Homemade beetroot crisps and cattle drenching
Staff on the Estate have been fascinated to learn more about our water supply here on the Estate. A tiny spring provides not only the Hall but also some of the tenants with their domestic water supply. There is a separate spring that provides water for the cattle and fortunately, both springs have managed to keep flowing through the hot dry summer.
The trickle runs into a filtration tank and this process must have been ongoing since Victorian times. The water is clean and clear but we still have more modern filtration systems in the house to ensure that it is drinkable. There is a pump house that slips into action as soon as the header tank drops below a certain level taking water to upstairs and feeding to the many bathrooms we have.
On the water front, we have also just had a new Sceptic tank installed at Foreman’s Cottage, Driby. Whilst this might need emptying occasionally, the filtration system is so good that the water coming out of it is said to be drinkable and is certainly ok to be allowed back into the environment! We are now finding out more about our drainage system.
Jacqui has been trying to use the vegetables up from our vegetable plot as we have had a good harvest of many of the things we have been growing. Tomatoes and courgettes are prolific at the moment. She has been trying out new recipes and we all enjoyed tasting her homemade beetroot crisps.
Here are the instructions if you fancy having a go:
- Peel and thinly slice large raw beetroots
- Heat fan oven to 150 degrees Centigrade
- Spray slices of beetroot with oil
- Place on baking tray in the oven for 30 minutes – but its best to keep your eye on them!
- Season with salt and enjoy. We think they are best eaten straight away!
We hope you enjoy trying out Jacqui’s beetroot crisp recipe!
A couple of weeks ago Joe, our Community and Business Manager and Caron, our Heritage Interpreter and Administrator, went over to Epworth to learn more about the Wesley’s. Samuel and Susannah Wesley, who lived in South Ormsby from 1691 to 1695, were the parents of John and Charles -the founders of Methodism. Samuel was the Rector at St Leonard’s Church and it was his wife Susannah, who was the 25th of 25 children, who had instilled her morals, principles and religion into her children. We would love to find out more about the time they spent at South Ormsby. We do know that six of their nineteen children were born here, and that Samuel described the Rectory then as a ‘mean cot’ but we are not sure where that original Vicarage was situated. One of the things we have asked the Layers of History Team to do is see if they can locate its whereabouts for us. The Layers of History team will be with us next Monday with the Geology workshop in the Old School.
The Lincoln Reds have now all been drenched. This involves giving them some important medicine which contains minerals and trace elements. They are not keen on taking this and the only way to get them to swallow it is to put them into the pen/ crusher individually and pinch their noses, so they open their mouths and get a good squirt down their throat – a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down maybe?
Don’t forget there is a photography workshop on 6th September. Join Damian for an evening’s session if you fancy enhancing your skills in Digital Photography – phone 01507 481634 to book your place
