tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38247169357170886152024-02-21T05:41:54.827-08:00G and S organicsThe story of Lee Gray and Beth Simpson, two organic farmers living and working together to build a successful business from a sustainable way of life on the couples 30 acre mixed farm and 30 acres of organic woodland in Northumberland.G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-26866032744600791932012-01-12T04:06:00.003-08:002012-01-12T09:01:32.404-08:00The pork pie recipe<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;"><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Guide for the Pork Pie mix in this week's box</b><br />
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I can only describe this as massive treat. A home-made pork pie is something you can’t compare to the inferior offering you find in the supermarket. Hot water pastry, which you use to encase the moist, tasty, and fabulously meaty mixture in the packs, has rather a mystery and perceived difficulty that people steer away from.<br />
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Well don’t go telling your friends, because I still like to produce the pork pie to "woos and aaahs" and lots of praise as to how skilled and amazing I am, but hot water pastry really is child's play. In fact if you still feel a little shaky about it let the kids make it, they have no such fear!<br />
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<b>To make a pork pie...</b><br />
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We have made up the mixture of pork meat, which you simply pack into the pastry case you are about to make. Remember raised or hot water pastry is super easy and very forgiving. The mix is made from diced pork leg meat and a sage and sausagemeat stuffing.<br />
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If you feel short of time pop the mix in the freezer to go back to later, or you can just bake it in a loaf tin like a meat loaf or terrine. If you do make one, please pop a picture on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/gandsorganics">our facebook page</a> and we can all enjoy each other’s handiwork!!! Just search for G and S Organics if you haven’t found us yet.<br />
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If you want to make one "with me", I will be making mine on Friday and tweeting the instructions as I go, along with pictures, so join in by following <a href="http://twitter.com/OrganicBeth">@Organicbeth</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/gandsorganics">@gandsorganics</a><br />
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You will need:<br />
<ul><li>Your pork pie meat </li>
</ul>For the hot water crust:<br />
<ul><li>50g lard, diced</li>
<li>50g butter or another 50g of lard if you would prefer (I like the flavour of the butter!)</li>
<li>100ml of water</li>
<li>275g of plain flour</li>
<li>½ teaspoon of salt</li>
<li>1 medium egg, beaten plus some more beaten egg to glaze</li>
<li>175ml of good stock that will set to jelly, this is not essential but adds the traditional jelly round the pie. </li>
</ul>Make the pastry first. Put the lard and butter in a large pan with the water. Heat gently until it has all melted, don’t let it boil as you don’t want the water to evaporate. Put the flour and salt in a large, mixing bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in the beaten egg, stir gently with a knife to half mix them together. Pour in the melted fat and water and mix together until you form a soft dough. If you feel the dough is a little dry add a little extra warm water. Knead gently, add more flour if the dough is sticky. Wrap in grease proof or clingfilm for ½ an hour and leave to one side.<br />
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<b>To make the pie:</b><br />
<ul><li>Reserve ¼ of the pastry for the lid. </li>
<li>On a floured surface roll out the remaining pastry to make a circle approx. 1cm thick, to form the case for your filling.</li>
<li>Gently use this to line a small, greased cake tin approx. 10inch diameter. A spring form tin is easiest but not essential. Push the pastry into the corners and flatten the pastry up the sides </li>
<li>Fill with the pork mixture</li>
<li>Roll out the pastry for the lid into a circle the size of the tin, brush the pastry in the tin with a little beaten egg and place the lid in the top. Crimp the to pastry edges together to seal in the porky goodness. Cut a 1cm "steam" hole in the centre of the lid </li>
<li>Bake the pie in a moderate oven (gas mark 8 or 180c) for 20 minutes then turn down the heat to 160c or gas mark 3 for a further hour. If you have a loose sided spring form tin carefully remove the tin sides and glaze the top and sides of the pie with the beaten egg, return the pie to the oven for 10 minutes to set the glaze. Alternatively just glaze the top.</li>
<li>Take the pie from the oven and allow to cool a little</li>
<li>Once cool pour the warmed jellied stock in through your steam hole in the centre of the pie, if you are using it. Allow it to settle in and fill any gaps inside the pie. You may find a small funnel rather useful here. I like to tilt the pie a little this way and that to encourage the stock to settle in. stop when the stock starts to come out of the hole.</li>
<li>Leave the pie to completely cool and refrigerate. </li>
</ul>The pie will keep for up to 10 days and will serve a host of hungry mouths. Serve with winter salads like coleslaw made with the green cabbage, mustardy potato salad and pickles.</div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-91181820898570666102012-01-12T04:00:00.000-08:002012-01-12T04:00:21.282-08:00Events DiaryHeres the potted view of our events diary, click the link to the facebook page for more info, or drop us an email.<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The G and S Organics Events Calendar 2012<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">“Put your wellies on!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Your family and friends are always welcome to come and join in the fun. Keep in touch with our G&S Organics Facebook page for event updates, photographs, recipe ideas, news from the farm and more.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Booking is essential for the events<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></div><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
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<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: currentColor; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 160; width: 583px;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid black; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Date<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Event<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: black black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: solid solid solid none; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Price<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">21<sup>st</sup> January<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">10am for bacon butties for workers<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">4pm burns supper<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Work party and </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Burns Night </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">supper</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Help Build the Potting Shed – wear something tartan!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">4<sup>th</sup> February<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">12pm start<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Farm focus dinner</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Woodland and Game lunch party with a walk to the woods<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">3<sup>rd</sup> March<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Farm focus dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Come and<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> see</span></span> newborn lambs, learn about</span> lambing on the farm and enjoy a tasty vegetarian lunch <o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">17<sup>th</sup> March<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">10am for bacon butties for workers<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">4pm dinner</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Work party planting day and</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">St. Patrick’s Day lunch with Irish Stew <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">7<sup>th</sup> April<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Farm focus dinner Poultry </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Come</span> and join in the Great Easter Egg hunt, see the newborn chicks and learn about poultry farming.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">5<sup>th</sup> May<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Farm focus dinner Pork</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">May Day Weekend – a pork supper, farm walk and butchery demonstration<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">2<sup>nd</sup> June<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">12pm start<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The G&S Diamond<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jubilee Party – Bring your picnic blanket and come and enjoy a <span style="color: black;">traditional afternoon tea </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">with Beth’s home</span><span style="color: black;"> <span style="color: black;">baking</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">7<sup>th</sup> July<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.</span><span style="color: black;">30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Farm</span> <span style="color: black;">focus</span> <span style="color: black;">dinner Lamb</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A lamb spit roast dinner and farm tour<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">28<sup>th</sup> July <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">tba<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Ship ahoy! A mackerel fishing trip from the Fish Quay in North Shields<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£35 a head for Box Scheme members only (numbers strictly limited to 10 people)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">4<sup>th</sup> August <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.</span><span style="color: black;">30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Farm focus dinner summer</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The G &S Summer Barbecue and farm tour and talk<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">18<sup>th</sup> August <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3.</span><span style="color: black;">30pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">5.30pm dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 111.55pt;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">The G&S Camping weekend for kids (and their grown ups!) with a campfire supper cooked by the kids<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: 111.55pt;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 per adult, £5 per child –<span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">tea and</span> </span>bacon butties on Sunday morning will be available for £5 a head<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">1<sup>st</sup> September<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Farm Focus<span style="color: red;"> <span style="color: black;">Dinner</span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Beef</span></span> – Beef<span style="color: red;"> <span style="color: black;">butchery</span> <span style="color: black;">and </span><span style="color: black;">cookery demo</span></span><span style="color: black;">, farm tour </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">and supper<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">6<sup>th</sup> October<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Shooters at 2pm <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">Dinner</span> <span style="color: black;">at 4pm</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Farm Focus dinner Game</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> Clay pigeon shooting<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>event and <span style="color: black;">game supper<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span></td><span style="color: black;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">plus £10 each if you would like to shoot</span> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span></td><span style="color: black;"> </span></tr>
<span style="color: black;"> </span>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">3<sup>rd</sup> November<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">10am bacon butties <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">for workers<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">4pm bonfire and dinner<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"> </span></td><span style="color: black;"> </span><td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"><span style="color: black;"> </span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Work party</span> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Tree planting and Bonfire Night party with a Hog Roast<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 15;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">17<sup>th</sup> November<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">12pm – 4pm<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Charcuterie <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Demonstration with produce sale<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 16;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">1<sup>st</sup> December<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span style="color: black;">More info to follow<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">Christmas Lunch, make your own Christmas wreath and Christmas tree sale<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Cambria;">£15 a head for Box Scheme members £20 for non- scheme members<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></td> </tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 17; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black; border-style: none solid solid; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 154.2pt;" valign="top" width="206"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 156.7pt;" valign="top" width="209"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> <td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) black black rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: text1; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: text1; mso-border-right-themecolor: text1; mso-border-themecolor: text1; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: text1; padding: 0cm 5.4pt; width: 126.7pt;" valign="top" width="169"> <div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></td> </tr>
</tbody></table>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-4817279010076702522012-01-06T09:01:00.001-08:002012-01-09T04:28:19.987-08:00New Year Message<b>Happy 2012!</b><br />
<br />
I’ll try not to sound too much like this post is the G and S Organics New Year message, but being the first blog of 2012 we are full of vigour and excitement about what the year holds and have had a few days off with little to talk about but the future. A future which is looking ever brighter since Beth accepted my proposal of marriage on Christmas day. We are planning on a summer wedding party in the kitchen garden, so I have a firm deadline to get the garden looking acceptable!<br />
