And breathe... wow, June was a month we won't forget in a hurry! Our 55th Year Summer Festival was, without doubt, some of the best days we've ever had here on the farm.

After months of preparation and a lot of steep learning curves (including a stolen 8-person sauna!), it was truly magical to see thousands of people here, all enjoying the unique ingredients that make our local community so special. Three days of incredible live music, world-class food & drink, long-table feasts, sauna sweats, great vibes and family fun - we couldn't have asked for a better 55th birthday party.

We'd barely caught our breath before our Father's Day Classic Car Show rolled in the following weekend: gleaming bonnets, happy dads, and the smell of BBQ sausages drifting across the field. It's fair to say we're all knackered.

Amidst all the celebrations, Michael Dart also took to the stage as a guest speaker at The Global Agritourism Conference in Aberdeen, joining joining Lisa Hogan of Clarkson’s Farm & Robert Copley of Farmer Copley’s to talk about the importance of the food system and why keeping it local matters more than ever.

Back on the farm, the produce coming off our fields right now is extraordinary: courgettes everywhere, jungles of broad and runner beans sprawling across the beds, and tomatoes ripening to perfection in the greenhouse. There's simply no excuse not to eat local, seasonal fruit and veg at the moment.

The summer fun isn't over yet. On 5th August, we'll be joined by culinary legends Neil Borthwick, Mark Hix & Mitch Tonks for a French-inspired feast. Expect gougeres, braised Dartmoor lamb, chocolate and armagnac mousse & plenty of cheese. We're super excited about this one, it's going to be a very special evening.

Summer recipe below; Darts Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Stracciaella Salad

Ingredients

400g Darts Purple Sprouting broccoli
50g of whole Almond
1 head of Oak Leaf
200g of Chew Valley Stracciatella
Olive oil
Cornish flake Sea salt
Grounded Black pepper
Pickled shallot*

*Pickled Shallot

250ml Darts Pebblebed red wine
250ml red wine vinegar
125g caster sugar
10g salt
1 bay leaf
5 juniper berries
1 clove
1 star anise
Shallot

Method

Pickled Shallot

-Bring all ingredients apart from the shallot up to boil and leave aside to cool.

-While that is happening, peel your shallot and cut into thin rounds and separate them individually.

-Once the pickling liquor is ready, pour it over the shallot (enough to cover) and leave it for 1 hour.

Purple Sprouting & Chew Valley Stracciatella Salad

-Wash and trim field Purple Sprouting broccoli, season it with sea salt and a good amount of olive oil. Chargrill to give it a nice colour or oven roast at 200c for 6-8 min

-Toast whole almonds with salt and olive oil in the oven at 180c for 10-12min, stirring in between. Leave to cool then crush lightly

-Wash the oak leaf and trim down to smaller leaves. Use a salad spinner to spin off the excess moisture

- To build the salad, mix your purple sprouting broccoli and oak leaf in a bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place on to a plate with a nice height, then spoon decent amount of Chew Valley Stracciatella around the salad. Add a good handful of crushed almond and pickle shallot to fill the gaps. To finish off, drizzle with olive oil and season with flakes of sea salt on the Stracciatella.

By The Farm Table Head Chef, Tom Chivers

Darts Farm

Summer On The Farm

Summer recipe below; Darts Purple Sprouting Broccoli & Stracciaella Salad

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