THE VEGAN NEWS
THE VEGAN NEWS
SPRING 2001
- Recipes
- Vegan Product Review
- Wildlife in the Garden - Attracting Squirrels into your Garden
- In the Veganic Garden
- Your Queries
- Websites
- Book Reviews
- The Wildlife Database
Recipe of the Month
Quick Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 65g mushrooms, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Sprinkling of mixed herbs
Method
- Place all of the ingredients into a wok, or lidded pan. Mix well. Cook, covered, for about 10-15 minutes using a fairly low heat, until well heated and all of the tomatoes are softened and well broken down. Stir occasionally. Serve the sauce over your favourite pasta. For extra flavour sprinkle on some Engevita yeast flakes.
Variation: Try adding a small amount of cooked chickpeas, or white beans, to the sauce for extra protein. This pasta dish is nice served with a green salad. Recipe serves one.
Spring Product Review
Zedzfoods manufactured vegetarian, vegan and special dietary foods. I tested five of their vegan muffins and two of their savoury slices. However, sadly Zedzfoods has now closed down and as these products are no longer available I have removed my reviews of Banana, Coconut and Date Muffin, Chocolate Orange Muffin, Tofu and Ginger Slice and Mediterranean Style Aubergine Savoury Slice from this section. It is possible that some of these products may still be available from the company that has taken over Zedzfoods. You may be able to find out more information on this at the website. (Updated February 2009)
In the Wildlife Garden - Attracting Squirrels into Your Garden
The grey squirrel is officially regarded as a pest. However, I have several grey squirrels who regularly come into my garden and I thoroughly enjoy watching their antics as they frolic around and jump from tree to tree. So far they have done little damage, despite their bad reputation for damaging the bark of trees. And of course on the plus side, it shouldn't be forgotten that when squirrels bury their nuts and forget where they have put them, they are often responsible for planting new trees!
I have two grey squirrels nesting in my garden this year, so I may see a baby squirrel or two before too long. The squirrels have made their drey (or den) behind the ivy growing up the bark of an old plum tree at the bottom of my garden.
If you would like squirrels in your garden too, there are several things that you can do to attract them into your garden:
- Provide a supply of water for them to drink. A wildlife pond with gently sloping sides, a bird bath or an upturned dustbin lid will all provide drinking water for squirrels and other visiting wildlife. Squirrels can usually obtain enough moisture from their food alone in the winter, but need an extra supply of water in the summer months.
- If possible include some trees or bushes in your garden. Grey squirrels particularly like oak, hazel, hornbeam or beech trees. These will provide cover and will also provide the squirrels with a supply of food.
- Avoid using weedkillers and insecticides, especially slug pellets. These can make the animals ill and could possibly kill them.
- Leave some old leaves in your garden: squirrels use moss and dry leaves to line their dreys.
- Provide a regular supply of food for them to eat. Unshelled peanuts or peanuts in their shells are fine, but avoid giving them salted peanuts. Squirrels will in fact eat most types of nuts, including pine nuts and will also eat dried fruit, whole maize, black sunflower seeds and biscuits. When very hungry they will even take bread and fresh fruit. If you want to, you can make a squirrel table and attach it to a tree. It is, however, best not to place the table on the ground, especially where there are cats. If you don't want to make your own squirrel table, then it's possible to purchase a ready-made squirrel feeder and squirrel food by mail order. Order a copy of CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd's Handbook of Garden Wildlife for more details. It's important to feed squirrels regularly, especially in the winter months, but young squirrels can also starve to death in the summer before a supply of nuts becomes available for them to eat. When feeding don't worry about giving them too much food, they will simply bury any spare food for later! Squirrels can also feed on bird peanut feeders, sometimes damaging them - so do buy a strong one. The wooden ones with a wire front are usually fine, but metal feeders are even better. Avoid plastic bird feeders, if you have squirrels in your garden. You will also need to tie any fat balls that you put out for the birds firmly to the bird table, or your squirrels may make off with them!