<br />
Reflecting on the year gone by, we are pleased to be through it and remaining in good mental health. It’s been our hardest year since starting the business in 2005. The recession, crazy weather patterns, running the coffee shop longer than we should have and moving house have all taken their toll and it’s great to be on the other side. Closing the coffee shop means the farm gets Beth back full time which will have a dramatic impact on our veg production and having less customers means it should be truly achievable to produce most of the produce going in the boxes through the whole year.<br />
<br />
<b>Production in 2012</b><br />
<br />
I’m going to list the rough plan for what we want to grow and produce here so you have an idea where we are heading but this is the basics and we would welcome any requests for specific veg or meat that you would like to see in the boxes. You’ll see that there are some obvious omissions like maincrop potatoes, onions, celery, parsnips and cauliflower. These are things we cannot grow profitably (if at all) or like maincrop potatoes, get from top quality growers locally and easily so will use the space for other things. It won’t stop us growing our own earlies and different varieties like pink fir apples etc. It just doesn’t make sense for us to turn half the garden over to potatoes. We will do lots of one off veg varieties to keep things interesting but the following will form the bulk of the what we grow this year:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Red Cabbage</li>
<li>Savoy Cabbage</li>
<li>Spring Cabbage</li>
<li>Spinach</li>
<li>Chard</li>
<li>Salad Bags</li>
<li>Garlic</li>
<li>Herbs Mixed</li>
<li>Courgettes</li>
<li>Kohl Rabi</li>
<li>Chillies</li>
<li>Radish</li>
<li>Artichokes Jerslm</li>
<li>Artichokes Globe</li>
<li>Potatoes</li>
<li>Carrots</li>
<li>Spring Onions</li>
<li>Beetroot</li>
<li>Fennel</li>
<li>Turnips</li>
<li>Swede</li>
<li>Leeks</li>
<li>Sprouts</li>
<li>Romanesco</li>
<li>Broad Beans</li>
<li>Runner Beans</li>
<li>Peas</li>
<li>Rhubarb</li>
<li>Strawberries</li>
<li>Currants</li>
</ul><br />
On the meat side of things we aim to do more of the same with a mix of our pork, lamb, Dexter or Angus/Dexter beef but we are also aiming to grow more poultry. We’d like a large enough flock of hens to produce all the eggs for the boxes throughout the year which means three times the hen houses too. Alongside the hens we’ll be producing chickens for the table probably 8 times per year, ducks and geese once or twice and turkeys and geese for Christmas which means you’ll get poultry from March and every month onwards in your boxes. I’m dreaming of getting an old dairy cow to try and raise some organic rose veal but this is in the same dream as Beth allowing me to get some Highland cattle so it may be wishful thinking. Georges ducks will hopefully come onto lay in the spring so there will be the odd box of duck eggs too.<br />
<br />
As part of the poultry enterprise we would like to hatch eggs ourselves rather than buying in day old chicks, this means we can try small batches of different breeds. However most incubators need power 24 hours a day for 28 days which may be difficult being off grid. We are looking for alternatives but in the meantime if anyone would like to try their hand at hatching eggs and have space (about the size of a microwave) let us know. The incubators are fully automatic so it’s just a case of keeping an eye on the little eggs until the big day.<br />
<br />
<b>Projects</b><br />
<br />
We have two major products that need progressing urgently. The cattle need housing in case the weather gets really bad in the next few months so I’m trying to get this finished before the months out. The Dexter’s don’t need much in the way of luxuries, just a dry bed of straw to sleep on if they’ve been out in the rain and wind all day along with plenty of feed and water of course.<br />
<br />
The other construction is going to be an undercover outside kitchen, demo and dining area in the garden that will make hosting the farm focus dinners a little less stressful and a lot more professional (not to mention dryer!) Once this infrastructure is in place we should be able to invite some schools to bring pupils for educational visits too, which is a long held desire. The idea of planting, harvesting, cooking and eating; all in the garden with children helping in every stage is truly what we are about here and it’s going to be great to share it with more people in 2012. Not sure the kids will enjoy the compost loo as much though. We’ll have to move the small polytunnel to accommodate this, which is a good opportunity to re sheet and fix up the damage that we had in the storms last year. Re-sheeting the big polytunnel may be on the cards but a small lottery win is needed before this becomes a certainty. If nothing else it will provide a good sheltered growing area benefiting from some of the pigs being in there over winter turning straw and feed residues into the soil.<br />
Those that came to the tree planting day will see change in the form of a track going through this area which will make it easy to turn around without going into the farmyard and provide a bit more parking for the open days.<br />
<br />
<b>Box Scheme</b><br />
<br />
The box scheme deliveries will be carrying on as previously arranged but we would like to change the packaging of both the meat and the veg boxes. We are trying to source some uniform boxes so we can squeeze all the boxes onto the van neatly and make them easier for you to handle. We would like to replace the cool bags with the customer leaving a cool box or bag out for us too put the meat packs in. This will ensure that the meat keeps perfectly chilled in the summer months as you can drop your own ice pack in the box before you put it out on the evening. We’ll possibly look into bulk buying a load of cool boxes and then hand them out closer to the warmer weather approaching. Whatever happens we’ll keep in touch and give you plenty of notice.<br />
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Another change that we may make is to swap the bread in the boxes for more veg, fruit or another box of eggs. We have done this with the Wednesday deliveries quite a while ago and it has worked well, but we’d like some feedback before making any changes to those who receive there boxes on Thursdays. If you have an opinion on this please let us know. It’s really in the interest of us producing more of the box ourselves so ideally we would make up the value with an additional box of eggs or extra veg. <br />
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<b>Events</b><br />
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We have an event taking place on the farm every month, the details of these will go onto the facebook page and the website so do keep looking for more info.<br />
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Best wishes for 2012,<br />
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Lee and BethG and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-77561878500760809652011-05-17T13:24:00.000-07:002011-05-17T13:28:22.678-07:00Pork ButcheryI only had one pig to do in the butchery today so had a bit of time to do a few pics to show what goes on when turning pig to pork.<br />
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Butchery is something I really enjoy, but it's a rare thing indeed to have as much time as I would like to try out new things and experiment with different charcuterie techniques and recipes. And the pig is of course, the butchers best friend with nothing but the squeek going in the bin traditionally!<br />
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With pork, as with any meat the first thing we need to know is how the animal is reared; this along with how it died will have the biggest impact on what comes to the butcher and if these two pre requisites were not satisfactory the butcher will be fighting a losing battle. I'll talk more about these things in another blog but what we do is try to give the animal a happy life and our local small abattoir gives them a professional, compassionate death.<br />
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Some of the photos below may seem a bit much but I think everybody who eats meat should see the stages that the meat has gone through before ending up on the plate. If you would like to know or see more please get in touch.<br />
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So for this post the basics are:-<br />
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1. The carcass comes back to us-we check paperwork is correct and the pig has our organic stamp on it,then assess the fat level and confirmation to get an idea how the animal has performed. This gives us information about our breeding, feeding and husbandry of the animal. Too much fat indicates the diet needs adjusting, a run of pigs with huge shoulders but small legs may be a sign of a bad breeding programme etc.<br />
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The size, fat level and confirmation also give me clues as to how best to butcher the animal..I prefer to have no pre conceived cutting lists until I see the animal on the cutting table. Its seem silly to cut a leg into joints if it would make a perfect ham or to cut chops out of a loin that would be great bacon.<br />
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2.So once we have the cutting list in our head it's time to remove the head and trotters and sort through the offal. Beth normally likes some of these for stock and making potted meat, pate and terrines for the house.<br />
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3.Then breaking the carcass down into primal cuts..shoulers, legs and saddle. From here as todays pig was quite small and really suitable for joints and chops, I take out the bones from the shoulder and leg and roll these tying with twine after scoring the skin.<br />
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4. From here it's just a simple case of portioning according to needs, so cutting chops from the loin removing any excess fat and trimming the bone if needed, slicing joints into 1-1.5kg and slicing belly pork.<br />
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It really is that simple with a small pig, I'll do a post when we do a large pig for processing into variuos sauages, burgers, bacon and hams to give you an inside view of what goes on at the farm.<br />
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A quick word on the tools of the trade..four things i wouldn't be without are my 5" boning knife, large chopper, steel and butchers saw. All are cheap from butchers suppliers, give years of service and are extremely useful bits of kit to have in the kitchen too.<br />
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I'd love to hear if your interested in seeing more of this kind of info on the blog so do please comment or get in touch.G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-60034058266043743702011-05-12T11:57:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:40:12.546-07:00Barry's Last StandYesterday we weaned the piglets from our welsh cross sow and moved her back into the serving paddock in a bid to keep our boar 'Barry' in his rightful place. He's been absolutely impossible to keep in despite having eveything a man could dream (apart from a lady friend)for the past three months.<br />
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After only a few hours together he was back out in the fields having smashed his way through a fence again. Obviously love was not in the air.<br />
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Unfortunately at this time of the year when much needed grass, veg and fruit are grwoing we can ill afford a rampant boar on the loose so for the sanity of all concerned tomorrow 'Barry' is going to the great unfenced pig paddock in the sky..<br />
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RIP BarryG and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-23171564172239531762011-05-09T18:34:00.000-07:002011-05-09T18:34:00.639-07:00A New Dawn, A New Diary<div><div>So after a few weeks of struggling by with an ever slower laptop things finally came to an abrupt end last week when after 2 hours of photo editing and writing the newsletter the laptop died completely losing the work I'd just done.<br /><br />Normally we'd just calmly find a solution but this particular day it just happened that everything else had also gone wrong and it coincided with a delivery day which means a silly o'clock start and up to an 18 hour shift at work so the laptop was promptly slammed shut smashing the screen!<br /><br />With no possible chance of recovery, the only choice was to replace the old girl with a newer and hopefully more reliable beast. And that's why I'm back to blogging, having a new laptop brings renewed vigour for using this resource a lot more.<br /><br />So the plan is to do a few lines each day, more as a farm and business diary for us (and you if your interested) to see what went on during the year. Which brings us here.<br /><br />9/5/2011<br />3 Pigs back from abattoir. Probe depth 14,14, and 19mm. From the pure Berkshires, note reduced back fat and intramuscular marbling compared to last weeks draw of Berkshire/welsh/saddleback cross of same feeding regime. Under 50kg seems to be optimum carcass weight.<br /><br />Beth planted approx 50 raspberries from runners in garden.<br /><br />Extremely hot, temperatures up to 23.More rain.<br /><br />Last ewe still to lamb.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGudHG4qaGgvJDoOILu4JaeIOxlIUNhWE0tkwOf09DiBToaJ0jXkNix2Qj2yh37EejhfNFqqC5inkJibdTexHVy98rguTtSEghyR5fC2s9djaP-sgQ3IcfV-r-nYLMchM-xhqFHHuKwQ/s1600/IMAG0111+%2528354x600%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 236px; height: 400px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5604768983070271154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGudHG4qaGgvJDoOILu4JaeIOxlIUNhWE0tkwOf09DiBToaJ0jXkNix2Qj2yh37EejhfNFqqC5inkJibdTexHVy98rguTtSEghyR5fC2s9djaP-sgQ3IcfV-r-nYLMchM-xhqFHHuKwQ/s400/IMAG0111+%2528354x600%2529.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-52968629077539776242011-01-03T12:10:00.000-08:002011-01-03T12:11:36.933-08:00Check us out on twitterKeep bang up to date with what's going on at the farm by following us on twitter @gandsorganics.comG and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-24891445858775859802010-07-12T03:22:00.000-07:002010-07-12T04:15:13.220-07:00Getting round to the blog after such a long break it feels like there is a lot to write about..some crops have been and gone through the 'garden' since the last blog with lots of salads, some spring onions, broad beans, baby turnips, radishes, garlic, mange tout all doing well. we had a great salad last night which consisted of everything in the garden so all of the above plus beetroot the flavours were amazing but the best it was the fusion of all the colours..why is that baby versions of sliced winter veg like turnip and beetroot look so good and in winter look so unappetizing?