introduced may look a lot different; firstly, the price per dozen of your eggs will go up as farmers look to house fewer birds in their sheds to protect them from each other; secondly, the brown birds may be ostracised for white breeds as they are more docile toward one another.

It seems that the brown bird and all its many colours on their plumage cause offence for one another and can lead to aggressive tendencies, whereas the white hens are calmer and behave more passively.

Personally, I would continue to trim the beaks of the birds till the public are willing to buy white again, as the damage that a full beak can do to one another is worrying, as birds will always display their natural behaviours and look to create a pecking order (pun slightly intended).

If the poultry industry looks how I expect it will do in ten years, then I suggest you start getting used to the white eggs. If you pass our farm on your travels I suggest you pick up some of both our eggs to sample and complete your own taste tests at home. Have an omelette in the name of science and see if you can notice a difference.

I, on the other hand, am going to head out into the Spring fields and canvass our Aberdeen Angus cows and calves for next months edition so I hopefully don’t have to talk about Pepper the alpaca!

By: Andrew Livingston

COOPER, Malcolm

By

Editorial team

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17 May 2021

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Malcolm Cooper

Aged 79 who sadly passed away at home on the 10th May 2021.

He loved his Camping holidays and his dogs. And was a keen photographer. He will be sadly missed.

Private funeral has already taken place.

Donations to Macmillan Cancer Support

LAWRENCE, James

By

Editorial team

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16 May 2021

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James Lawrence

Known affectionately as ‘Jimbo’, died peacefully on the 8th May

He will be missed greatly for his ability to ‘live in the moment’ and gentle humanity.

A private cremation will be held. Any donations to the South West Air Ambulance Please.

HARTY, Maureen

By

Editorial team

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16 May 2021

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Maureen Harty

Passed away suddenly, with family by her side, on May 1st 2021, aged 87 years.

Devoted Wife to Gene. Dearly loved Mother to Paul, Michael and Barry. Devoted Gran and Great Grandmother. Much loved Sister and Aunty. ‘Always in our thoughts, forever in our hearts’

A private family funeral has already taken place.

A Vet’s Voice | Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month

By

Editorial team

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16 May 2021

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The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) created Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) to demonstrate the importance of the role of the Veterinary Nurse. VNAM is held every May and helps educate pet owners about the role of the Veterinary Nurse.

Being a vet nurse is not just about cuddling puppies and kittens (although this is a perk of the job.) Becoming a veterinary nurse takes 2 to 4 years of study with a combination of working in veterinary practice and demanding exams demonstrating both theoretical knowledge and practical ability. Like Vets, Veterinary Nurses also have to learn about a variety of species unlike our ‘human’ nurse equivalents who only have to deal with one species!
However, like human nurses, Registered Veterinary Nurses are highly skilled in their own right. Once qualified you gain the title Registered Veterinary Nurse and are included on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) register.

Nurses must also make sure that they keep their skills and knowledge up to date. Once they have qualified nurses must provide evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) of at least 15 hours per year and pay an annual fee to remain on the RCVS register. Being on the register allows nurses to carry out schedule 3 acts under the direction of a veterinary surgeon which includes minor surgery such as suturing wounds, lump removals and descaling teeth.

The Veterinary Nurse role consists of many other skills including anaesthesia, phlebotomy, radiography, laboratory technician, nutrition, theatre nursing, consulting nursing, dental hygienists – Veterinary Nurses must master all these skills, and more! We are also involved actively in 24 hour emergency care.

There are many opportunities for veterinary nurses to gain further qualifications in a particular area, especially when working in large referral centres. Subjects include: oncology, radiography, emergency and critical care, surgery/theatre, anaesthesia, behaviour and equine. Within the nursing team at Damory we have nurses that have gained or are studying towards the following further qualifications: Feline nursing, Anaesthesia, Surgical nursing, Exotic nursing and an Advanced nursing degree.

What do Veterinary Nurses do?

In a routine day (not that any day is routine!) nurses start by admitting day patients for surgery or medical work ups, we have an inpatient nurse who is dedicated to caring for both day patients and hospitalised patients. Theatre nurses will pre-medicate patients, take blood samples, place intravenous catheters and prepare for surgery ready for the Veterinary Surgeons.