Incidentally, if you are interested in feeding garden birds, then you may like to know that it is now possible to obtain a free copy of the 'Handbook of Garden Wildlife, online from CJ Wildbird Foods Ltd website. This booklet is full of interesting information on what to feed to birds and other creatures such as squirrels, badgers and hedgehogs. You can also order various bird boxes, bat and hedgehog boxes, binoculars, books, highly squirrel-resistant metal bird feeders, squirrel guards etc.
What's Happening in the Veganic Garden this Spring?March Sowings:
March can be a busy month in the veganic garden. This month you will need to plant out untreated onion sets and shallots and to sow broad beans and early peas such as 'Feltham First'. In March, it is usually possible to make outside sowings of parsnips, early carrots, turnips, salad onions, radishes and hardy lettuces such as 'Winter Density' or 'Little Gem'. And cauliflowers, cabbages, celeriac, celery, brussel sprouts and leeks can all be started off indoors, or in a cold frame. Towards the end of the month sow tomatoes in a warm place indoors. In the herb garden lift and divide clumps of chives, replanting them 7.5cm apart.
April Sowings:
Continue to make regular sowings of parsnips, lettuces, carrots, peas, broad beans, turnips, spinach and radishes. Plant out chitted, second early potatoes, but don't forget to protect the potato shoots by covering them with polythene when night frosts are forecast. Towards the end of the month it should also be warm enough to start making some sowings of beetroot as well, but watch out for late frosts. Asparagus beds can be planted up in April and it's also a good time to make sowings of Land Cress (American Cress), a very useful, easily-grown, salad green. Plant out home-grown Brussels sprout plants, as soon as these are large enough to go outside. In April you will also need to make indoor sowings of kale (e.g. 'Nero di Toscano', 'Cottager's Kale' and 'Tall Green Curled'), calabrese, sprouting broccoli, outdoor tomatoes (if you didn't do this at the end of March), autumn/winter cauliflowers and late Brussels sprouts. Many herbs (mint, basil, chives, hyssop, lavender, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano) and butterfly plants (e.g. buddleia) can also be sown indoors this month.
New Crops:
Every year I like to try out some new crops as well as my usual old favourites. This year I will be trying out several heritage seed varieties (all obtained from the Heritage seed Library) including 'Golden Sweet' - a golden podded mangetout pea which grows vigorously to the height of 4-5 ft and is drought tolerant; 'Hugh's' tomato - a yellow beefsteak tomato which is supposed to be very good for juicing; 'Sweet Banana' - a pretty, yellow Hungarian pepper; 'Spis Bladene' - an old Danish variety of kale (probably perennial) and 'Tellus' which is a kind of celeriac. I am also going to try to grow some celery for the first time in my garden this year. I will be trying out the variety 'Tall Utah', an organic green celery that doesn't require any earthing up. This variety is available from the Organic Gardening Catalogue and is ready in late September. (Update February 2009: I am still growing this Spis Bladene Kale in 2009. I always allow a few plants to flower each year and keep the seeds. It is a very reliable variety and even though the cabbage whites really love it, it always produces lots of green leaves in spring.)
Crops Available This Month:
March: Jerusalem artichoke, Brussels sprouts, leeks, spinach and sprouting broccoli.
April: Sprouting broccoli, rhubarb, spring greens, turnip tops, kale, leeks, asparagus, winter lettuces.
Consult the Garden Diary for more information on what to plant in your garden this season.
Your QueriesI have quite a few slugs in my garden and over the winter they have eaten most of my spring cabbages. What should I do? I have tried putting out grapefruit halves, but it doesn't seem to have cured the problem and I don't want to use slug pellets.
Sent in by: Ms Anne Wilkinson, Sheffield.