<br /><br />The garden and polytunnel have faired better in the driest spring and early summer we have had in the region for over 80 years than the field crops. After two of the wettest summers on record we decided to grow the field veg on ridges this year, which has been a complete disaster. <br /><br />I got a bit of a shock when I went to water the polytunnel and found piglets sleeping in amongst the tomatoes, squash and cucumber plants. They got a shock too and tried to bash out of the sides of tunnel ripping the plastic and loosening the sheet further. Beth has had to chase geese of the kids early potatoes and her own beans a few times too. This particular batch of pigs have caused a regular headache as they seem unwilling to stopped by electric fences, I assume that the ground is just too dry for them to get a good contact to earth as all the sow's still get a shock and are rarely spotted outside there own paddocks. Strawberries have proved a particular delight and those that were not chopped of by the plastic mulch flapping in the wind have now all been eaten by them, luckily the blackcurrants aren't quite as tempting for them.<br /><br />We have an acre of what should be secong early potatoes that we should be harvesting in about two weeks time which are no where near ready, some having not shown any growth and all still far of flowering. An acre of carrots will mostly have to be written off, a few leaves are showing but even if it rained heavily and the temperatures maintained this level it would still be too late. The broad beans and parsnips have been a total failure with about 3% germination. We have some hope for the onions, greens and turnips as these were later going in and have had some rain but still they should be up and away by now and are nowhere near. It's amazing the difference water and wind protection makes..some of the seeds like the beans were sown in the field the same time as the garden but in the garden the plants have grown, been cropped and are now being replaced compared to maybe an inch at most of growth in the field. We can see that it's not impossible to grow veg up here provided we break the wind, improve the organic matter of the soil to retain moisture and add irrigation. Nothing a few hundred thousand quid wouldn't sort out anyway!<br /><br />Speaking of cash it's the worst time of year financially for us at Christmas Farm. We have yet to get any of this year's lambs finished for the box scheme as the grass just is not growing as we would expect. We've paid for the turkey's, duck's and geese for Christmas and they'll be eating us out of house and home for another five month's before they meet there demise and we get some cash back. So order your turkey or goose now and you can come on Beth's Christmas prep courses free..the crops in the field being a write off will cause us more financial hardship as we normally rely on these providing staples like carrots, beans and lettuce for a large part of the year and whilst the garden crops keep us going for boxes during the summer they will not provide much to store for winter. <br /><br />To try to get some cash in Beth's been doing evening meals the first saturday evening of every month which have been incredibly popular but I do feel sorry for her after being stuck in the shop all day and then coming back to do it all again on a night. I've also been trying to add to the farming fund by doing some fencing and building jobs locally, which is taking us both away from progressing the building work on the farm that we had hoped to get done this summer. It's a difficult time of year recruiting new members for the box scheme too, as a lot of people are growing there own or away on hols and don't want to commit to regular deliveries. Still as we always remind ourselves 'we eat well for peasants'.<br /><br />We'll get an open day organised as soon as we can get the place tidy enough not to be embarrased soon but we may see you on our Steak night on August 7th. Check the website or call in the shop for details.G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-29868012890219054082010-03-22T04:47:00.000-07:002010-03-22T07:25:25.119-07:00Hello<br />my name is Sarah. I am a WWOOF from Germany working with Beth and Lee for the past 4 weeks. To be honest, it's quite hard work, especially getting up very early in the morning. But to see all the animals being happy, makes it all worth it. And that is my main task on the farm. Make sure that everybody has enough water and feed. That includes the sheep which are now having their lambs, the pigs and their piglets (which are nice and fat now), the hens and chickens, the horses and the cattle. Apart from that, there are always quite many things to do. Yesterday, we got all the posts for 2 new fences sorted out, so that we can start putting up the fences very soon. It's to separate the horses, some sheep and two pigs from each other and make them move into another field, so we can broadcast seeds for having nice and rich grass for the animals this summer. <br />Today, we had a new lamb. It was the first time ever for the ewe having a lamb and in the beginning she didn't really know what to do with it. So, it was up to us to keep the lamb warm, milk the mother to give the lamb its first drink, which is very important because of the colostrum and make sure that the she doesn't abandom its lamb. <br />Last weekend we caught some black lambs from last year, measuered the weight and moved them into another field. It was quite difficult to get them all together and catch them. If you have ever seen a sheep running away from you, you defintely know it's hard work to be quicker and grab them. Sometimes, it even seems impossible. So, instead of being quicker, we just thought of being smarter: we put up some hurdles to make a small path which had on either end the weight scale. We waited till the sheep went it. It all went very quickly as we just had to move a little closer to them to make them go in. As soon as their were all in, we took another hurdle and closed the construcion which made it appear as a little shed. One by one, we wrote down their weights and numbers and released them into the new field. <br />What is really fabulous about working on a farm is all the machinery we have to use to get things done. Beth and Lee let me use their quad bike e.g. to take posts to where the fence is going to be, to take new and fresh straw down to the pigs stables and hens house to make nice and cosy beds or just to carry heavy things from one end to another. <br />As now the weahter is getting better day to day, it even makes more fun to stay all day outside and get things started.G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-139981751171094842010-03-09T03:27:00.000-08:002010-03-15T13:13:15.672-07:00Lambing starts<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdwv34dqEzyvq7n-S8twZC5I_Q2e7fL068rp_ZPUGl-NvdKrbFEdsJaIspMwq3nqNW0DkQIrv_FSpwu1rDiigmhtRb7D-7SF7h7N3Upkmbjjy64BbZb4WWyU435zVNVj9vaX60AEP9fs/s1600-h/191.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446626682678541810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdwv34dqEzyvq7n-S8twZC5I_Q2e7fL068rp_ZPUGl-NvdKrbFEdsJaIspMwq3nqNW0DkQIrv_FSpwu1rDiigmhtRb7D-7SF7h7N3Upkmbjjy64BbZb4WWyU435zVNVj9vaX60AEP9fs/s400/191.jpg" border="0" /></a>Heavily in pig Welsh sow in her favourite position</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5MGh2jWNbU07lrGbH_VftoKsv6Acp09xF7y080Q6vAGTZeFZMVN24AmNu_bEzqsZq2yf0dzzwBXJ1DINgTj8Zl0qTDCRvFBvijPdYXyqwcwNy7ilVgSZeIBh8pRghzbO_euKc46mijU/s1600-h/138.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446626673559343826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS5MGh2jWNbU07lrGbH_VftoKsv6Acp09xF7y080Q6vAGTZeFZMVN24AmNu_bEzqsZq2yf0dzzwBXJ1DINgTj8Zl0qTDCRvFBvijPdYXyqwcwNy7ilVgSZeIBh8pRghzbO_euKc46mijU/s400/138.jpg" border="0" /></a> In-lamb ewes, making the most of the excellent red clover silage we managed to get hold of this year. We would have suffered a shortage of forage without the help of a fellow local organic farmer to keep us topped up.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-qww9Op57E1yzEunyetPxJ7yl_83C4c8efl47G1eJfo4UnvSUKwOQIB87s9ROmnOEzp49daS2Cpn2Ukw22PHLXdYD6XvvVp1-SxqiHta9IOMeoKdhtNJeV3lp7V7WmyDUIQ77N5Fsek/s1600-h/108.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446620636433098018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-qww9Op57E1yzEunyetPxJ7yl_83C4c8efl47G1eJfo4UnvSUKwOQIB87s9ROmnOEzp49daS2Cpn2Ukw22PHLXdYD6XvvVp1-SxqiHta9IOMeoKdhtNJeV3lp7V7WmyDUIQ77N5Fsek/s400/108.jpg" border="0" /></a> Frozen veg can still be fresh veg?</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-Y3n0vdNWPwAHaIn4HBKPrNmpFE444wCpD7Y92IKXEQ4oq6-o6rseyeFgF__gRKiAB1W7o2l_qiGpUrBtLcjqDJ8EBSadEWl4Cv_SqxTm0BcFGLDP0_fScHu6m_kXg0aJYEVl1QFkcY/s1600-h/222.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446620631036024050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG-Y3n0vdNWPwAHaIn4HBKPrNmpFE444wCpD7Y92IKXEQ4oq6-o6rseyeFgF__gRKiAB1W7o2l_qiGpUrBtLcjqDJ8EBSadEWl4Cv_SqxTm0BcFGLDP0_fScHu6m_kXg0aJYEVl1QFkcY/s400/222.jpg" border="0" /></a> Triplets up and about within 10 minutes of being born.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPfGpL7vqVfAJmlzFSlCcIG7Lhb42NOq4jH8haaocYI-ugqmtBxfikrxXp14vwKJ7mkveyJHRjA-ryyevTZgBV8ZTiucHn91EVIrjkVwcfYm4WuZle5Nk7iim13VKRS1R2wRMOgm2-tc/s1600-h/204.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446620629438058818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxPfGpL7vqVfAJmlzFSlCcIG7Lhb42NOq4jH8haaocYI-ugqmtBxfikrxXp14vwKJ7mkveyJHRjA-ryyevTZgBV8ZTiucHn91EVIrjkVwcfYm4WuZle5Nk7iim13VKRS1R2wRMOgm2-tc/s400/204.jpg" border="0" /></a> The new hen house. Pleased it wasn't too windy when I erected it, as my arms weren't quite long enough in the first place.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhe6fc-oDmGlKG4oJQdCoy_1gMxeUinjME_Aq3LDtzcN3oqv7H1AJTTbNkPToODFLlbagp8HEeDiPaokrMF68rD1_R7oE8oCfRoYP5sSeUhx-4oAOxLLYOEf6CGkBThVDhOU7lKEGlbfM/s1600-h/200.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446620618875741890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhe6fc-oDmGlKG4oJQdCoy_1gMxeUinjME_Aq3LDtzcN3oqv7H1AJTTbNkPToODFLlbagp8HEeDiPaokrMF68rD1_R7oE8oCfRoYP5sSeUhx-4oAOxLLYOEf6CGkBThVDhOU7lKEGlbfM/s400/200.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrqoP8IdGe_0pc0FS6iAtczoWyMFnmkXAeVl6qplNAPEPioxsroWBdHibUzC76sLFTbMDk1lWMEnyN0-zQkW1fLKNClReUYl_i2SZ4yzFHCFxCUC1EguwlPYWLxu8SXWsRVKeFtr-dcQ/s1600-h/112.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446620614338738642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOrqoP8IdGe_0pc0FS6iAtczoWyMFnmkXAeVl6qplNAPEPioxsroWBdHibUzC76sLFTbMDk1lWMEnyN0-zQkW1fLKNClReUYl_i2SZ4yzFHCFxCUC1EguwlPYWLxu8SXWsRVKeFtr-dcQ/s400/112.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlpUsuIBOOyL2CwongsdWoi7VSVrhDgmyH27lIg17jOczPufy6tZk7MXg5vAO9Wrlz0EC66qG_tKWjV4jNddi6L54qAAz-METfCEF9DJGloZ55O5ouTRijagWmOvh8L6bEOLWCCnfX6k/s1600-h/123.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446619133920418626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 401px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 270px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlpUsuIBOOyL2CwongsdWoi7VSVrhDgmyH27lIg17jOczPufy6tZk7MXg5vAO9Wrlz0EC66qG_tKWjV4jNddi6L54qAAz-METfCEF9DJGloZ55O5ouTRijagWmOvh8L6bEOLWCCnfX6k/s400/123.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ginger, a few weeks off farrowing.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2YrsihQQV1o_hl3QPRKi1vM689LlXoLHBxepwVxwo4vko-vqItndND9Uuwnkg3IIzF2Q-MvhveZG9ANQ2yRCdOx49W7jEu81e6ECpyjkWuIpzUp8CcQz9qn0WzgyMINkV8L9vu7CEwQ/s1600-h/091.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446619120589899906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2YrsihQQV1o_hl3QPRKi1vM689LlXoLHBxepwVxwo4vko-vqItndND9Uuwnkg3IIzF2Q-MvhveZG9ANQ2yRCdOx49W7jEu81e6ECpyjkWuIpzUp8CcQz9qn0WzgyMINkV8L9vu7CEwQ/s400/091.jpg" border="0" /></a> The packing shed progress.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnN-sgBhqKl86do_2DUX_EDdZHTboZh-R98kze_dqEXcZ0VdWAkb9owFD6DGxNNjbLY3-t0OG1YPqtN57kuTNykrDw9klGkA2wCi4wlEUvsZJxMoa6iCH8uyaDwfbPPwbRg5LUJXcBua8/s1600-h/144.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446619115840500178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnN-sgBhqKl86do_2DUX_EDdZHTboZh-R98kze_dqEXcZ0VdWAkb9owFD6DGxNNjbLY3-t0OG1YPqtN57kuTNykrDw9klGkA2wCi4wlEUvsZJxMoa6iCH8uyaDwfbPPwbRg5LUJXcBua8/s400/144.jpg" border="0" /></a>Pleased it's 4x4 - snow mobiles would have been used if available!</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTpcNhib1FBZUP6tx1LJ-z2ZHqlMdE4qDxy1cPaLTDAqZC7uTVJAsZgRpSNKzpBQmk-0EZ02XUa3xiEYM0q4QAMb_k1SxtWc-uzOC5s-SBO7PGeBTPCNpOasoGgfGH09HAartMMkx7Gc/s1600-h/086.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446619108593630418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTpcNhib1FBZUP6tx1LJ-z2ZHqlMdE4qDxy1cPaLTDAqZC7uTVJAsZgRpSNKzpBQmk-0EZ02XUa3xiEYM0q4QAMb_k1SxtWc-uzOC5s-SBO7PGeBTPCNpOasoGgfGH09HAartMMkx7Gc/s400/086.jpg" border="0" /></a>When the lady loves good hay.</div><br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446619103626116594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf7BOTh7JvdiIADvZnpXRZJdbeBo7ZAxMKM64gt6pKvlxwFTsob5GCBogb7OOwLV5BqbN30RoJEe1SsvGmuhyphenhyphenvzQs9RQHmUrp0b9RcJPpbCh8Srxst3fMgHMpvw_41dfILJgdqwrIxvw/s400/063.jpg" border="0" /><br />Sunrise, out delivering one morning.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBTZ-c-nYdBEx3q1_WoXla2u_omouvwW_j9qLNlf5_hTiCvFQelkbdZ148FCvLd-hVBwGAJlJb6wyGIFm-6NrOhJ1xVYcLqcpd5wV6ZMA2PQ6zUlvOJdEts76BM7VIeUCOuTV9JMSMJw/s1600-h/041.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446618069391878498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBTZ-c-nYdBEx3q1_WoXla2u_omouvwW_j9qLNlf5_hTiCvFQelkbdZ148FCvLd-hVBwGAJlJb6wyGIFm-6NrOhJ1xVYcLqcpd5wV6ZMA2PQ6zUlvOJdEts76BM7VIeUCOuTV9JMSMJw/s400/041.jpg" border="0" /></a>A few memories of summer to cheer us up.</div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKDdPy9iynp1THt0FnU3dzWBw3KiNZGaoH_JETNiLy-A5fm7AK56kRk5FwJlBDhgSbUTNN6YigHt0_YNbS3EKuKxbU7yz_aa3E37PGgts8g_J-Vk0C06MugI44-0L_9j4Rs_OXqnjOi8/s1600-h/011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446618061243802850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKDdPy9iynp1THt0FnU3dzWBw3KiNZGaoH_JETNiLy-A5fm7AK56kRk5FwJlBDhgSbUTNN6YigHt0_YNbS3EKuKxbU7yz_aa3E37PGgts8g_J-Vk0C06MugI44-0L_9j4Rs_OXqnjOi8/s400/011.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTuO5m25rf1GdI6J4vUDAKIFfOqAvmFv7HG4cm2GVnW4GLnlG_w-fPwOTDNGA7vS7HPFhfRH0FXgbpAyIRj1zn3uC2ifA5bNxvFTPav0WE3BXyJrQUPfcv68_-hyJ9wZC9sLquYw9EvI/s1600-h/023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446618056509570114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTuO5m25rf1GdI6J4vUDAKIFfOqAvmFv7HG4cm2GVnW4GLnlG_w-fPwOTDNGA7vS7HPFhfRH0FXgbpAyIRj1zn3uC2ifA5bNxvFTPav0WE3BXyJrQUPfcv68_-hyJ9wZC9sLquYw9EvI/s400/023.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dMOB-5j58RGiJjLa6Si5OJyoiGEoeS4Ndtz0YKwWUzjWijviGpSMJPpQDMhI80rQVrx2MP0YkM6GANAF8g5JxQ3uKSDkurjkjyi8naoGN2S1zphOkwEx855TZNGvdx8GuAiaq6-7Zco/s1600-h/196.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446618048022679026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dMOB-5j58RGiJjLa6Si5OJyoiGEoeS4Ndtz0YKwWUzjWijviGpSMJPpQDMhI80rQVrx2MP0YkM6GANAF8g5JxQ3uKSDkurjkjyi8naoGN2S1zphOkwEx855TZNGvdx8GuAiaq6-7Zco/s400/196.jpg" border="0" /></a>Fearnley helping prepare for our annual organic inspection</div><br /><p>Spring has definitely sprung here at Christmas Farm - we've had clear skies and fair weather for at least a week now. It's amazing how cold it must have been when you start to think 3 degrees is a good opportunity to work in a T-shirt.</p><br /><p>The slightly better weather has coincided with the first lambs being born, and it's going well so far with only one single in the flock, and a set of strong triplets has made up for that. Piglets are all doing well and are desperate to be out of the farrowing shelters they have been in for nearly four weeks now. It's the first time we've housed pigs inside for farrowing at Christmas Farm, which says something for the lousy weather we've had. To keep in with organic standards the finished pigs can only be kept inside for a fifth of thier lifetime, so we need to get them out as soon as the ground dries up.