October Madness

October Madness
​ Winter Is On The Way

Blimey what a whirlwind month this has turned out to be.

Well first of all I must apologise for being just over a week late getting this article out, I there me rag doll out of its pram and almost the laptop out of the window, so when I say the computer crashed it almost did, right out of the office window and down with the cattle.

I had just written a wonderful article ready to upload here, probably some of my best work ever, real passion about this time of year and all country sports, my uncle Dave was messaging me at the same time, I had one of those technical senior moments, I pressed the wrong button the computer and deleted the whole article, as it vanished before my very eyes I let out a Viking war cry with both fists in the air, I have only now felt compelled enough to put pen to paper once again as it were. So here goes this months blog, you get what you get lol.

This month I thought I would take you on a sort of nostalgic old school winter food journey, as many who have my cook books know I have had some fantastic inspirations in the kitchen, but this article like my second game cook book (The House Wives Cheats) I dedicate to my Mum and my Nan, two amazing cooks who fed us Rough Ole Collins Boys well, with so many stories, their great sense of humour and amazing food, winter food being my favourite.

First off we start off with my brothers and mines favourite Corned Dog (Corned beef) Pie, originally a cheap war time dish both my Mum and Nan did their own versions of this dish, I do a mix of both with a bit of an Ole Hedge Creepers twist to put my own take on it, it was out of this world, I sent a pic to my brother with the pie served with proper chips done in the chip pan with beef dripping and baked bean, he is on a diet and training hard in the gym for some marathon or something, he sent me a pic back of him licking the phone, I also had it cold the next day next day on the first game shoot of the season on my shoot, Nobby, Lloyd, Dad and Mags all munching on it saying it was wonderful.​

Next Came the fish pie, again Mum and Nan had their own twists to this, I added my own, they would always use the left over scraps from the fish they processed for this dish, us Collins boys love fishing too so was always bring home a variety of sea fish after being out on Uncles boat, again this dish was awesome washed down with a nice glass of Pino.

​Stuffed hearts being one of my Pappies favourites, so again I put my own twist on these with my version of my secret stuffing mix, well unless you have one of my cook books that is, washed down with a warming glass of fine me port, this was food for the gods I telle.

Mum and Nan Cooking together, Cooking us Collins Boys up a storm in the kitchen, God Rest Their Beautiful Souls, I miss both these ladies so much, I can almost smell the wonderful aroma and taste this photo, with their sweet soft Southern voices bellowing at me, GET OUT OF OUR KITCHEM AND SPOP PICKING AT THE FOOD!!!!!!!! <3

The next dish the king of the feast, a mighty steak and kidney suet pudding, bursting at the seams with meat and a thick gravy, served with tarragon roast potatoes, fresh carrots from farmers garden and washed down with a fine pint of Guinness after a shoot day. Now thats living like a country king I telle. There is more to talk about food but for now will move on to something else, watch the videos with this article and you can see this fod in all its glory, well apart from the steak and kidney pie my phone ran out of memory to do a video, if you want any of my cook books they are available from www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk that's this website.

This month we are back in full swing with our Masonic lodges, and what a fantastic time it is after hmmmm a summer off, I visited Backwell Lodge to see my old drinking chum Rod from way before masonry, his children and mine grew up playing together, what a wonderful night amongst great men and Freemasons, some wonderful conversations about the charity work we all do too, I also took a contingent of The Adair Club that's the official light blues club Somerset and my Lodge Gordano Lodge along to see my dear friend Wayne and all my chums at The Agricultural Lodge Of Gloucestershire, what a fantastic night this was too amongst dear friends and Freemasons from another province, the ceremony was first class and the festive board or after meeting as its known was belly busting, then again what do you expect from a farmers lodge.

I had to go do a talk to The Bristol Fly Dressers Guild too, this was on behalf of The Pass It On Young Sport Organisation that I have the greatest honour to head up, I am hoping we can join forces and do like what were doing in Scotland under my brilliant Scottish regional director Ken, what I am hoping to do here is start a Young Sports and Family style fishing club covering all fishing disciplines, this talk was well received so watch this space.

Whilst on a conservation job controlling grey squirrels and protecting red squirrels I managed to be very close to some wildlife, a herd of Sika deer and for me the best bit a glut of hares, there was so much wildlife about here I was in my element, actually shooting with a camera instead of a gun, I will add a couple of pics for you to see.

Well the first game shoot of the season on my shoot that I keeper on, we just could not get enough beaters this day as we had classed with the shoot next door, so we decided to do a walked up shoot, with the odd couple of beaters with dogs we did have filling in the gaps, I stayed on the quad bike as I still cant really walk since the accident, I ran one end of the line where I could and my under keepers filling in too, I must say it was a wonderful day and a lot of shooting was had, not just with the pheasants and partridge but with squirrels and dray poking, I must admit I really enjoyed this relaxed day and everyone said the same, we stopped for lunch with my cold Corned Dog Pie too. Nobby one of my dearest old childhood friends was there as my guest with his new Cocker Spaniel called Oakley, this was quite nostalgic really, here we are getting on for 40 years since we went out ferreting as lads, now were here twwed shirts and ties shooting game together, oh the memories came flooding back, Dad even told a few stories too.

Well I have finally agreed to do the pod casts again, I have been getting asked so much over the last three years since we stopped doing The Countryman's Diary Magazine (that I still co own) The Fat and Hairy Round up, The Collins Boys Unleashed episode is still getting big hits now, so I have agreed to start doing them again, but this time totally new and fresh with a fantastic new young co host, well you have heard of Miami Vice, Crockett and Tub’s, well we are now The Nailsea Twice, Crock Pot and Spud's, I wont ruin your hilarious and entertaining voyage of discovery here, click on the link button below and you will be taken to the page, you might have to download the free app to tune in Monday nights at 7pm, its NON PC, with George a young man and old man me chewing the fat, telling stories, jokes, covering everything under gods canopy and men's health, and more, it seems we have awoken the country girls too, as we are getting lots of country ladies writing for love, advice and oh so much more, come be entertained with our own unique hilarious wit and West Country sense of humour from two country boys with 30 years age difference between them.

Crock Pot And Spuds Podcast Link Button

I hope you have finally enjoyed my humble scribbles this month, until next time, Its Proper Job Mucker I Telle.

Oh before I forget, Luke Combs has a new album out called Fathers and Sons. I have this album and teas flow with each song, only real Country Boy Fathers, Sons and even Grandfathers will truly understand the words to every song on this album, but I swear he has sung these songs about my Hunting, Shooting and fishing life with my own family, have a listen on you tube, I guarantee you will buy this album too if your a real country Boy Grandfather, Father or Son.​

October Madness
Winter Is On The Way
By The Ole Hedge Creeper www.theolehedgecreeper.co.uk