Editor's Reply:
Slugs can do a lot of damage and can be quite difficult to get rid of. In the veganic garden they are especially like to hide under mulches and often live in composters. However, it is important to avoid using slug pellets, as these can be very toxic and can harm other wildlife e.g squirrels, frogs, toads, hedgehogs, pets and birds. The Organic Gardening Catalogue sells a good range of environmentally friendly products which will protect your crops against attack by slugs. First of all, you could try their slug and snail tape (£11.65 (SNTA)). This self-adhesive barrier tape can be applied to pots, plants and garden furniture etc and contains a small electrical charge that repels slugs and snails and thus protects your plants. Then of course there is the beer trap method. For this you will need a supply of beer (or slug dough) and some jam jars, or else you can purchase special beer traps, (3 for £13.55 (SLTR)) again from the Organic Gardening Catalogue. If using jam jars sink them down into the soil so that the rim is level with the soil's surface. Pour in some beer and don't forget to empty your traps regularly! Another easy method that can be used to catch slugs is to walk round the garden regularly and remove any slugs you see by hand. Wear washing up gloves if you don't like touching slugs and put them in a suitable container such as a jam jar. Early in the morning, or after it has been raining, are the best times to collect slugs. These can then be released elsewhere. This is actually quite an effective method of controlling slugs, provided you do it regularly. Look carefully under stones, fleeces, pots, carpet and cardboard mulches etc as this is where the slugs like to hide.
Nemaslug is another means of controlling slugs (£11.70 to treat 40 sq m). This product contains microscopic nematode worms that reproduce inside the slugs. It is mixed with water and watered onto the garden and should give protection for up to six weeks. However, it needs to be kept in the fridge and requires moist soil for optimum performance. When I tried it, it didn't rain for weeks after I had applied it and thus didn't make a lot of difference to my slug population. Also it can be quite tricky to co-ordinate the delivery of the product with the weather forecast and unfortunately it has to be used up within a certain time too. Best used in areas with good rainfall. (Although with the amount of rain we have been having lately, it will probably work well in most areas of the UK at the moment!) For best results the soil temperature needs to be between 10 and 25 degrees C, thus this product is supplied from April onwards. Not recommended for use on heavy clay soils.
Fito Slug Stoppa Granules is a new product offered by the Organic Gardening Catalogue. I have just received a packet and will test it out soon. It's safe to pets, wildlife and children and provides a long-lasting barrier which slugs and snails will not cross, as it sucks up their slime. It's very easy to use, you just sprinkle it on to the soil around the plants you want to protect and at the end of the season work it into the soil to improve the soil condition. It can also be used in containers, hanging baskets and window boxes. (£7.95 for a 3.65 L Box)
All of the above products can still be ordered from the Organic Gardening Catalogue (Prices and product information updated in February 2009). If you would like a copy of their catalogue, then phone: 0845 130 1304 or email: enquiries@chaseorganics.co.uk. You can also obtain a copy from their website.
Other Interesting Websites
The Vegan Society (UK)
An excellent site and a particularly good starting point for obtaining information for the new or intending vegan. You can now visit their online Shop.
The Indonesian Vegan Society
An interesting site with a discussion forum, FAQ on the main reasons for being vegan, a personal section for people seeking vegan contacts, some good links and there's also going to be a recipe section soon. So send in your favourite recipes now!
Vegan Street Market
This site seems to cover all things vegan. There's an activist calendar, links, some fun diversions, recipes, top vegan stories and vegan products to buy. Oh and I love the little animated chicken at the bottom of the page!
Fox Hall Vegan B&B
Fox Hall vegan B&B is based in Kendal, Cumbria. Visit their website for price details and to find out what's on the menu and what there is to see in the area. There's also a self-catering cottage for hire.
Spring Book ReviewHow It All Vegan: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet. By Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. (Arsenal Pulp Press, Vancouver, 1999.)
How It All Vegan contains a wide selection of easily-prepared vegan recipes, including juices, milks and smoothies, vegan breakfast ideas, soups and stews, salads and dressings, cheeses and spreads, breads, desserts and main meals. There's also an interesting chapter on kid's food which includes some recipes for them to make for themself and some activities for them to do whilst you're busy. And incidentally, this section also includes some tips on how to get kids to eat healthy foods and some suggestions for fun snacks!
In addition, at the back of the book there's a very interesting section on household cleaning products, enabling you to clean without buying products that harm the planet. Here you will discover 45 uses for vinegar, including the removal of skunk odour! Finally there's some information on how to make your own beauty products using ordinary kitchen food items. And at the back of the book there's a useful appendix of animal products. Look out for a copy in your local library or bookstore.