</p><br /><p>The cattle are going through a frustrating time watching the ewes get the best silage, nuts and high energy lick blocks, whilst they have some straw and crushed barley. The smaller ones have worked out that with a little limbo'ing they can get underneath the creep bar that should be keeping them out, and once the bigger ones see this they just jump over the fence anyway.</p><br /><p>Winnie is coming up to foaling time and is being fed like a dairy cow, again this must be frustrating for her welsh pony companion, who is on basic rations but stands and watches closely at feeding time.</p><br /><p>New stock arrivals have been kept to a minimum with lambing coming up, but we did manage to get a new batch of table chickens put into the newly fenced off orchard, which should help us keep the grass down this year. It feels like I spent ages last summer just keeping the grass down, so this year we are trying to maximise the under-utilised areas for stock, which will not only keep the grass down but also fertilise and condition the soil.</p><br /><p>Jobs we've been busy with:</p><br /><ul><br /><li>Fencing off the orchard and veg beds</li><br /><li>Lambing</li><br /><li>Attempting to tidy up</li><br /><li>Moving the little polytunnel</li><br /><li>Digging ditches</li><br /><li>Planting garlic, beans, and radish</li><br /><li>Putting black membrane onto beds in the kitchen garden, ready for planting</li><br /><li>Building a new hen house that we can pull around the field to clear up after the veggies have been harvested</li><br /><li>Planting trees for a windbreak</li><br /><li>Having our organic inspection</li><br /><li>Delivering boxes, feeding the animals etc</li><br /></ul><br /><p>Jobs we should have been busy with and need to get done before April:</p><br /><ul><br /><li>Building the big polytunnel</li><br /><li>Planting the 1000 strawberry plants, 200 blackcurrants, and 100 raspberry canes that have been waiting for the ground to thaw</li><br /><li>More ditching, and scraping out a duck pond</li><br /><li>Filling in the bare patches in the hedgerows</li><br /><li>Cleaning all the mud off the entrance track, and filling the winter's pot holes</li><br /><li>Getting the old tractor fired up after sitting out all winter (fingers crossed)</li><br /><li>Laying the rest of the concrete for the new packing shed base</li><br /><li>Finding some more customers for the box scheme (any ideas?)</li><br /><li>Pruning fruit trees and bushes, and trying to get the veg beds sub-soiled and mucked by a contractor</li><br /></ul><br /><p>It feels like we've still got a winters worth of work ahead of us, and only a few weeks to go before we need to start planting this season's veg. The plan for this year is to use more <a href="http://www.wwoof.org/" target="_blank">WWOOF</a>ers at the busiest times for planting and harvesting. They can be a lifeline for getting jobs done that we otherwise wouldn't have time for, and our current volunteer (Sarah, from Germany) is saving us a lot of time with the feeding and bedding duties each day, although the 5:45am start is six hours ahead of her usual wake up call, she says!</p><br /><p>It would be nice to get some volunteers from the UK through the scheme, as nearly all come from Europe and need a reasonable length of stay to make it viable. Most also want to use it as a summer break too, which is the time not much is going on other than weeding and harvesting. As a host, it would also be good to be able to call on people for a weekend for jobs that need lots of hands for a short period, like re-sheeting polytunnels, or digging potatoes.</p>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-13003720519626096322009-11-26T08:40:00.000-08:002009-11-26T09:39:40.043-08:00Farm updateWow, nearly ten weeks since the last Blog..It wouldn't feel too bad if I was reporting a load of progress but as usual things haven't gone according to plan although the wet weather did hold off longer than we thought, it's now here to stay. I won't <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">whinge</span> too much given the worst it's been for us is the clay has turned to sludge and is sticking to everything whilst in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Cumbria</span> people have been flooded out of there homes or worse. A trend seems to be developing with these late, mild but very wet winters. Hopefully Christmas won't make a bad situation all the worse for those affected by the floods.<br /><br />On a more positive note we have some new additions to the farm. The 'Christmas Herd' has been established with us buying ten head of <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=349"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">dexter</span> cattle</a>. Some from a rare breed sale in York and others from another local, organic smallholding. They have settled in nicely, getting on with the various mixes of horses, sheep and pigs without problems. We hope to halter train a few of the cows, making it easier if we decide to show them as our cattle skills develop. We have got two finished <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">dexter's</span> coming ready for Christmas too..hung for nearly four weeks this will be the best beef we have had and the thought of a nice thick steak and some quick fried greens on Christmas Eve has got me salivating more than the following <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=323">Turkey</a>! We still have a few turkeys left, so if your leaving it late to get your order in now is the time. Order <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Christmas">online</a> before 1st Dec to save any <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">disappointment</span>.<br /><br />Another addition to the menagerie are the hundred hens that arrived a few weeks ago. They came as sixteen week old point of lay pullets which should be laying an <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=392">egg</a> a day after in the new year. They are working there way through the organic pellets we are feeding them at a vast rate but seem to spend most of the energy provided jumping over the fences to rake around in dirty puddles!<br /><br />The building work has slowed, but with help from a few committed volunteers we've managed to get a field shelter up to use for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">winnie</span> foaling and getting 'Big Daddy' the naughty escaping sow trained to not go back to her piglets. She's been inside for nearly two weeks and still shouts for them if she <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">hears</span> any small pig like grunts. Another few day's and we'll shift her in with the others on the potato field and see what <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">happens</span>.<br /><br />Work on the big shed must resume over the weekend as the concrete man is booked for Tuesday, just need to book the dry weather and we'll be ready. Beth's been drafted away from the coffee shop for a day on the other end of a concrete tamp, multi-talented doesn't come into it.<br /><br />We had yet another complaint put into the local planning office, this time complaining about our 'summerhouse' on the farm which we use for getting out of the rain when it's hammering down. It's essential to have somewhere to wash the dirt off and have a hot cuppa sometimes but we'll have to move or lose it by the sound of things. A shame considering that you can barely see it from about fifty metres away, never mind the roadside which is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">at least</span> three hundred. The inspection with the planning team went well though and resulted in another route being <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">pursued</span>..watch this space.<br /><br />Beth's getting excited about decorating the coffee shop with the Christmas stuff, more of which we accumulate every year. December's menu is replacing all other options with turkey, so any guest will be forced into the festive season <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">whether</span> they like it or not. Do pop in and have a sneaky early Christmas lunch if your passing.<br /><br />My thoughts are also turning to pigs, (nothing unlawful of course) as we've added a thirty acre block of mixed woodland to our organic license thanks to a trusting neighbour who would like the patch rejuvenated. I'm sure our mix of Tamworth's and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Saddleback's</span> will love it and really thrive in the sheltered and entertaining environment. We are currently shopping for a big electric fence ticker to keep any strays wandering to close to the perimeter fence. It's a great way of keeping pigs in provided they are trained from youngster's, the first time you leave a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">battery</span> to go flat and the fence not working all the pigs will get out and never be scared of the wire again. If they get a good shock the first time it's hard enough trying to get them out of the field again they are so scared of the boundary.<br /><br />The woods need a little clearing to get in for fencing and we need to make up some arcs but we hope to get this sorted out ready for stocking in the new year. All that's left is to argue about the recipes we'll use for our home made <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">chorizo's</span> and salami's, but <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">i'll</span> wait until Beth's finished with that concrete tamp first!G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-23018923614555496222009-09-14T06:13:00.000-07:002009-09-14T07:01:11.823-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgYhQ0g6XpUwYtKrdCTfRG_a7lWaZ-ErrK18C0kf-jog-mqhPUOb6hm3Qhby6D28t-IqAqaDJ2sF8lTWyMo8_OVKFmgXTz7ibHZoN6943_Syrg7UYXlA7govwoDapY1iiuOZ-0szSnnQ/s1600-h/012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320131296459234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgYhQ0g6XpUwYtKrdCTfRG_a7lWaZ-ErrK18C0kf-jog-mqhPUOb6hm3Qhby6D28t-IqAqaDJ2sF8lTWyMo8_OVKFmgXTz7ibHZoN6943_Syrg7UYXlA7govwoDapY1iiuOZ-0szSnnQ/s400/012.jpg" border="0" /></a> we did get a tiny crop of the plum trees this year but only one apple from 70+ trees was a bad crop even if they had only been planted as three year old trees in the winter.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k6UQZM2Z4s-LYopDoKzPEYqshDnN3DDbAQAGiOk6zZE3hRoRp7X0WMV5Ta1eybIfjRkL2LujMn2BQuTemHHj236mxWYO9_xMWvTiM32GZ7v-zsPfibS-bw77zhdVOpeVMGhmkHS0qEA/s1600-h/003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320125990950450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k6UQZM2Z4s-LYopDoKzPEYqshDnN3DDbAQAGiOk6zZE3hRoRp7X0WMV5Ta1eybIfjRkL2LujMn2BQuTemHHj236mxWYO9_xMWvTiM32GZ7v-zsPfibS-bw77zhdVOpeVMGhmkHS0qEA/s400/003.jpg" border="0" /></a> pleased that mums gone<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdQ0Wpjcmw_EvHqHO7l97e4rHGwXOtklw6E3wqb61n_I-UTs0XKEW8be9F7IkvVPkTPFpVahOUt_GanKMhQ2DnEky4vLP2aFhSZRgd2VVQellRtLf_RWFu1NdrOS5eI7BRZiaqE7R1RE/s1600-h/010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320115212502210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBdQ0Wpjcmw_EvHqHO7l97e4rHGwXOtklw6E3wqb61n_I-UTs0XKEW8be9F7IkvVPkTPFpVahOUt_GanKMhQ2DnEky4vLP2aFhSZRgd2VVQellRtLf_RWFu1NdrOS5eI7BRZiaqE7R1RE/s400/010.jpg" border="0" /></a> mums back!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSz9ElbnR-YR1VXIVjEK0hZxRcMr31dFgcqeoU71N0rmQ527PPNU5iENB5uKRGcSAjyr8MqLgjfngdgJyA362Q9nK6Vtitpd99ALun6N3bDY1VJjwUjX5nG0ha8yxdEzFCvbwRKH9agg/s1600-h/028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320108689014722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSz9ElbnR-YR1VXIVjEK0hZxRcMr31dFgcqeoU71N0rmQ527PPNU5iENB5uKRGcSAjyr8MqLgjfngdgJyA362Q9nK6Vtitpd99ALun6N3bDY1VJjwUjX5nG0ha8yxdEzFCvbwRKH9agg/s400/028.jpg" border="0" /></a> the new pig paddock, loads of space, grass, potatoes and feed should keep them happy over winter<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2-HofXijuwV3ImvJ5DdK7cVC25Z9Q6XDF5LB897mA9eulT2ROoM6AgJMqRoU-q19W9_7a9b5brTnbfyd0vUPHuSNPVyezHR5pnTtFP_BdBThx2dMSUYfhp4ydBDLKyDRc3uk95t89XY/s1600-h/025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381320105468097474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx2-HofXijuwV3ImvJ5DdK7cVC25Z9Q6XDF5LB897mA9eulT2ROoM6AgJMqRoU-q19W9_7a9b5brTnbfyd0vUPHuSNPVyezHR5pnTtFP_BdBThx2dMSUYfhp4ydBDLKyDRc3uk95t89XY/s400/025.jpg" border="0" /></a> Big daddies in the house (and she's found a potato, and another, and another)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>After spending most of the day yesterday setting up a new paddock for the pigs it was a bit <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">dissappointing</span> to wake up to noise of Big Daddy snoring outside her previous residence next to her babies. Somehow through the night she has gone through one electric fence, two steel gates and one pig netted stock fence in order to be back with the nine week old piglets that she was so desperate to get away from only hours before. The piglets didn't really notice that she was missing and had been happy to have the extra free space at the feeder for all nine to get in at the same time. We reluctantly let her back in with the youngsters and will have another attempt at weaning her soon.<br /><br />The other sows and the new boar were all very happy in the new quarters as its a while since they have been in a bigger social <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">group</span> and the fact that we left some of the potatoes in the field for them to dig and munch made the transition a little smoother than usual. They gorged on the tatties so much that I couldn't wake any of them this morning to see how they were settling in.<br /><br />The shed progress has ceased due to lack of tools and power but will commence as soon as we get some time (and cash) to go generator shopping! Instead we have spent some time making up a small field shelter for the old ewes which we can also use to house lambs overnight before trips to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">abattoir</span> hopefully making chasing sheep round the field in heavy rain just a memory. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Winnies</span> also getting a similar home built on skids so we can move it round the farm so she can follow the best grass.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Extra%20meat">Lambs</a> are now all ready and we are looking for some stores that will finish what grass we have before heading into winter.<br /><br />I collected our 'new' big <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">poly tunnel</span> last week and we're all hugely excited about the possibilities of growing for the boxes right through the year although Beth's developing romantic notions of fig and peach trees the truth will be more like early <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=257">pots</a> and carrots, spring onions and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">pak</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">choi</span>, and a good amount of space to give to cucumbers and tomatoes. The tunnel has come from Harry at <a href="http://www.cheviot-trees.co.uk/">Cheviot trees</a> as he isn't taking the oldest tunnels when he moves site. I'm pleased to be buying it from a seemingly very patient person as I'm sure a few phone calls will be made during the re <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">assembling</span> stages. It looks like we've just bought a load of bent scaffolding tubes at the moment.