The month of endless days of light.
It is the month of June, The month of leaves and roses, When pleasant sights salute the eyes and pleasant scents the noses.
Nathaniel Parker Willis
June is long hot summer days, the sun directly overhead at its Zenith on the longest day. June is a time for festivals, open gardens, parties, festivals, Wimbledon, watching the cricket from a shady spot, Glastonbury, BBQ’s days out at the beach, the village fete. Produce brimming with promise in the fields and allotments, busy bees buzzing about their business, fresh salads, evenings in the garden, park planted for the summer.
For this month.....
Dates, events, holidays and festivals.
June 2022
TBA – Monyash Well Dressing
4th & 5th June – Epsom Derby
TBA – Conwy Pirate Weekend
TBA – Open Garden Squares Weekend
10th June – New Moon
TBA – RHS Chatsworth Flower Show
12th June – Trooping the Colour
15th – 19th June – Royal Ascot
17th – 20th – The Royal Highland Show
21st June – Summer Solstice
24th June – Full Moon
25th – 27th – RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show
24th June – Midsummer
TBC – 27th June – Swaton Vintage Day & World Egg Throwing Championships
26th June – 11th July – Edinburgh Science Festival 2021
29th June – 4th July – Henley Royal Regatta
Find more events and notable dates throughout the year
June seasonal foods
What is seasonal in June.
Greens and leaves: Cabbage, Pak choi, Radicchio, Sorrel, Spinach, Spring greens, Watercress, Lettuce, Chervil, Lamb’s lettuce, Mint.
Roots and other veg: New potatoes, Onion, Pepper, Spring onion, Peas, Radish, Carrot, Courgette, Courgette flower, Fennel bulb, Globe artichoke, Mangetout, Tomato.
Meat: Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork.
Fruits: Rhubarb, Blackcurrants, Gooseberry, Strawberry.
Seafood: Crab, Halibut, Salmon, Kipper, Mackerel, Tuna.
Exotics: Pomegranate, Nectarine.
Find out more about seasonal foods throughout the year by getting yourself in the know about what is seasonal
In nature
Everything is growing.
On the farm in June
Sheep shearing and Routine sheep work (drenching for worms, foot bathing, etc).
Spring-born calves are de-horned.
Haymaking and Silaging.
Irrigate potatoes to encourage growth and ‘filling out’. Irrigation of other crops as required (especially market garden crops).
Find out more about what is happening in the Year on the farm
Things to do in June
In the June garden
Gardening hints
Ipsum text
Out and about
Also see the Out and about Blogs
The longest day.
Recipe of the month.
Chorizo and broad bean risotto.
Filling, full flavored yet light enough for a summers evening.
The deep flavour of the chorizo complements the creaminess of the rice and the broad beans provide a freshness.
Ideal for a supper on a warm June evening, maybe with a nice crisp white wine. Serve with a fresh green salad, Rocket, Sorrel, spinach and parsley, and maybe some finely chopped spring onions sprinkled over sliced tomato. A glug of dressing over the salad to complete.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
Knob of butter
Bunch or spring onions, finely chopped
3 rashers smoked bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
125g/4oz chorizo, sliced
About 300g/11oz risotto rice
900ml/1½pt hot chicken or veg stock (I like knorr veg stock pots).
A good large handful of freshly podded Broad beans. If no fresh available, use frozen broad beans, blanched in boiling water for 5 mins, then drained
Parmesan or other hard/mature cheese.
Equipment.
A good sized pan – a heavy frying pan is best, but a large, non stick saucepan will work
Wooden spoon.
Preparation
Pod beans, or blanch frozen beans
Prepare stock
Prepare salad – a nice big bowl if with friends for them to help themselves.
Prep onions, chorizo and bacon.
Cooking
Heat oil and butter in frying / sauce pan.
Add bacon and cook for a 2-3 mins until golden.
Add spring onions, season well and cook for 1 – 2 mins until soft.
Stir in chorizo and cook for a few mins, then tip in rice and stir well so it absorbs all the juices.
Have hot stock to hand (simmering gently in a pan) and ladle some over rice. Stir and cook until liquid is absorbed, then repeat process until rice is cooked and all stock has been absorbed (this will take about 20 mins). It should have a fairly wet consistency and rice should still retain a bite.
Add the broad beans into the rice at end of cooking to warm them and spoon onto shallow bowls or plates to serve.
A shaving or two of Parmesan or hard cheese add an extra flavour.
For more inspiration see the Food Blogs
June Jobs in the vegetable garden or allotment
General Jobs
Weeding and Mulching. As much as your plants will be growing, the weeds will be twice as fast.
Watering when required.
Earth up potatoes. Feed tomatoes.
Trim and tidy fruit trees and plants as required.
Remove pea and Broad beans after harvesting.
Sowing and Planting
Outdoors: Sow – Broad beans, Brussels sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Courgettes and summer Squashes, Calabrese, Cauliflower, Kohl rabi, Leeks, Lettuces, Onions, Oriental leaves, Marrows Parsnips, Peas, Radishes, Spinach, Spring onions, Spinach beet, Sprouting broccoli, Swiss chard, Turnips.
Plant: Asparagus, Broad beans, Globe artichokes, Endive, Florence fennel, French beans, Jerusalem artichokes, Kale, Kohl rabi, Leeks, Lettuces, Marrows, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Pumpkins and winter squashes, Radishes, Runner beans, Sprouting broccoli, Sweetcorn, Sweet potatoes, Tomatoes.
Harvest
Asparagus, Aubergines, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Cabbage (Spring), Carrots, Cauliflowers, Cherries, Fennel, Garlic, Globe artichokes, Gooseberries, Kohl rabi, Lettuces, Onions, Peas, Potatoes, Radishes, Rhubarb, Salad leaves, Spring onions, Spinach, Strawberries, Swiss chard, Turnips.
Find out more about what is happening in the allotment or vegetable garden
Activities, things to see and do in June
With lengthening days arise more opportunities to get out and about. To see what is happening in nature and the countryside. There is also a lot more to see as they year really starts to get going.
Thinking about getting out and about, then perhaps Buy OS Landranger maps direct from Ordnance Survey to discover new places or see the latest handheld GPS devices with bundled mapping from Ordnance Survey.
