The aim of The Smallholder web site is to assist the novice through to the experienced smallholder or grower in sharing advice and information whatever your interest be it in growing vegetables, flowers or using smallholder machinery.

It is our aim to set up information on machinery such as tractors, trailers, ploughs, rotovators, quad bikes etc.

Details of the best vegetable crops to grow - asparagus, carrots, beans, cabbage, parsnips, beetroot, onions, courgettes, herbs or potatoes.

Flower growing for either the florist trade or the dried flower arrangers - daffodils, statice, helichrysum.

Details of soft fruit growing - blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries or raspberries.

In season recipe

Potato, Beetroot and Onion Bake

Ingredients

1 ½ lb potatoes, cooked and sliced

8 oz beetroot cooked and sliced

2 onions peeled and chopped

2 oz cheese grated

½ pint of milk

½ oz butter

breadcrumbs

1 bay leaf, 4 cloves, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, olive oil.

Method

For onion sauce, cover onions with the milk, add bay leaf and cloves and simmer until tender. Mix 1oz of breadcrumbs with butter and after removing bay and cloves add to sauce. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Layer potatoes and beetroot slices in buttered casserole dish and pour the onion sauce over the layers. Cover with more breadcrumbs and grated cheese and drizzle with olive oil and bake in oven in oven at 190 C for about 30 minutes until hot and breadcrumbs browned.

Suggestion – if not vegetarian add any cooked meat or tin of corned beef.