<br /><br />Speaking of veggies I was amazed at the weekend to be awarded quite a few prizes in the vegetable classes of our first village show. It was quite <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">daunting</span> going into the show hall with some fantastic veg laid out on display, some of the entrants <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">obviously</span> take it very <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">seriously</span> rather than just running round on the morning of the show grabbing a few things from the field. This time two years ago we had objections from the village parish council who said we would never be able to grow anything on our land and were not a genuine organic business. Who would have thought that some of those same objectors would have possibly judged our leeks, <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=257">potatoes</a>, <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Organic%20boxes">fennel, tomatoes, carrots</a>,<a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=378"> lettuce</a>, chillies and courgettes to be good enough to get prizes. Some may have even eaten there words as the vegetables were all auctioned off at the end of the day.<br /><br />Having just ordered garlic, broad beans and onions it will be back to planting shortly. It should put us in good stead for next season and will be the first year we have tried to overwinter any crop. Learning slowly seems to be the way forward, along with the gradual introduction of drainage and another 1200 trees we've just collected from Harry to plant out this week should see us having better years as they roll by.<br /><br />To celebrate organic fortnight <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Home%20made%20goodies%20(non-organic)">Beth's cooking </a>a three course meal with all the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ingredients</span> (exempt the home made ice cream) coming from the farm in the coffee shop this Friday night and we still have a few spaces left if you would like to come and try the best in low carbon, low food miles food do <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/contact.asp">give us a call </a>asap to book places.</div></div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-68660503090914906572009-08-18T05:34:00.000-07:002009-08-18T07:44:52.146-07:00Monthly Update<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VL6BLTJyO59tANwqt0YeX02u7sNNZJY1ZNsTVFnUW3Yu72UqiNyRBXfC5UF4v8WLbdaJ0G2nrFVJdjbneCQANwc-4jUCqTARQ_I5j69NzeFhiwD23du5ZpI-QElr4e2PcphV1ytOAmo/s1600-h/098.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371305156190569698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9VL6BLTJyO59tANwqt0YeX02u7sNNZJY1ZNsTVFnUW3Yu72UqiNyRBXfC5UF4v8WLbdaJ0G2nrFVJdjbneCQANwc-4jUCqTARQ_I5j69NzeFhiwD23du5ZpI-QElr4e2PcphV1ytOAmo/s400/098.jpg" border="0" /></a> The containers and assorted bits and bobs to be replaced by the new sheds.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvlJv9ceqD4B6DmONmOXPdyRhqFmh9K3KqtshMoBQcSGfn3jfaxi-hQLJR1TjF_4mLzzFayFPX76zo44653EjRSUS5bEbv60QWjTPdCTd0X_g2HQq0luCCMqkx5UwmmM0oKHXxs8rLds/s1600-h/095.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371305151540066114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvlJv9ceqD4B6DmONmOXPdyRhqFmh9K3KqtshMoBQcSGfn3jfaxi-hQLJR1TjF_4mLzzFayFPX76zo44653EjRSUS5bEbv60QWjTPdCTd0X_g2HQq0luCCMqkx5UwmmM0oKHXxs8rLds/s400/095.jpg" border="0" /></a> Our <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=257">potatoes</a> looking good with a range of salad to jacket in size!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_95-1e6TcX2b7DKOQMjaTxRoyJ_BUM1bZ3j7VmI__xhk_Q44L8yPOp4KlUPUNuXw-xXtgsXv88yw6f_2vJgl1Q5Qt7Qs5w4n-4u7RQ-Cou-b_7MOoua8CxEcjht7ZMMkwPIQk6kD3iM/s1600-h/092.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371305143454868098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_95-1e6TcX2b7DKOQMjaTxRoyJ_BUM1bZ3j7VmI__xhk_Q44L8yPOp4KlUPUNuXw-xXtgsXv88yw6f_2vJgl1Q5Qt7Qs5w4n-4u7RQ-Cou-b_7MOoua8CxEcjht7ZMMkwPIQk6kD3iM/s400/092.jpg" border="0" /></a> The new and improved garden with gravel and paving slabs, never throw any slabs, roof tiles or any othe potential building material out without contacting us. Most of the garden has been build with stuff that would have gone into a skip.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QWU77Di5bnSySRvnXmyugjjavgEx2kD0K-_7NJvxyvvH31JvExATAqus5HCluGJpKX05yZ-jCFltE-elPBnuYNpIxcyLK4jdADy0CbLqb8En_-z2ltqKJZVxa_BpRiZBaVk7abE-UWo/s1600-h/082.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371305135173759186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2QWU77Di5bnSySRvnXmyugjjavgEx2kD0K-_7NJvxyvvH31JvExATAqus5HCluGJpKX05yZ-jCFltE-elPBnuYNpIxcyLK4jdADy0CbLqb8En_-z2ltqKJZVxa_BpRiZBaVk7abE-UWo/s400/082.jpg" border="0" /></a> The outdoor kitchen space ready for catering for hungry potato digging volunteers, just waiting for some volunteers now.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQZ54redfk3WbNVomNRcOSzzwHmehrqsR6FQnJKIdBZWVlOVZKBYNvWxFkt-n9pDSCjsFeHziVj-AWMHdC4bTyQvSEB2Qu4T7yP42HOAl02gsGRHfPKK_ii-x3cpkyuWoig7oy_ih6Sc/s1600-h/022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371305123461974818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQZ54redfk3WbNVomNRcOSzzwHmehrqsR6FQnJKIdBZWVlOVZKBYNvWxFkt-n9pDSCjsFeHziVj-AWMHdC4bTyQvSEB2Qu4T7yP42HOAl02gsGRHfPKK_ii-x3cpkyuWoig7oy_ih6Sc/s400/022.jpg" border="0" /></a> The makeshift area before the outdoor kitchen was ready!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UiR5ic0HDSj1q0swhPsTVtsw50jLjXykWQPo-llKiMtwzUK3FXTV8Sr1IL1mKMPPxetUf9Xo16-ROXOqklXlF9xCaYYDjtcQSOUJhUgUruhb214Yjv90Dcq3YLObUftXDnPwupzsomg/s1600-h/075.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371303181634665426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UiR5ic0HDSj1q0swhPsTVtsw50jLjXykWQPo-llKiMtwzUK3FXTV8Sr1IL1mKMPPxetUf9Xo16-ROXOqklXlF9xCaYYDjtcQSOUJhUgUruhb214Yjv90Dcq3YLObUftXDnPwupzsomg/s400/075.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Rows of <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=378">lettuce</a>, fighting the weeds as best they can. Most have been taken and the ground is ready the pigs now.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I7xS7xOgOCGq3wzzhwcQGHVcofSSar13n8D5LkuRHrWhTIZaYE38FSFsWZkc_EfjkFCAOsBCN8N5Cz3n-HtJpOuAimHtFji60yGO9YVdvwu9wfwLvcPiJcXD6CIIaNfBJfimroj8RzQ/s1600-h/064.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371303175518973186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7I7xS7xOgOCGq3wzzhwcQGHVcofSSar13n8D5LkuRHrWhTIZaYE38FSFsWZkc_EfjkFCAOsBCN8N5Cz3n-HtJpOuAimHtFji60yGO9YVdvwu9wfwLvcPiJcXD6CIIaNfBJfimroj8RzQ/s400/064.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />En route to the outdoor kitchen<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPa0mc7C9qlEzX9OAkz1ZPfg6qxI06wml7SxiAp_qNGQ_DE8GW5JkUtLmiiANOdMQFdn6n0IuC41PXhVIt3h-BIJoiVpLy1raJCUxIVIcHJXy3t3wua8HCvbHiQ-4rxpOhZW1-QqO-9g/s1600-h/054.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371303171003084850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZPa0mc7C9qlEzX9OAkz1ZPfg6qxI06wml7SxiAp_qNGQ_DE8GW5JkUtLmiiANOdMQFdn6n0IuC41PXhVIt3h-BIJoiVpLy1raJCUxIVIcHJXy3t3wua8HCvbHiQ-4rxpOhZW1-QqO-9g/s400/054.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The black pig is the new guy in town, but needs to grow a little before meeting the old girls.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45v6YI8fdKnHFe_3LhoOnJUvUehWRdENuZcFFnCufPYTPPXrVWHUTCoaSFgAU4ncnMElrihMZxTeFFCePgdHeLUqogLPCk7K1mYxzhMcRxqtZla1WzyiP0lleivaFrtSkle8lzd1NRSQ/s1600-h/047.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371303163809680818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45v6YI8fdKnHFe_3LhoOnJUvUehWRdENuZcFFnCufPYTPPXrVWHUTCoaSFgAU4ncnMElrihMZxTeFFCePgdHeLUqogLPCk7K1mYxzhMcRxqtZla1WzyiP0lleivaFrtSkle8lzd1NRSQ/s400/047.jpg" border="0" /></a> The value of our tractor was doubled this month when we finally replaced an arm that had been welded about eight times before!<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp2vTt3MTmayz9C-6pqK25BNlwkYmLV12CSVlIjlsSw5tbpAZAiLW5B1oD9X6qkT6dD6b0NYVjLnmGz6QH55WDzmG4zpC4EfLekig8WS6YgpO4litcvWAxl7McktZcvO-uVl-KFkxpj4/s1600-h/019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371303158355961394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDp2vTt3MTmayz9C-6pqK25BNlwkYmLV12CSVlIjlsSw5tbpAZAiLW5B1oD9X6qkT6dD6b0NYVjLnmGz6QH55WDzmG4zpC4EfLekig8WS6YgpO4litcvWAxl7McktZcvO-uVl-KFkxpj4/s400/019.jpg" border="0" /></a> Sorry, a bad pic of warkworth castle..we took the wwoofers for a morning off on a sunny day.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtjW3waQlgf_ej9ef15xSWsxyv7nuGOZ6ZFtKEeYRBfn2vRUTrF0IzC9W1JA0rKRcxEZnJII4nq_VBPd1YHmojLHRpG5jht8h3UVca2ZN7uNqRFHpHcrH1hy71UsDNenLgjLpBqsWX0g/s1600-h/046.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371301934209971922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRtjW3waQlgf_ej9ef15xSWsxyv7nuGOZ6ZFtKEeYRBfn2vRUTrF0IzC9W1JA0rKRcxEZnJII4nq_VBPd1YHmojLHRpG5jht8h3UVca2ZN7uNqRFHpHcrH1hy71UsDNenLgjLpBqsWX0g/s400/046.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Alexander, father of the german wwoof family drawing the short straw or should that be grass. Cutting the grass around the orchard.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEeXLVa-ry-0gp9qQCuRC6miTytyd181Mf17VjgGU06UNh5wAlZKosRkFQDuvk8i87RHhqFEmilDGaIugI5lnraLwBg_ImIsKAZpJFw9tqdS94-eXf4TaQxW6fLQmjvg2Wyx40NKet78/s1600-h/035.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371301924670361170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEeXLVa-ry-0gp9qQCuRC6miTytyd181Mf17VjgGU06UNh5wAlZKosRkFQDuvk8i87RHhqFEmilDGaIugI5lnraLwBg_ImIsKAZpJFw9tqdS94-eXf4TaQxW6fLQmjvg2Wyx40NKet78/s400/035.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Feeding the wwoofers could be a bit of an uphill battle somedays! Its always nice eating with good eaters who like honest food.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfk_fx0vEmKB5-8G_X92-3rT2hCRlehXYx9nk0xYnXgI53RJXRVtT0YqYI6GniX-ENSlmZa10fx_HZTErfoYUUsJ7ZnC-tTBRTbPeHCAv0PesyDawkGw0XrgXiurlAvO90wxmxkUJrFQ/s1600-h/027.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371301917651853618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfk_fx0vEmKB5-8G_X92-3rT2hCRlehXYx9nk0xYnXgI53RJXRVtT0YqYI6GniX-ENSlmZa10fx_HZTErfoYUUsJ7ZnC-tTBRTbPeHCAv0PesyDawkGw0XrgXiurlAvO90wxmxkUJrFQ/s400/027.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Half gravelled garden area<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYVi9-m1NcnBQWk4qf6cTlJd17ZtYmnUDxPI9DndvfHL98J56l-AbcOSImRHJU2zy22hj-c4GrvfNJE4aO93n8La8FmFVVL5q8Ygs0FrwjqkQTmDwb03FlUkYdvTOfMR8FeBaWXirz04/s1600-h/024.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371301912955507522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYVi9-m1NcnBQWk4qf6cTlJd17ZtYmnUDxPI9DndvfHL98J56l-AbcOSImRHJU2zy22hj-c4GrvfNJE4aO93n8La8FmFVVL5q8Ygs0FrwjqkQTmDwb03FlUkYdvTOfMR8FeBaWXirz04/s400/024.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Not sure??<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwBUifxgAH1Gmy-_F7uwP7s_UBWtMWnSwRmTAa4TyJgddMWDEE2mEEZfXv4IMZKynT_fkaGaZ36oDCfJH-IPmZGRwGIVqsCsi3PYl-qt-rAHxwL3bUu3mauOyID4OO8iNSRws-Z7EPIA/s1600-h/012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371301902018968914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpwBUifxgAH1Gmy-_F7uwP7s_UBWtMWnSwRmTAa4TyJgddMWDEE2mEEZfXv4IMZKynT_fkaGaZ36oDCfJH-IPmZGRwGIVqsCsi3PYl-qt-rAHxwL3bUu3mauOyID4OO8iNSRws-Z7EPIA/s400/012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />At last, two years in we finally have a sign on the gate.<br /><br /><br /><div>The past couple of months have been great, things are growing brilliantly in the 'walled' garden and we've had at least two crops from each bed for the boxes now, with lots of <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=197">Brussels, Kohl Rabi, leeks, cauliflowers, fennel, beet and kale </a>to come. The lambs are pretty much all ready to go and even the field scale veg is doing well.<br /><br />We've been digging potatoes for the boxes and it looks like a good crop to come so we'll be taking them all up in the next few weeks, out of the lettuces in the field it seems like we've got two for every one we've planted, unbelievable after a really poor show from the salad crops last year. In the field leeks, celery, artichokes, carrots and more salads are showing promise and the cabbages and broccoli are looking healthy but not really growing enough. As always the weeds are doing the best by far and we may have trouble harvesting leeks and carrots unless we get onto the weeds with a gas burner soon.<br /><br />The new boar and gilt are settling in and out on the area that was cropped for peas and beans, enjoying the greens.The old sows have been moved onto new grass to bring a bit more land into veg production. We've ordered 100 hens which will arrive in November which should produce all the <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=266">eggs </a>we need for the box scheme and are searching for some organic geese to run up the drive and the orchard to keep the grass down.<br /></div><div>We've had quit a few people <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Wild%20camping">camping</a> over the summer, all have really enjoyed the experience of getting back to basics. We are going to continue with <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Wild%20camping">camping</a> all year round and will try to get set up as a certified location with the camping and caravan clubs. This should send a few more people down the drive and will give us more potential customers for the <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Organic%20boxes">box scheme</a>.<br /></div><div>The main projects at the moment are getting our new packing shed up and I'm writing this during a wet weather break, we've got three posts up so only another seven to go which we should have done before stopping to do the box packing later on tomorrow. Once the shed is complete we'll get back to doing all of our own butchery work too, which means more odd cuts going into the meat packs for customers and we hope to do more cured meats..hams, chorizo and bacon in many different guises. An office too which will help to get us a bit more organised and professional rather scribbling notes on the back of diesel receipts in the van when we get a phone call from a customer! The whole 'business' side of G and S needs a bit of care and attention as soon as the sheds up and we get everything in its place.<br /><br />We managed to get a sign on the gateway to the farm without any complaints to the parish council which should make it a little easier for people to find us and a little less annoying for our neighbours who constantly have people going down the drive looking for us.<br /><br />We celebrated the naming of Christmas Farm with a trading standards inspection to go through our animal movements paperwork and I was extremely impressed with a government organisation that were helpful and actually showed us ways of doing things easier than I had been. I really expected the big bad wolf to be coming to stir up a load of trouble for us but the inspector gave us loads of advice on both the legal side of things and the practical side too. A pleasant surprise...<br /><br />A not so pleasant surprise was having a Northumberland County Council asset manager turn up at the coffee shop this week to tell us that they have had formal complaints about the <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store2.asp?ProdDept=Home%20made%20goodies%20(non-organic)">coffee shop </a>entrance invading the councils property. This is true of course, unfortunately as part of our planning application to the aforementioned council we had to build a walkway suitable for disabled access which meant going onto the village green by twenty centimetres but as all the plans had been approved by the council we just went ahead and did as instructed. Due to the formal nature of the complaints the council now have to draw up a lease agreement to let us occupy the strip of grass without having to close the shop due to not having disabled access. All this will no doubt come at a cost to the residents as tax payers of thousands of pounds which is a little sad but will hopefully resolve the problem. Unfortunately it is not the only visit we've had from the council. A different complaint about our signs on the coffee shop meant another council officer had to come out and check the size and stature of signage which was followed up by a highways inspector coming out to check everything was ok. Again with the following reports and necessary paperwork has probably cost the council another couple of hundred pounds which with a little common sense could have been saved.