Joan Lee-Smith was a young married woman when the second world war begun. Living on the borders of rural Cambridgeshire in the Peterborough area with her husband Keith, she determined to do her bit for the war effort. In her auto-biography ‘80 Glorious Years’ she speaks of this time.

‘ Various commodities were now rationed and it had been announced that milk was to be rationed in the New Year. Why not have some goats and sell the milk? (Goats’ milk would be unrationed). I also suggested that we should start pig-rearing. It would be great if we were able to cure our own bacon and ham. And why not have a few more hens! If we had Rhode Island Reds and Light Sussex Cockerel, I could sell day-old pullet chicks in the market. Over the next three months Keith bought me six milking goats and a large white sow and about fifty Rhode Island Red Pullets and a Light Sussex Cockerel. The goats were all either in milk or due to kid within a few weeks. They were British Alpines and one Saanen, they all gave around a gallon a day, so eventually I had six gallons of milk a day to sell. Molly the cow was beginning to try off, she was in calf, so I used to set her milk up in large bowls and skim off the cream and make three or four pounds of butter. I gave the skimmed milk to the sow as she had nine piglets. It was a very busy time. I bought three incubators, they were two hundred-egg size and I would hatch an average of 160-170 chicks per week. About fifty per cent were pullet chicks and I took them to market each week in boxes of twelve. A box of twelve pullets would make about £1.10 shillings per box. Once I became established they sold well as people knew they were genuine stock. I sold the surplus eggs in the auction and they nearly always made top price. When eggs became rationed, like butter and milk, it was easy to sell them at home. Even the policeman who lived opposite would come for butter and eggs every week.

I employed Harry who had just left school at fourteen to deliver the goats’ milk. It was 6d per pint compared to cow’s milk which was rationed at 3d per pint and three and a half pence in the winter. I did not change the price, the goat’s milk was 6d all year round. When all the goats were in full production, I had a little surplus goats’ milk which I used to make into cheese. I used to rennet the milk each morning and then put the whey into a bag and leave it to drain until the next morning. The cheese was not rationed and became very popular.’ .

This month Joan is looking at the cheaper cuts of meat, the cuts that when you have produced an animal for the freezer and for sale, tend to get left over as customers want the better known and more easily cooked cuts. Joan continues…..

Cheaper cuts of meat are full of flavour but need to be cooked correctly otherwise they are inclined to be tough. Beef, lamb or mutton are excellent for either braising or stewing. The majority of smallholders are constantly busy outside and need to be able to prepare the evening meal well in advance, so that when they come in after a hard, cold day, the meal is ready and waiting. So slow cooking is absolutely essential and a slow cooker is a good investment. They are very low priced and mine cost only £10. I put whatever meat I want to use along with the vegetables and stock, put the slow cooker on Auto and it will get on with cooking and does not need attention.

Here are two recipes I enjoy which use the cheap cuts of neck of lamb and stewing steak. Both recipes provide a meal for up to six people. I still work in pounds and ounces but Irish Stew 2lb (almost a kilo) neck of lamb or mutton 2 carrots cut into small squares Half of a small swede cut in squares 2 sliced onions ¾ pint (350mls) stock or water 1 wine glass of wine preferably red Salt and Pepper 1 Bouquet garni (you can make your own from a bay leaf, parsley and thyme either wrapped in a leek leaf or tied in string. Make sure the string is tasteless and doesn’t melt, so not baler twine) 1 dessert spoon of Bisto or Oxo Cube Method Put all the ingredients (apart from the Bisto or Oxo Cube) into your slow cooker or casserole dish and cook for approximately two hours. Remove bouquet garni. When meat is tender, add the Bisto or Oxo Cube and serve with home grown creamed potatoes.

Beef Goulash 1 ½ lbs (approx ¾ kilo) stewing steak (from a cheaper cut of beef) 3 sliced onions Carrots, swede & 2 large tomatoes 4 tablespoons soured cream (optional) 1 pint (approx ½ litre) stock 1 wine glass of red wine Salt, pepper and bouquet garni 1 dessert spoon of tomato puree (from a tube will be fine) 1 tablespoon of Bisto or Oxo Cube to thicken gravy after the meat is cooked Method Cut meat in small portions and place in slow cooker or casserole dish all other ingredients and cook for a minimum of two hours. Always check food is thoroughly cooked and piping hot before serving. As you can see, cooking these cheaper cuts of meat is very easy and you can also use home grown vegetables in season in the dishes. Home grown herbs can be used to make the Bouquet Garni. But even if you don’t have a smallholding, you will be pleasantly surprised at the low cost of these nutritious, delicious and filling cold weather meals.