"WE PLOUGH THE FIELDS AND SCATTER ..."
Published 5th October 2014
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The last two months has seen the arable team working long hours ploughing up the harvest stubbles, working the soil to a fine tilth and sowing all of next year's crops. We have had a good harvest this year, the weather stayed fine and crops grew well in the sunshine (a shame prices for the corn have since plummeted but with everyone having a good harvest we were bound to have a surplus in this country which would affect prices).
We had sufficient grass for the cattle this year as we had decided not to increase the herd size just in case we had a hot summer and the grass didn't grow in "front of them". Grass likes rain and cows like grass and in years when we have seen the pasture land shrivel up in front of our eyes we have had to break into our winter feed and supplement their diets. That has had a knock on effect in the past when winter feed stocks have got low and then like many other farmers had to find the extra cash to buy in expensive additional feed. So we are pleased to go into winter without any additional costs for the cattle.
The holiday cottage has proved very popular with returning customers always a delight to see again. We will no longer be using the services of Cottages4You and from 1st January 2015 we will be independent and all bookings will be made though us. We are so excited about this as we feel our plans for 2015 mean we will be able to offer even more for our customers and at incredible value - how many other cottages do you know where you open your curtains looking onto a walled garden vineyard?
Our 2015 Calendar has now come back from the printers - so if you are looking for a stocking filler for Christmas, come and see Ronnie at Melton Mowbray Farmers Market (every Tuesday) or give us a ring and let us know if you are passing the farm and we can sort one or two out for you. Priced at £7.50 and filled with recipes using our rapeseed oil and pictures of us farming with plenty of space to write in all your dates and reminders you won't be disappointed with this quality calendar.
British Food Fortnight ends today! We have continued to promote British food and farming, especially during these last two weeks, and ran a "freebie" feature in our local newspaper The Grantham Journal. We hope all recipients of the 27 bottles are all happily cooking and baking with our oil. We don't want you all to be shy about your recipes and if you have baked or cooked a dish with our oil WHY NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF IF NEXT TO OUR BOTTLE AND EMAIL IT THROUGH TO US! Leave your name and town within the email and we would love to post your cooking or baking picture on our website or Facebook or Twitter page.
Talking of which YES! we have finally joined the social media "family". Look out for OWNSWORTHS on Facebook and Twitter where I am posting info and recipes regularly. The children can't believe it! I'm on Facebook more than them! Now that's a first!
FORTHCOMING SHOWS:
come and taste my latest bakings at LOUTH VICTORIAN FAYRE Lincolnshire - SUNDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2014 - hundreds of stalls and all us stallholders in period costume.
more tastings at SOUTHWELL BRAMLEY APPLE FESTIVAL, Nottinghamshire - SATURDAY 25th OCTOBER 2014 in Southwell Minster
tastings and Christmas gift packs and hampers THORESBY HALL WINTER FOODFEST, The Stable Blocks, Thoresby Hall, near Worksop, Nottinghamshire SATURDAY 15TH AND SUNDAY 16TH NOVEMBER 2014
tastings and advice at MAXEYS FARMSHOP, KIRKLINGTON, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire SATURDAY 22ND NOVEMBER 2014
tastings and Christmas gift packs and hampers THE GEORGE CENTRE, GRANTHAM part of Grantham Christmas Market weekend SATURDAY 29TH AND SUNDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2014
tastings and Christmas gift packs and hampers at LOUTH CHRISTMAS FAIR - SUNDAY 7TH DECEMBER 2014
So lots happening! I am also working on another project - will tell you about this next blog!