<br /><br />Is it a British trait that makes some people think that if your in business your making loads of money, exploiting everybody and flouting laws. Because the truth is that we want to make a difference to our environment, make the best use of our own produce and create employment in an area where there are very little employment opportunities. If we both had real jobs we would be a lot better off financially, in fact if we didn't work at all we would still be better off but if everybody thought like that there wouldn't be any jobs to get because no business would thrive and employ people.<br /><br />Whilst I'm on the bad side of things, it was sad to have to get the local deadstock collection man to come and put down a lamb that had been mauled by someones dog this morning. Why some people think its fine to just let your dog run round in somebody else's field attacking sheep is beyond my comprehension, but to then just leave the animal lying in the field is something else.<br /><br />Our visit from the local W.I. group went well last night, it was great sight to see the group leaving with lettuces and fennel like a bunch of flowers. We all agreed to make it an annual event in order to benchmark our progress.<br /><br />Things to look forward to are the eagerly anticipated 'big tunnel'. 100' x 40' of undercover growing space that should see us providing veg for the boxes through out the year providing we can get through the planning application unscathed. (Although we are not sure if need planning either? it seems there are arguments for both so any ideas or previous experience would be helpful) It would help to keep costs down by not going to far down the planning route but I'd hate to have to take it down again too.<br /><br />Beth's and some friends have got some bee based plans coming together, I have to say I'm not hugely excited by the extra work but love the idea of honey for the boxes and the pollination help around the farm.<br /><br />Rather than put a months worth of stuff up I've been pointed in the direction of twitter which will hopefully mean more regular blogs coming up as one line every day sounds like the time I can spare. I've put a load of pics up which will show what we've been up to too (if that makes sense)</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-56088984646714132952009-07-18T04:41:00.000-07:002009-07-18T05:28:24.956-07:00Soph & Scott - the first Aussie additions to G&S OrganicsBeing our first time Wwoofing, we weren't quite sure what to expect. Two Australians from the city of Melbourne looking for a change in the English countryside. Were we going to be running around herding the sheep ourselves or havesting 500kg of vegetables each day? It was hard to be sure! However after the first couple of hours with Lee and Beth we were more than certain that the next five weeks were going to be a great load of fun and an amazing experience that we would remember for the rest of our lives.<br /><br />So far I've learnt that you cannot rely on English weather. The week started well and harvesting, weeding and cleaning was enjoyable in the sunny, mild weather. Waking up on Friday morning to a bleak and grey day, described as 'horrible' by the locals, only reminded me of what my fellow friends and family back in Melbourne would be witnessing most days at this time of year.<br /><br />We quickly had to get used to having four four-legged friends constantly around us after having no animal interaction for the past two months. Two black labs, a nutty Jack Russell and Sidney the new, not so intelligent, addition to the family have kept us entertained, annoyed and smelly since our arrival. Farm cat Fernley - probably the friendliest cat in the world - reminds me of my feline friends at home whom I miss so much. There is also Winnie the thoroughbred mare, the cocky cockeral (who we discovered to be the mastermind behind the kale harvesting), the lambs and ewes, and the pigs who of course, will eat anything.<br /><br />The line 'we love good food and wine and we hope that you do too' in the G&S Organics Wwoofers advertisement probably caught our attention the most. After knowing this, the cooking had a lot to live up to! But I couldn't say a single negative thing about Beth or Lee's cooking - they have cooked us fresh, tasty and satisfying food each and every meal since we arrived. From fresh fennel to potatoes, lamb to sausages, and sourdough to breadworms on the open fire, we have throughly enjoyed every ounce of foods to hit our tastebuds. Having opened the 'Village Coffee House' eight weeks ago, Beth is busy baking and making coffees non-stop. I have eaten more cake this week than I had in 2009 so far! We painted the shop bathroom yesterday and have to say that the chosen shade of 'magnolia' and our Australian paintwork skills have come up an absolute treat!<br /><br />We look forward to week two on the farm and hope the weather clears up enough so that we can spend a bit more time out on the farm. I have all faith that week two will be just as eventful and exciting as week one and hope to learn some new skills.<br /><br />Skills learnt for week one:<br />coffee machine (now a master barista)<br />advanced painting skills (have been compared to Michelangelo)G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-74746567930634342102009-06-29T05:26:00.000-07:002009-06-29T06:02:22.966-07:00A wwoofers eye viewMy name is Brigitte, I`m from Switzerland and I have been wwoofing on the G & S Farm since one week now. It is the first time that I`m doing this and I`m really lucky, because Beth and Lee are very nice people and so are the boys Billy and Gerorge.<br />Beside work there is lots of time to talk, eat, have a glass of wine or stay alone for a while as well.<br />I`m sleeping in a nice room in the cottage, but it is also possible to sleep in the caravan on the farm.<br />I like the work on the farm, till now I have been planting, watering, helping with the box scheme and some other small works. They have got four pigs, lots of sheep, three dogs, a cockeral and a horse.<br />I came to England in order to improve my English and I think therefore it was a good choice to come here, because we converse and they would also ask me whether I`m fine or take me with them to the sea or to another place - today we are going to visit a castle.<br />So I can definitely recommend this place for wwoofing!G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-24708653713856543292009-06-29T05:01:00.000-07:002009-07-30T01:32:30.753-07:00A Wwoofing hosts view<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3Pk6ByzDCsOGOiSDxtPyZg1X2_QiAEMOLH_DYO390I9QEAEiQx73TJueN5oVajXO1XQkTnTjontWya8fTB97yi4UiYVVpchU3CMaDXYbt-s52_bCSltgxsGWbAABv2HXV19soQjQ0yk/s1600-h/lettucerow"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352751854362245602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3Pk6ByzDCsOGOiSDxtPyZg1X2_QiAEMOLH_DYO390I9QEAEiQx73TJueN5oVajXO1XQkTnTjontWya8fTB97yi4UiYVVpchU3CMaDXYbt-s52_bCSltgxsGWbAABv2HXV19soQjQ0yk/s400/lettucerow" /></a> Planting by hand due to gravel like soil<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJGrpDVoUUwM6tI2RMtyoHMyOkS0OCXBcsb2vVSft1BQz7MKZA8mfOkx0qnsHr_w9ERRGeieLo95wT07TLpV9hNtGGaWfeowobe1ZYwsMFQLY-7VGejov5INNFcvxdIT0q354O4WziHM/s1600-h/cabbagekilled"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352749973891499394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJGrpDVoUUwM6tI2RMtyoHMyOkS0OCXBcsb2vVSft1BQz7MKZA8mfOkx0qnsHr_w9ERRGeieLo95wT07TLpV9hNtGGaWfeowobe1ZYwsMFQLY-7VGejov5INNFcvxdIT0q354O4WziHM/s400/cabbagekilled" /></a> A huge cabbage about to go to the piggies after being infested by caterpillars<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyI2PxX0fP7ONhUZdOnzyzOPgx4k-AQlulYFOunG-WroSH6UAfz0Sel6siixI55GmpMY4YMqXFwPTDBfT80oS_QjL_ONynLJFNXrdp732educnoWRDx_5udgUiVhwSKR25JnzFvzLKE8/s1600-h/lettucetractor"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352749969629791362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkyI2PxX0fP7ONhUZdOnzyzOPgx4k-AQlulYFOunG-WroSH6UAfz0Sel6siixI55GmpMY4YMqXFwPTDBfT80oS_QjL_ONynLJFNXrdp732educnoWRDx_5udgUiVhwSKR25JnzFvzLKE8/s400/lettucetractor" /></a> Old tractor looking on...as much use as ?? add your own caption<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIfGgc1XXdoKxTdvMepELlhoYP2E7f9uwBrHQ_IdB6eRR1VTceqdfQlJR1FaT7xAbYG-rt-HwpYZWskhJIb_vs99tyG4dDE_ojZltstqjYlKWEmOWVCHOQs88_8H7AkPehZmCWEy6lYE/s1600-h/lettucelee"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352749964659526402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIfGgc1XXdoKxTdvMepELlhoYP2E7f9uwBrHQ_IdB6eRR1VTceqdfQlJR1FaT7xAbYG-rt-HwpYZWskhJIb_vs99tyG4dDE_ojZltstqjYlKWEmOWVCHOQs88_8H7AkPehZmCWEy6lYE/s400/lettucelee" /></a> More lettuce, this time showing the wind break we are trialling. if it works and produces better results we'll give it a go around all of the beds.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The brilliant Bridgitte has been staying with us for a week now and is fitting in like of the family. It's always a worry that a new guest may not appreciate our lack of modern living, with no t.v. and only a shower for hot water it may seem a little odd these days. Couple that with dirty dogs and cats jumping around every where you try to sit down and a rather full compost toilet on the farm and it probably isn't the nicest place to stay!<br /><br />We firmly believe in taking a relaxed attitude to living and bridgette seems to have similar thoughts, sharing our love of food and being outdoors makes things easy to organise. A trip to the beach at Alnmouth was a good excuse to get away from the planting for a few hours and have a dip in the good old North Sea.<br /><br />The fam is going nicely, more hands made light work with our dedicated planting team (box scheme customers and now stiff legged friends Gary and Michelle) of around 3000 <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=378">lettuce</a> yesterday but with another 10,000 plus plants of variuos types yet to go in the work is far from over, but with bridgette staying for another two weeks we should be finished in no time.<br /><br />We still need to get sheep in for shearing and need to source some turkeys to get ready for christmas, we are already too late if we can't find organic poults as conventional birds need 26 weeks of rearing to organic standards before being slaughtered and labelled organic.<br /><br />Our annual review with the bank manager this morning confirmed we are still in need of extra customers but with the vegetable harvest looking promising we should have a better financial outlook this year. On the subject of finances while listening to the radio the other day I heard a women complaining about lack of resources given to people who couldn't find work. How hard it was to struggle by on £1500 per month, after paying her bills she was only left with £500 per month to pay for food for herself and her two children. She had been in this position for seven years and saw no way of ever getting a job and increasing her income. I think its great that we can all know that there is some kind of fall back if needed but is earning less than £30,000 per household really the poverty line. We earned £8,000 last year and this is probably larger than some farms as we have a retail aspect which helps prop up the other less profitable enterprises. Although we do little other than work and all food/social/travel tends to come under this banner we never feel any where near poverty stricken. Surely poverty is not knowing where your next meal is coming from or how your going to pay for an urgent life saving operation not deciding how your going to spend a tax free hand out of £1500 each month.</div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-34208372824038852232009-06-08T03:04:00.000-07:002009-06-08T11:27:22.789-07:00Looking good<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUsk7aCJ6B_nhE4ygkAfI5wsmZLcnaok7bM5SVfm0jpZkjy6Xi7TsK2VQAYRQhVq2vF8r3zC7W-Fz3ysEA2PekpCSAa_JRaPyvZc47oMUmRKj1eTFs6vFxzcB5x5gtWa2-1UsIRzDBWQ/s1600-h/lettuce+field.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345024016542377602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUsk7aCJ6B_nhE4ygkAfI5wsmZLcnaok7bM5SVfm0jpZkjy6Xi7TsK2VQAYRQhVq2vF8r3zC7W-Fz3ysEA2PekpCSAa_JRaPyvZc47oMUmRKj1eTFs6vFxzcB5x5gtWa2-1UsIRzDBWQ/s400/lettuce+field.JPG" /></a> lettuces after planting..note how stony the ground looks!<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWFZqVUjo4MJYl8zTRkbFmqbWwEpoyxELGebTZAhK9ztVNPGQDZSmzeukTVcJgK2b3c2asIVhGQXqcOUVBWaUR-mY-iuYHEP-o16jI-1biA7Gij-MYW9T4lzjHDcnHdrhBLcWaO0jugs/s1600-h/planterpic.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345024014584173682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWFZqVUjo4MJYl8zTRkbFmqbWwEpoyxELGebTZAhK9ztVNPGQDZSmzeukTVcJgK2b3c2asIVhGQXqcOUVBWaUR-mY-iuYHEP-o16jI-1biA7Gij-MYW9T4lzjHDcnHdrhBLcWaO0jugs/s400/planterpic.JPG" /></a> Our ancient planter..not quite horsedrawn but close<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_4RgCxy0OssxllXn440FGdaTY8TXO46XsYJTRkPraUJvlrEwSzCIvpXQ86Tx409vB9lBlS7m9CJtC-f1w2K5l9T00zj7Oa-vYERagL2ZImAQbKv6Ph2WWssFBvFKwJqnxsRv6aBEKcU/s1600-h/polytunpic.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345024009562608530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz_4RgCxy0OssxllXn440FGdaTY8TXO46XsYJTRkPraUJvlrEwSzCIvpXQ86Tx409vB9lBlS7m9CJtC-f1w2K5l9T00zj7Oa-vYERagL2ZImAQbKv6Ph2WWssFBvFKwJqnxsRv6aBEKcU/s400/polytunpic.JPG" /></a> the polytunnel a few weeks ago, i'll take some more pics to show how quick the basil comes on.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HRL-hn8jYotyKjCWC5pRLYp8PmOYfna-09rN2wYvGLX8JB3YugbpKGyEG-ce8ysLQF7o6mk2RLG6jGvkX8D8C4C2X4M8FWj6YZHdlZILpqTDPbgPW1rIUiqKoNzGOMjzgtgQHIuFsXI/s1600-h/IMG_0070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345021978120411170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HRL-hn8jYotyKjCWC5pRLYp8PmOYfna-09rN2wYvGLX8JB3YugbpKGyEG-ce8ysLQF7o6mk2RLG6jGvkX8D8C4C2X4M8FWj6YZHdlZILpqTDPbgPW1rIUiqKoNzGOMjzgtgQHIuFsXI/s400/IMG_0070.JPG" /></a> Gary's grade 1. I'm sure your meant to do a real bad job and then you don't get asked to do it again!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4ogM8voC22ApbmZcCgT_Cxd8iuIwTYITaQhItU8P9YnvyVUYcCyPlbbyqGQ_VplDmgePE5wmyF5EuH4KB9L4pxVIYynLA1wXGQWt19IJ5eAw-CmL9T7wATNN7xDW9Mcm9QuHvCdfzeg/s1600-h/IMG_0067.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345021973556344514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim4ogM8voC22ApbmZcCgT_Cxd8iuIwTYITaQhItU8P9YnvyVUYcCyPlbbyqGQ_VplDmgePE5wmyF5EuH4KB9L4pxVIYynLA1wXGQWt19IJ5eAw-CmL9T7wATNN7xDW9Mcm9QuHvCdfzeg/s400/IMG_0067.JPG" /></a> This weeks lettuce from the pretendy 'walled' garden, coming to boxes near you on Thursday.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Things have been going reasonably well both on the farm and in the shop. The shop being reasonably busy from its first day of opening which is a great relief as it could have gone the other way quite easily. Putting our faith into the hands of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">locals</span> has paid off and there support has been consistent.