cheddar group
Leaders: Ray
and Enid Smith, Hillside, Shipham Road, Cheddar. BS27 3DD
Tel: 01934 742437
FORTH COMING EVENTS
Sunday 18th July
Walk at Folly Farm, Bishop Sutton (Avon Wildlife Trust).
Easy-going with interesting buildings, wildlife pond, etc.
Sunday 19th September
Planning and preparing a fruit and vegetable garden/ allotment. With Enid and Ray in Cheddar.
Sunday 24th October
Brenda will talk about the history of herb use throughout the ages.
MEETING REPORT
Twenty-four people came to The Limes at Kenn for the poultry killing and plucking training session conducted by Steven Belgium and hosted by Heather and Steven Brain.
This was a bright, sunny almost spring-like day and was held out in the garden. Steven told us something of his Bristol background and how his father kept a variety of animals in the garden to feed their large family. He learned to give animals a good life and from an early age
learned to kill and prepare animals for the table. He and Lesley still keep poultry in the garden in Knowle West and Steven is a keen fisherman and frustrated countryman.
Steven is an advocate of quick and humane killing and demonstrated his skill including bleeding the bird. He explained that birds should not be fed for 24 hours before culling as this leads to an overfull crop, thus inhibiting a clean kill. He showed how to pluck a bird and several people had a go under his supervision. He explained how to deal with the wings and legs and showed how to clean out the bird. Residual feathers can be burned off with a blowtorch if necessary.
In answer to questions he dealt with game birds and ducks and touched on rabbits. Peter gamely despatched a bird himself under Steven’s supervision. William and Jo Beaumont brought along their ancient
electric plucking machine and Steven (who had never seen one before) used it to good effect. The garden and several onlookers were engulfed with a blizzard of feathers.
hank goodness we were outdoors and pointing away from the house. A highlight was William hoovering the lawn. A first for SHA?
Steven did a super job on the birds as well as entertaining us with anecdotes of family life. As ever we enjoyed our splendid tea and thank you to everyone who came along to contribute to this successful event.
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