AU JARDIN

Association Jardiniers du Sud-Ouest Chives

Issue : 82 March, 2013

At our last meeting Mike started by giving us a lot of tips on the use and maintenance of gardening machines. His most important message was Be Careful, Be Safe!. That means keeping your machines clean and wellmaintained remove all sawdust, grass or other detritus after each use, check oil and fuel levels and change blades and chains before they become dangerous. And always use eye protection and gloves when dealing with something that can shoot out stones or cut your arm off. The person who had promised to give a talk on planters, hanging baskets and pots let us down at the last minute, so Mike stepped in. I doubt very much if that person could have done it any better. My favourite tip was that you should line your planter (or basket, or pot) with moss to keep in moisture and to act as insulation. One thing is sure no-one is short of moss! He further told us a lot about the best sort of compost to use, when to water and what sort of pots to use. After that Jim provided us all with tea and biscuits and many of us went home with raffle prizes. Next Meeting, 16th April, 14:15 We will be visiting Bambouseraie - Joan Brisson, a bamboo garden at Matha, which is also a Pineau and Cognac producer and a historical Maison Charentaise The Website is: http://www.cognac-brisson.com We will meet at 14:15 in the car park of U-Express, which is on the D939 ring road round the north of Matha at the roundabout where the D131 from Les Touches-de-Prigny and Nere meets it. The supermarket was formerly known as ED. The cost is normally 5 per person, but they are doing us a special group rate of 3 please let me know (either sue@lebonvertoef.eu or 0549-072031) as soon as possible if you are coming so we can tell them how many we will be.

Mike on tools

Please note that our Website has been renewed; it can be found at jdsoac.weebly.com . Sue .

March

Recipe of the Month: Casablanca Orange Cake Ingredients: 2 small thin-skinned oranges (cleaned) 4 tablespoons light olive oil 4 large eggs 10 oz. granulated sugar 10 oz. plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder teaspoon salt Loaf tin 10 x 4 There were some very worried faces after my talk on garden machinery safety but it is to be taken in the right context; we can learn something new every day. I was not trying to scare people, just explain what can happen if machinery is not looked after. It is a shame that the manufacturers do not give a short explanation in their booklets on how to keep your machine safe, or how to clean it this small exercise would save a lot of injuries, and sometimes, death. If any one of our members has a problem with their machinery, please give me a call, and we will see what we can do. We will not be meeting at CHIVES this month, so the hall will not be opened, We will be meeting at MATHA, so please read details given in this newsletter. Please come and join us on this trip, plenty to see. Mike Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180oC (gas mark 4) 2. Slice off and discard tops and bottom of oranges 3. Cut up oranges and reduce to a thick pure in a processor 4. Add the oil slowly till well mixed 5. Whisk the eggs till thick 6. Beat in the sugar spoonful by spoonful till pale and fluffy 7. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl 8. Fold 1/3 of the flour and 1/3 of the orange mixture into the egg mixture 9. Fold in a second 1/3 10. Fold in the last 1/3 11. Paint the loaf tin with non-stick or line with greaseproof/baking/lining paper 12. Tip the mixture into the tin 13. Bake for 50 60 minutes (check after 45 minutes and lower heat if necessary) until it is well-risen, shrunk from the sides and brown. 14. Leave in the tin for a few minutes then cool on a rack.

From our Chairman

Publisher: Les Jardiniers du Sud-Ouest Chives, 8 rue des Roseaux, Le Vivier Jusseau 17510 Chives. Tel: 05.46.33.66.17 E-mail: lacourtyard@gmail.com