<br /><br />We now have leeks in the field and the garden, the lettuces we planted what seems like only a few weeks ago will be going in to the boxes this week and hopefully most weeks after that. The difference across the range of planting areas is quite amazing. We have the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">polytunnel</span> lettuce which are pretty much ready now, the lettuce in the raised beds of the 'walled' garden are maybe a week behind, the lettuce in the lower beds of the walled garden are probably two weeks behind that, with the lettuce in the open field probably <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">at least</span> six weeks away from any thought of being cut.<br /><br />Carrots are just poking through after the little splash of rain. Chillies are being moved from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">propagating</span> trays into there resting places in the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">polytunnel</span>, replacing salad leaves that are coming to an end. Beans are looking good now but the peas are still being hammered by the birds and we really need to get some mesh rolled out to protect them. However the old digger is out of action at the moment so we can't move the nets anywhere, frustrating when the net is about fifty feet from the top of the bed. But i suppose about 150<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">kgs</span> is heavy no matter how far you need to carry it!<br /><br />The fennel is racing away with so much vigour it's even managed to turn up in another bed. Not sowing on windy days would be <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">advantageous</span> but i don't think we could do all of our sowing in such a short time. Radishes have been and gone, but will go in again a bit later in the season. We managed to start shearing the ewes yesterday with a much needed hand from a friend who came up not knowing what was on the cards. Gary then proceeded to put me to shame with the skills of a barber despite never doing anything like this before, his fleece coming off in one nice, neat and usable piece and mine coming off in many uneven lumps leaving the sheep with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">appearance</span> of being attacked by a fox rather than a John Gerrard stylist. My only consolation can be taken from knowing how his back will be feeling this morning. I'll try to get the rest finished today before the damp and warm weather <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">that's</span> being predicted comes.<br /><br />Of the farm things are hectic too. The vans developed a rather painful noise coming from somewhere that sounds expensive but we've managed to replace the old estate car with a pickup truck that the kids are much happier travelling in. As will the lambs be when the time comes for the trip to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">abattoir</span>.<br /><br />A much needed night out was had on Friday. After hearing a lot of recommendations we went off to Barn Asia in Newcastle to see what all the fuss was about. We let the owner choose our dishes for us hoping to get the best of the offerings. The food, decor, atmosphere and host were all great the only downfall being the lack of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">ingredients</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">provenance</span>. It would have been the icing on the cake to know the chicken used was free range and the beef British. Surely it takes a huge effort to run a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">restaurant</span> like this, especially in the recession. Would it really be too much to source meat, fish and poultry that has been produced locally to a high welfare standard?<br /><br />My other task for today is too secure a new post box, the last one being stolen from our road end. I wonder if its illegal to put our electric fence charger on the box each night after the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">posty</span> has been. I'm surprised with the amount of invoices in the box lately the thief didn't bring it back with a £5 contribution added out of pity. Still it must have made someone who is down on there luck pretty happy now they know it could be worse!</div></div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-28569231005972919812009-05-04T05:14:00.000-07:002009-05-04T05:54:09.281-07:00The Village Coffee House opens<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOtZ7k1YEQPW-Ut6UB7YDAqbBcDS7vjjMBx6YDklnsPK9Xz6jZxR32Mp1f7aX12Klq1ZEsFKIYQoKoBWXV5_7da_skj4jLyH9Vr_82CBmsyHlbII__9OU7LrgqhNJ2KtMfrYpo4VG6mE/s1600-h/006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331950458992088050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOtZ7k1YEQPW-Ut6UB7YDAqbBcDS7vjjMBx6YDklnsPK9Xz6jZxR32Mp1f7aX12Klq1ZEsFKIYQoKoBWXV5_7da_skj4jLyH9Vr_82CBmsyHlbII__9OU7LrgqhNJ2KtMfrYpo4VG6mE/s400/006.jpg" border="0" /></a> Lambs are growing aswell as the grass, and starting to venture off in little gangs looking for fun games to play. The later lambs are just starting now, with a pair of strong looking twins coming yesterday morning. Hopefully the young hoggs will fair better than the old girls in the milder weather.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm25hehvARlFWwAVkKKS5VfRJVnQ-0rQ6jMIYfP8JLYTxHK24utqOOp3kIAu9QSveEyvryjxNMUPExwxwAzfUlHL4jNRoxXu4fAhu5O9jON-RfoUKz3VSV4i3RHr6CNCInW7ypsgUilhw/s1600-h/013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331949673193188738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm25hehvARlFWwAVkKKS5VfRJVnQ-0rQ6jMIYfP8JLYTxHK24utqOOp3kIAu9QSveEyvryjxNMUPExwxwAzfUlHL4jNRoxXu4fAhu5O9jON-RfoUKz3VSV4i3RHr6CNCInW7ypsgUilhw/s400/013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Finally after much work, some tears and a little swearing we opened our coffee shop in the village. Its been a long time coming after much wrangling with the usual suspects.<br /><br />We haven't said much about whats being going for fear of being stopped before we got started but have been working on the idea and the building for six months now. Its such a great business to run alongside the farm and the box scheme as we already have excellent food around us and its seems a shame not to be able to go full circle and prvide it on a plate aswell as a box.<br /><br />The locals have been very supportive luckily as Longfram is a very tightly knit community..maybe the hard work in the shop has changed peoples perceptions of us 'organic types' or maybe its just the anticipation of B's cup cakes.<br /><br />Things are going slowly on the farm after a little excitement last week when the rain came and the seeds turned to seedlings, with broad beans, peas, celeriac, romanesco's, fennel, artichokes, horseradish and brussel sprouts all making a little progress which has now stopped as the temp has dropped to averages of 10 degrees daily..i seem to remember this happening last year but the rain never stopped from April right through. The long range forecast is that we are all in for a really hot year though so fingers crossed.<br /><br />We still need to get all the potatoes in, along with carrots, turnips and parnips and I was hoping to have had all the beds worked ready for the cabbages, leeks and lettuce plugs which arrive next Monday but the new tractor is now dead. Replacing some worn blades on or power harrow with nice new ones has made the tractor work too hard and its unwilling to start again. Lesson learned and the last time I replace old parts with new..sometimes older really is better.<br /><br />B's horses went away yesterday. Mr. Lovage being sold but mum and his big sister had to go along for the ride so he would go in the trailer, I hoping they won't come back but instead be replaced by some cattle but B's got ideas of a putting Winnie to a heavier smaller horse so we can have a foal that we will be of some use pulling a trailer or roller round the fields. Sounds like lots of work to me but then the horse will never get stuck or break down which would obviuosly prove handy at the moment.</div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-14772242814070084812009-04-08T03:29:00.000-07:002009-04-08T03:39:30.220-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkKzD3A8CbAymdN5tjHy3NojbQmxaUkpO11daQYfnbuGmNwpVP9061PRwIFYisMBi0JeZ9BivJRgc211lPgjh2W-Lmi_GCd_BHvpYhS07ONS4UTWoz1oGmbEY9y-vXM4gWkifVnYCtaM/s1600-h/020.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322266679697383490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkKzD3A8CbAymdN5tjHy3NojbQmxaUkpO11daQYfnbuGmNwpVP9061PRwIFYisMBi0JeZ9BivJRgc211lPgjh2W-Lmi_GCd_BHvpYhS07ONS4UTWoz1oGmbEY9y-vXM4gWkifVnYCtaM/s400/020.jpg" border="0" /></a> View of the orchard and some of the veggie beds from on high<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLxKaUVRPb7hxVCcC_nslguEwvmY7f3vwehd4dAGFdbIydD0IjT-StjBxOJf3L_njB17RX4NIWl4UxyVMYLyUYdDO1JlEOq4kWRtGnaCp-WnzBKoXc8R1Acp_vtVCj_7r2RgVaMZTbmg/s1600-h/019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322266673843734434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLxKaUVRPb7hxVCcC_nslguEwvmY7f3vwehd4dAGFdbIydD0IjT-StjBxOJf3L_njB17RX4NIWl4UxyVMYLyUYdDO1JlEOq4kWRtGnaCp-WnzBKoXc8R1Acp_vtVCj_7r2RgVaMZTbmg/s400/019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFH7ARb9ywtLcULLhyphenhyphen4TmSfpAFL9JTMf1Ep7m1TZ0aHZUjKQSweOM_TAB40GQvFDgu3eO1Nnk1Lv0bYCUAr5Ou25wEDOxetZiygiqcggvSFmhnhX1y6F_MZbMkO-SMixTDJ07rtfMlW0/s1600-h/017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322266672890185762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFH7ARb9ywtLcULLhyphenhyphen4TmSfpAFL9JTMf1Ep7m1TZ0aHZUjKQSweOM_TAB40GQvFDgu3eO1Nnk1Lv0bYCUAr5Ou25wEDOxetZiygiqcggvSFmhnhX1y6F_MZbMkO-SMixTDJ07rtfMlW0/s400/017.jpg" border="0" /></a> 1 ton of seed ptoatoes arrives - 6 months in the soil and they will hopefully multiply by 7<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kub3brbzZuq5GMQClwg1Qql3sBsqnpjDd8bCKvV0sRq5ASexBXAkvGGlEl0OJhaRGoibVm7cFcl1xWD4PhvUr3n8PT7fVwW17z8SQZOq9PFYerhVSUZnZuU1SYYT14ixbKFiS9mc3C0/s1600-h/009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322266668806343618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Kub3brbzZuq5GMQClwg1Qql3sBsqnpjDd8bCKvV0sRq5ASexBXAkvGGlEl0OJhaRGoibVm7cFcl1xWD4PhvUr3n8PT7fVwW17z8SQZOq9PFYerhVSUZnZuU1SYYT14ixbKFiS9mc3C0/s400/009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />rhubarb bed coming along nicely<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWa48lObSWQ1tq6o6gS555zCHDdeUUInZ6cXaXotPfZLhnUvbhwZ5S9qp5Nms8d3sMfR1e_iArfkREsyKkBQOx8LczX6C60BwA3c2EZCrIOcpU__EIrVH6B3ADsFIFwZBJbP74qB-rfI/s1600-h/005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322266667106070322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzWa48lObSWQ1tq6o6gS555zCHDdeUUInZ6cXaXotPfZLhnUvbhwZ5S9qp5Nms8d3sMfR1e_iArfkREsyKkBQOx8LczX6C60BwA3c2EZCrIOcpU__EIrVH6B3ADsFIFwZBJbP74qB-rfI/s400/005.jpg" border="0" /></a> as is the pond digging..<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-69999487738276426752009-04-08T03:16:00.000-07:002009-04-08T03:27:52.509-07:00Broad beans and peas finally sown..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWjxVEsjMk4qJaSoTc2BJua16QR3qsfaO7LR62HqzjR2ov10aJlPNkre_PNfH26zzGW54UoYwwz8LBHEKf2eYstqEN-A4gClLlTdmjJ30MZn5_q-4Gr8v-vjzn5zK5vwlkislW5CgXxM/s1600-h/022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263944741338274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWjxVEsjMk4qJaSoTc2BJua16QR3qsfaO7LR62HqzjR2ov10aJlPNkre_PNfH26zzGW54UoYwwz8LBHEKf2eYstqEN-A4gClLlTdmjJ30MZn5_q-4Gr8v-vjzn5zK5vwlkislW5CgXxM/s400/022.jpg" border="0" /></a> lambs starting to come on strong too<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevgc4_r_ATd-XTOyV7Pwbp8WhGvEWEl6t2dsNRCnrAq1qCP9cHOZAtA1hNZPA8edK02tzJT_lPAwt6Q9_E-I8faa5WuYniGKD2hOskZELcr3q4sVUvIt7jLyQsU8WqhM7r9k8o7AVARE/s1600-h/019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263932604216546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevgc4_r_ATd-XTOyV7Pwbp8WhGvEWEl6t2dsNRCnrAq1qCP9cHOZAtA1hNZPA8edK02tzJT_lPAwt6Q9_E-I8faa5WuYniGKD2hOskZELcr3q4sVUvIt7jLyQsU8WqhM7r9k8o7AVARE/s400/019.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLn9gZnonEgfdTyAaYxBlxHiGqhBJlICdD-mSvjuLCv3woz6zOuL1TjBM3w3J8OrINhdkd5zp0gxn3QPA_BRj-4ar9SYI5CM2oxrBiR2I_xGkZN3SFKikp7Ty7_iW6f2G8gfJuy20uh1s/s1600-h/017.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263578466278674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLn9gZnonEgfdTyAaYxBlxHiGqhBJlICdD-mSvjuLCv3woz6zOuL1TjBM3w3J8OrINhdkd5zp0gxn3QPA_BRj-4ar9SYI5CM2oxrBiR2I_xGkZN3SFKikp7Ty7_iW6f2G8gfJuy20uh1s/s400/017.jpg" border="0" /></a> Leah the canadian wwoofer busy weeding apple trees.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChkY_TzWpB0g5cwYO7_9BWOq-YuuSm37O9jAR4P4mRX6n2_NCj6nac8kla5L1Xr9msooDFGVVpn155LWPK6bskpcgz3sd-y9Bq0niKtdlUlqtCdoae7FpV3rWNNCGkAvggj5YWkj5cM0/s1600-h/015.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263574369253042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChkY_TzWpB0g5cwYO7_9BWOq-YuuSm37O9jAR4P4mRX6n2_NCj6nac8kla5L1Xr9msooDFGVVpn155LWPK6bskpcgz3sd-y9Bq0niKtdlUlqtCdoae7FpV3rWNNCGkAvggj5YWkj5cM0/s400/015.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />the 'new' tractor replaces our last old but untrustworthy beast! She may not be a looker but does the job fine...no need for nothing fancy honestly.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIS7koB4xR0RTOtPRFmMOk-qLAaz-Vq6HCcj1glbKzLpZVa5tGfuOL3rubFKMZ2D2TdrgjdRo8IUKAy4iksTD84WriBud_z9KwxCtK5lgSluLFZu0Ly8iyJugMLY6BwrWWskHlK28geI/s1600-h/012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263569907000738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdIS7koB4xR0RTOtPRFmMOk-qLAaz-Vq6HCcj1glbKzLpZVa5tGfuOL3rubFKMZ2D2TdrgjdRo8IUKAy4iksTD84WriBud_z9KwxCtK5lgSluLFZu0Ly8iyJugMLY6BwrWWskHlK28geI/s400/012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />the road finally in right through the farm upto our steading area which means an end to wheel barrow commuting.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7NX24dv5N2G9y1xCmmmlSGi3_mP6bzYhhyphenhyphentsWGv9S3-peTcslEzb4pQlrMWLHfm9mQSRIPmrJpaO-vUCGYj77rC2DxyzNw_oa6pq6vqV96CIJ2pLts5gqo3mxLBGVCX_f1PAtUyWRfw/s1600-h/002.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322263566335522210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ7NX24dv5N2G9y1xCmmmlSGi3_mP6bzYhhyphenhyphentsWGv9S3-peTcslEzb4pQlrMWLHfm9mQSRIPmrJpaO-vUCGYj77rC2DxyzNw_oa6pq6vqV96CIJ2pLts5gqo3mxLBGVCX_f1PAtUyWRfw/s400/002.jpg" border="0" /></a> Even had chance to take the wwoofers to see Embleton Beach and the lovely dunstanburgh?? castle. A good chance to get the dogs in the sea too welcome after shedding there winter coats I imagine.<br /><div><br /><div>Some pics..hope they tell a thousand words as we are a bit too busy at the moment</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-50007690554833491782009-03-30T14:39:00.000-07:002009-03-30T15:18:49.553-07:00We've been away from the blog for ages largely due to an unexpected early spring. The weather has been great for this time of year and is a much needed tonic after the winter of discontent!<br />The biggest jobs are under way with the road finally getting started today...this has been 18months in the planing, waiting and saving so when the big shiny digger turned up on Saturday morning it wasn't just digger envy i was feeling but an overwhelming mixture of anticipation, excitement and satisfaction that things are finally coming together.<br /><br />Its been a long slog since we first bought the land back in sept 07 and some days i don't feel like we have made any impact at all, but what a difference when the sun comes out. The pond is underway and took no time at all to fill itself, we have cut into an existing clay field drain which should been we get a constant flow of water helping to keep the pond clean which is essential if we ever stock it with something for the pot.