Good afternoon,
We grow a small amount of cereal at Trenchmore as part of our rotation, which enables us to reseed the pastures with more productive grass species every few years.
Last year we harvested winter wheat and this year we’ve sown spring barley. The straw is used to bed our herd & flock in the winter, the barley will be used to finish our cattle for the best marbling and most of the wheat has been sold to E5 Bakehouse in London.
The bakery has their own mill and we collect the surplus bran that has been siphoned off by Simon the miller and feed it back to the cattle. It has good energy, minerals & fibre in it - so a happy set up for us, the bakers and the herd.
We held back a couple of sacks of wheat this year to sell as wheat berries through the yard shop and to restaurants, like Embers in Brighton.
Wheat berries are the cleaned but otherwise totally unprocessed wheat seed, and they’re absolutely delicious. Think pearl barley, but with more bite & more flavour. As the bran is left intact they have extra fibre, which is good for gut health.
They do take a while to cook - ideally in a pressure cooker, but fine on a stove top with a little patience. I’d suggest rinsing them first and the covering with plenty of water and simmering for at least an hour (30 mins in a pressure cooker), until tender but with some bite. They’re great for batch cooking because once cooked, they keep in the fridge for week.
Wheat berry & broccoli salad with tahini dressing
by Mary Gwynn
200g Trenchmore wheat berries
250g broccoli (sugar snap/ asparagus/ green beans work well too), trimmed
100g toasted cashew nuts
1 red chilli, seeded and thinly sliced
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 pomegranate, seeds scooped out
A handful of flat leafed parsley, roughly chopped
Salt & pepper
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Put the wheat berries in a pan, cover with cold water and simmer for around 60 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly, place in a large bowl & season.
Dry fry your greens of choice for 4 - 5 mins on a high heat until charred & just tender
Cut into short lengths & add to the cooked berries.
Dry fry the nuts for a minute or two until light golden. Add to the bowl with the chilli and salad onions.
Whisk together the tahini, oil & vinegar with 2 tbsp cold water. Pour over the wheat berries and toss to coat. Leave to cool, then add the pomegranate seeds & chopped parsley. Check seasoning & enjoy. If taking on a picnic, I’d suggest adding the pomegranate & parsley once your rug is rolled out, as a limp leafy herb is a sorry sight.
Summer Market
with the Sussex Taste Collective
8th July, 11-4pm
Free to attend
Children and dogs welcome
15 of the best food & drink producers from our abundant county will be serving up their wares in the market, whilst 3 different food trucks & the Moo Tap will be keeping you well-nourished throughout the day.
There will be an hour long farm walk with regenerative farmers Andrew & Nev, for those who'd like to work up an appetite before devouring the delicious treats available back in the yard.
Plus, we will have a roaming brass band & DJ Dan to keep our ears entertained. Something for all the senses.