As theatre nurses we monitor the anaesthetised patients during their procedures before handing the patients over at recovery to the inpatient nurse to monitor. We are also responsible for disinfecting theatres and surgical instruments. We assist the veterinary surgeon with taking x-rays and monitoring sedated patients. There is also a consulting nurse carrying out nail clips, post-operative checks, taking blood samples and bandaging. Throughout the day the nursing team must also complete lab work including blood work up, cytology of skin and blood, urine testing and worm egg counts for equine and farm animal patients. We also assist the veterinary surgeons with consultations and dispensing medications for patients.

At the end of the day we are involved in discharging the patients to go home following their procedure. We must then prepare for the surgery for the next day leaving the night nurses to continue caring for the hospitalised patients and deal with any emergencies.

Veterinary nurses are the unseen workforce in practice and VNAM aims to educate pet owners about the importance of veterinary nurses to their pets care and wellbeing.

Ref: ISFM & BVNA

By: Damory Vets

The Voice of The Allotment

By

Editorial team

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16 May 2021

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One of Barry’s only cropping vegetables is chicons of Witloof chicory – forced into rapid early growth for a tender, sweet crop.

Frosts, cold winds from the North and East and no rain made April a rather trying month.

Blackthorn put on a spectacular show in the hedgerows. This cold dry spell is known as ‘Blackthorn Winter’ in Dorset, but was much more prolonged this year.

Our March planted potatoes needed frequent earthing up as they emerged to protect the tender young growth from the night frosts. A neighbour lost seedlings of courgettes and French beans in her greenhouse when the temperature dropped to minus two one night. Many nights saw temperatures dropping between minus one and plus two degrees celsius.
Our greenhouse ranged between zero and thirty eight on sunny days!
Decisions when to sow and plant during this unusual weather had to be made, and we decided to delay most until the end of the month hoping for better conditions in
May. So during the last week we have sowed two lines of Hurst Green Shaft Peas and lines of
carrot, beetroot and parsnip.

We also planted out four lines of Golden Bear onions from plugs – these were sown with two to three seeds per cell at the beginning of March.

All these new sowings and plantings were into undug soil, conserving moisture from the Winter rains. By the end of the month the top few inches of soil was exceptionally dry, whereas
just below there was plenty of moisture.

April is one of the ‘hungry gap’ months when there is very little in the way of fresh vegetables

Barry’sGolden Bear onions – these were sown with two to three seeds per cell at the beginning of March.

to be had from the plot. Our sprouting broccoli finished mid month as the flower buds quickly became flowers in the bright sunshine. We now relied on stored and frozen vegetables. The only fresh vegetable being chicons of Witloof chicory and some mixed salad leaves from the greenhouse.
Sowings were made in the greenhouse of lettuce, leek, celery, celeriac, parsley and Brussels sprout.

We now look forward to warmer conditions and some much needed rain as May is one of the main sowing and planting months.

ThorngroveExpands With Opening Of New Shop

By

Editorial team

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15 May 2021

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Thorngrove’s beautiful new
shop is now open, with stylish homewares, stationery, local produce and gifts.

It’s humbling to think how far Thorngrove has come in just a few short years.
With the pandemic effectively halting business for many people around the country these past 12 months, we count ourselves fortunate to have been able to operate in limited circumstances when others could not.
We took steps to ensure we didn’t abuse this privilege, and put the safety of not only our staff and customers first, but that of our Employ My Ability students too. Those who know us will be well aware of the ethos we have at the centre of our brand, and we always do our best to ensure this remains apparent.
Setting ourselves apart as a business is important – we hope our products say that for us, but truly our focus is on protecting those values of the wellness and sustainability of our team and the local community.

There was a point where our plans for continued development at Thorngrove felt like they may not come to fruition this past year.
The future was looking very uncertain, but it has been with immense gratitude to our customers and supporters in the community that we have been able to keep the wheels turning on these plans, and this past month saw the big opening of our brand new gifts and lifestyle shop space.

We’re not stopping there either…work continues and you’re going to see more from us in the coming months. As the world slowly gets back to normal, and we embrace the changes needed for us to operate safely, we’re so excited to share more new things with you soon, and perhaps this time next year, we’ll be celebrating a new milestone in Thorngrove’s history yet again.

Produce from local Dorset companies Moores Biscuits and From Dorset With Love.

We’re open 7 days a week, and we look forward to seeing you soon. Visit www.thorngrovegardencentre.co.uk today, or find us on Facebook for info on our latest products and help keeping your garden looking its best!