<br /><br />Our first live lambs arrived this morning, two happy things which are straight up jumping around. Quite a contrast to the first arrival of aborted twins last weekend. Despite getting plenty to eat the older ewes seem to be losing condition quickly and we can only hope the situation improves once lambing really gets going. 2 out of 4 really doesn't stack up commercially or morally and the decision has already been made that the oldest will go to the pasture in the sky once the lambs are reared.<br /><br />We have all of our seeds in place but are yet to make any significant sowings. Beth has got garlic, rhubarb and peas coming away nicely and we have been kept in greens from the tunnel but not sadly not enough for our box scheme just yet. I tried working the soil today but its still a litle too wet for us and i have certainly learned from last season that it just causes more damage to the soil and my mental health to try to get things moving too early. I think the site of bigger farmers out in the fields working the land makes me think that we should be doing something but this really is detrimental to the condition of the soil and is only made possible by the use of massive machines with 4wd systems. I have heard a lot of old farmers tales like not planting till wimbledon starts or not working the soil until the ground is warm on your bare backside and can't help but think we may have lost some ground in the name of progress.<br /><br />We have had lots of help recently from friends, customers and also from our first wwoofers Rob and Leah. The wwoof system works on the host farmer offering accomadation and food in exchange for a fair amount of labour. Its a great way to get an insight into other cultures and is what introduced me to the farming way of life when i spent 3 months wwoofing in Australia years ago. We've got volunteers staying with us pretty much right through the summer and are looking forward to meeting new people with open minds that are doing such a great thing with there time. Wwoofing is open to pretty much anyone and we've got people of all ages some bringing children and dogs etc from all other the world coming to join in. The wwoofers first day has been spent sowing chillies in the tunnel and helping move the pigs onto a new bed which should keep them content for a few weeks. Pigs love grass, which was a surprise to me...you alsways see apples and barley and that type of thing in images of pigs but they do love nice fresh grass to graze too.<br /><br />Planning permission has at last been granted on the coffee shop for the village so while Beth work out her menus of organic goodies I'm working out how to get out of fitting the laminate flooring! I'm more an outside job person. There is loads of work to do yet but we hope to be open to catch the last easter weekend and get the opening underway when there are lots of people around.<br /><br />Things are at last looking up for us and whats going to be the best season for us both is about to get underway...the gut wrenching feeling of excitement can only be compared with the night before christmas but the day never comes..G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-42904992055160028502009-02-22T12:19:00.000-08:002009-02-22T12:25:58.652-08:00New research published<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 4" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">Horticulture Week<br />20 February 2009<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">Home deliveries of fresh produce may be better for the environment than shopping locally, according to new research by the University of Exeter.</span></b><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">Researchers compared carbon emissions generated from trips to a farm shop with deliveries of organic vegetable boxes. They found that if the average car journey was a round trip of around four miles (6.4km) or more, home delivery accounted for fewer emissions, even if the farm shop used no lighting, heating or chilling.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" class="MsoNormal"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', 'serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang="EN">Researcher David Coley said that while food miles had been useful to get people to think about the issues around carbon emissions and food transport, the many factors that lie behind putting food on the table needed to be looked at "before we can say what is better or worse for the environment".<o:p></o:p></span></p>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-89830418583962286142009-02-11T11:29:00.000-08:002009-02-11T11:58:31.736-08:00Self suffiency for all?The recent snow has got me thinking about self suffiency and the ways of modern life. I was wondering how long we would survive as a nation if we were shut down completely by something like freak snowstorms or such.<br />Not that long I would imagine...how would we live without shipped in food, electricity, commmunications via internet and phone, no gas or oil? Of course we are not set up for this but should we be? And could we if we needed too?<br /><br />It might be fine for people like us with a little land to prepare for this eventuality but not everybody has some land to grow food, wood for heating and harness wind, water or solar energy. I would like to know if there would be enough room for each family to live in a self sufficient way, and if not then how many families could this island support.<br /><br />Could we even make smaller changes like no electricity for one day each week or would this be unbearable. Being able to stop the torture simply by the flick of a switch may be too much temptation. What if we used only a little grid supplied heat and power only in the 'off-season' of late autumn and winter and then focussed our energies through the summer to grow, harvest and preserve enough food, heat sources and power sources to keep us. Surely in the summer we would all be to busy to need television, heating and elaborate meals. Would this mean more people could enjoy the pleasure of this life we have today? Would we be prepared to do it even if it meant the earth and its resources as we know them would last twice as long?<br /><br />Personally I'm a both a wishful consumer and dreaming self supporter. The dream for me has both sides. I would like to grow enough fruit and vegetable to keep our family and friends generously for 365 days a year but wouldn't want to have to pay the mortgage aswell. I'd love to build my own house from materials gathered from the land..hand hewn timber beams, strawbales, sheep fleece and clay are available locally, but I still have a dream of owning a Range Rover one day!<br /><br />Maybe as a generation we've grown up confused about what we should be doing. The marketing men have done a fantastic job of telling us we can't live without the latest fashion or gadget and we believe them but we also believe that we should be doing more to cut our energy use or fuel consumption. I'm sure there is a growing movement of people out there starting out on the road to self suffiency but if you look in magazines like Smallholder its full of adverts telling you that you need a fancy hand built poultry shed costing hundreds of pounds to keep a few hens or that people are living on a smallholding on weekends and the husband spends the week in the city earning the cash that pays for it all.<br /><br />So basically my thoughts are that we could do it, we have before and I'm sure we'll do it again before long.<br /><br />Just a thought...G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-60127171103949021782009-02-11T06:21:00.000-08:002009-02-11T11:29:42.224-08:00Snow, snow and more snow..Old bessy stuck in the mud again! I've asked for a four<br />wheel drive version for my birthday but don't think anybody<br />was listening.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX4fa5DYx2I8IzK03Y6yy6EjkzCmVwLcNi8iSnMJ-Kg4saqqyPjUntFegUnxNOCBf0omcm9wptkcCM1o0ENjB0KoqyXfJIglkhD-4JYTX-Uit70pNM9-u1_zglcqZJ7L4E6co4gqtlKk/s1600-h/Picture+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301552077756291058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtX4fa5DYx2I8IzK03Y6yy6EjkzCmVwLcNi8iSnMJ-Kg4saqqyPjUntFegUnxNOCBf0omcm9wptkcCM1o0ENjB0KoqyXfJIglkhD-4JYTX-Uit70pNM9-u1_zglcqZJ7L4E6co4gqtlKk/s400/Picture+036.jpg" border="0" /></a> Silly hat season..<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNo5NA4zC5W1bLtZEP4hEdZVoxvhajH1xKX0BKQ6xDjkxvijm0Xj8XVNEp9U6O6JqVFUIs-9gdZmFRGjtHO4AD-7EmFAEnLiVN7i9Xdo0G6_FS2Iv5IR_xgwCiPXB3EY2qUDiWMcC5sM/s1600-h/Picture+028.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301551649474227890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 465px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 357px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlNo5NA4zC5W1bLtZEP4hEdZVoxvhajH1xKX0BKQ6xDjkxvijm0Xj8XVNEp9U6O6JqVFUIs-9gdZmFRGjtHO4AD-7EmFAEnLiVN7i9Xdo0G6_FS2Iv5IR_xgwCiPXB3EY2qUDiWMcC5sM/s400/Picture+028.jpg" border="0" /></a> Fantastic views but I couldn't see a foot in front of me on </div><div>Saturday morning. Thick skinned pigs don't seem to mind </div><div>though as long as there's food on the 'table'<br /><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlDFQ29AcB9QU_PGaf659x7mDPK7dj6vDFcH3NDHpDg2mqa0uD-xTadQSXlFLwwtYdcw_owCUN-IIEz2_cYT1v3A-_TFDcIKcETnQqVTpx00jTHs9E3lTMVTyxDAOI6E-hYPtxjr7SGU/s1600-h/Picture+023.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301551445515360674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 565px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLlDFQ29AcB9QU_PGaf659x7mDPK7dj6vDFcH3NDHpDg2mqa0uD-xTadQSXlFLwwtYdcw_owCUN-IIEz2_cYT1v3A-_TFDcIKcETnQqVTpx00jTHs9E3lTMVTyxDAOI6E-hYPtxjr7SGU/s400/Picture+023.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>A great week for the kids but not really condusive to on farm progress, but it does give you a bit of a lift being out in the bright sunshine after being in the dark for what seems like ages. A bit of a contradiction I know but it seems like its been dark permanently for the past 3 months but when the sun comes out an dthe days start to get longer its as if the summer wasn't that long ago..maybe its the promise of spring that brings the positivity out.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>Anyway nothing really to report on this week. Growth in the polytunnel has stopped due to snow blocking out the light and the sub zero temperatures, not helped when a cheeky robin thought that the relative warmth of the polytunnel seemed a good place to nest. All would have been well had he then not decided to go out a few times during the day..unfortunately putting some holes in the plastic skin on each attempt.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>The fruit trees are starting to bud up and we are hoping they don't come too soon to be killed by the heavy frost that we usually get in April. The hares have started to annihilate the christmas trees we planted last year as these are an easy source of food sticking above the snow. Must get some mesh guards made up before they eat the lot!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div>The sheep are getting some of the older hay that we made 2yrs ago to tide them over until the snow melts and the piggies are eating everything they can get hold of now the grounds too solid to root the carrots up. The carrot bed has been well turned over by them and will benefit from the deep frost getting down to a good level and aerating the soil.</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3824716935717088615.post-497858152856825172009-02-03T04:49:00.000-08:002009-07-30T01:34:23.271-07:00Ketchup comparisonsOur thanks go to a customer who recently pointed out the difference in ingredients between the <a href="http://www.gandsorganics.com/store_moredetails.asp?ProdID=368">organic ketchup</a> we sell and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">heinz</span> organic ketchup..with all we read these days about food labelling and understanding whats going into our food it still surprises me what gets into some food products.<br /><br />A lot of our customers are buying 'organic' for health reasons but may not look further than the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">initial</span> organic label. Organic may have <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">connotations</span> of health and a less processed product but this may not always be the case now that the big corporations are also selling organic lines. you really must check the small print, the labels placed on products being sold by supermarkets may give you the wrong impression.<br /><br />We are seeing more labels with photos of farmers outside in the fields yet the animals that produce the packed meat may have never seen those fields. I don't believe this should be allowed and it should not be up to the consumer to arm themselves with the finer details of the food standards agency guidelines for labels when popping out to get a chicken for dinner!<br /><br />The traceability of a product can help to understand what has or has not gone into the food your buying and also give you an idea of how the animals have been raised. The best choice is surely to buy from a local producer who can tell you or even show you how your food is being produced without any spin like 'traditionally reared beef' or '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Scottish</span> smoked', which may mean beef that has been produced in an American intensive feed lot as it has been 'traditionally' or salmon that has been <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">intensively</span> farmed in Scandinavia and then frozen, shipped to a factory in Scotland where it can be chemically smoked and become '<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Scottish</span> smoked salmon'. These statements are based on the truth but it doesn't give a fair representation.<br /><br />By asking a local producer or retailer how and where it has been produced not only will you get the information you need to make an educated decision regarding your purchase but also send a message that 'you' the consumer is looking for good quality, local produce and understand what this means.<br /><br />Labelling can provoke some discussion regarding businesses like ours that sell local produce but also sell items such as bananas, mango etc. Do we need to state 'not local' on our organic bananas or should we take it for granted that customers understand this? What about locally sourced? if we buy the bananas from a local wholesaler is that a fair statement? We could buy them cheaper from a national wholesaler with a centralised distribution system as the supermarkets may do and not support any local jobs but that is not what we choose to do. Where should a local box scheme draw the line when sourcing produce 10 miles? 50miles? What if the seasons don't <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">accommodate</span> local growers and we need to go further away? Should we stop trading until we can source or grow more produce? And then where do our customers go? To someone who is not concerned with these issues?<br /><br />Its difficult for us to know what to do sometimes but we are guided by our customers, our own ethics and what 'feels' right. This may not seem good enough for some and may be too picky for others...as a consumer its your decision that makes the world go round and there are many problems that could be solved by consumers making more educated decisions.<br /><br />As the blind date guy used to say..the choice is yours!G and S organicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03876379047520960356noreply@blogger.com0