Customise your cooking

EIGHTY varieties of mint, 40 thymes, 26 rosemaries and more than 600 other herbs. If you want to add more interest to your cooking, Chris and Paul Turner quite possibly have the answer, or even 800 answers.

Chris Turner has always loved growing and cooking with herbs, so when she left teaching and was looking for a new career, it suddenly seemed the obvious answer.

My husband Paul and I have always grown and used many herbs. We have a long terraced garden that catches the sun and is just perfect. It just seemed the natural thing to make a business of it.

For the last ten years Garth Herbs have been regulars at farmers markets and shows throughout the region.

Chriss love of cooking goes back to her American childhood.

My father was an Italian French American.

He did all the cooking for the family and proper food was really important to him. He used fresh ingredients and, of course, lots of herbs.

Herbs are such a brilliantly simple way to customise your food, to make it different and interesting and just the way you like it. And to just step outside and pick two or three different ones is just so good.

They are very much specialists and at their home at Newby Wiske, Northallerton, they grow over 800 different herbs.

But we have lots of varieties within that. Over 100 or so varieties of lavender.

(With that, a customer asks about lavender for a clay soil. Chris is initially discouraging.

They need really good drainage. Eventually they decide on a lavender that might work if planted with lots of gravel. I dont want to sell for the sake of selling, says Chris. I want to be sure that plants will grow for people.) Chris and Paul probably timed it just right when they started out. People were just beginning to take a much greater interest in fresh food and so many wellknown chefs use herbs a lot that its got people more interested.

And, despite the stereotypes, she says the British are much more adventurous than their continental neighbours.

We go plant collecting in France. And yes, the French use a lot of herbs, but they still just grow and use the same herbs their grandmothers used. They are reluctant to try anything new.

Whereas in this country...

Every year theres a new favourite.

When we started, we could hardly sell chervil. Now we sell loads of it. Its the same with dill. Fishy things are popular, so you have to have dill. And then sorrel is very popular at the moment. People are always ready to try something new.

But even old favourites like parsley are wonderful. I mean, if you just discovered parsley for the first time, wouldnt you get so excited? And tarragon?

Once when I was doing the farmers market at Whitby the man driving the dustbin cart stopped his cart in the middle of Church Street and ran up to buy pots of tarragon.

They collect their herbs from all over the world. They have a lovely thyme that came from a cutting they brought back from Tuscany.

And we have a really unusual lime thyme from California. I was very iffy about it, didnt think it would survive an English winter, but it has and its wonderful.

As well as the actual herbs, they also make their own herb-infused oils and vinegars and jars of olives, so theyre kept busy.

Garth Herbs sell at farmers markets and shows and have resisted the temptation to go online, partly because they like their business just as it is and partly because they like meeting their customers and hearing how the plants have got on, and sometimes learning of new ones.

Even on a rainy market day, Chris grins happily.

Its a lovely business. Growing things, helping other people grow things and making food taste good. Its a really positive thing to do.

* Garth Herbs are regulars at farmers markets in Richmond, Ripon, Northallerton, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Leyburn and Stokesley. As part of the Northern Dales Farmers Markets group they are also promoting a move to use only biodegradable carrier bags at local markets.

* Garth Herbs will be among around 80 local food producers at the three day Dales Festival of Food and Drink at Leyburn tomorrow, Sunday and Monday, 10am C 5pm. Stands, tastings, talks, demonstrations, music, fairground, a real ale festival and lots more.

For more details, ring 01969-623069, or log on to www.dalesfestivaloffood.org

Bylines

Dear Sharon,

IVE just been to my local Asda for soya milk. I picked up a litre in the dairy section for 84p. For reasons only know to Asda they also stock soya milk by the eggs and bread C here it was 60p a litre. Exactly the same Asda Smart Price Unsweetened Soya, exactly the same colour packaging and product details.

The only difference was that the 84p was taller and squarer with a screw lid and the 60p was squatter, more rectangular, with a flip top lid.

Twenty four pence is a bit much to pay for the luxury of a screw lid, so I put the 84p one next to them and picked up the 60p.Others may not be so observant, so you may want to warn them.

Brenda Boyd AND from the Echo website, bentonbag offers has this laundry tip. I use oldfashioned, green household soap, wetted and rubbed into food (and other) stains and collars if they need it, before putting clothes into the washing machine. Works just as well as any of the modern prewash stuff, and doesnt rot materials.

Its quite hard to get though: only Morrisons seems to stock it. I keep mine in one of those washing tablet bags so that it can be held under the tap to get soapy water to soak things in, or to wash delicates.

Bouquets of the Week

Dear Sharon

IWOULD like to nominate Rita Foster of Ferryhill, pictured, who runs the Town Youth Football Club in Dean Bank Park.

She took over this role following her husbands illness.

She and her small group of helpers turn out in all weathers to ensure that approximately 300 youngsters, boys and girls from five years old upwards, enjoy football. She organises the fixtures, the training sessions and social events for their families. During the school holidays she puts on play days when the kids are there all day, enjoying all sorts of activities in the open air.

I dont think people realise just how much time and effort Rita puts in the club. She has had a very stressful time lately and to know that she is appreciated would be better than any medicine.

The kids love you, Rita and you and your team are appreciated by the people of Ferryhill. Thank you for everything you all do.

Joan Weston, Ferryhill.

ö Everyone says that children should take more exercise and get involved in sport; very few actually get out there and do something about it. Rita and her helpers are doing a great job. We know they are appreciated and were sending Rita this weeks bouquet just to prove it.

ROSEMARY Dowding of Durham believes she is one of many people who have fallen foul of Durham City pavements, she says, and as a result would would like to thank the staff of OBriens Irish sandwich bar on Elvet Bridge and a lady customer who came to her aid when she tripped and fell heavily in their doorway. Also the pleasant and efficient paramedic who was so quickly on the scene.

Mrs Kelly of Willington and other customers in the Westgate Store in Bishop Auckland had an unhappy experience recently when they were trapped in the lift. It was very frightening, writes Mrs Kelly, who is 86 years old. I was so pleased when the firemen released us from the lift. They and the paramedics at the scene were marvellous.

Although not injured, I was badly shaken and I cannot thank the girls on the staff of Westgate Store enough for their kindness and concern.