December 2005

The evening tours during the summer have become extremely popular, and we ended up doing 8 tours, and a total of 500 visitors. We have now set six dates for this year, and if we need more will extend them.

June 28th and 29th, and then the 5th and 6th July, all these days will be part of the Hampshire Food Festival for next year. There are a further 2 days in July, being 20th and 21st.

Cost to include supper will be £8. Tickets must be pre booked.

Phone No 01794 390451

November 2005.

British Cheese Awards had a change of venue this year, and have moved to Imperial Gardens, in the centre of Cheltenham. We shared trade space with Two Hoots Blue Cheese and we all had an exceptionally good 3 days. The cheese hall was shoulder to shoulder, on both the Saturday and Sunday. An excellent set of results for us, The Lyburn Gold taking a Gold in the Export Class, followed by a Bronze in the Modern British Hard 3-4 month class. The Garlic and Nettle and the Winchester both took Bronze, and not to be out done our new addition this year The Aged Winchester took its first Bronze.

October 2005.

Harrods, this year, have decided to follow their very sucessful Italian promotion last year with a 'Truly British Event'.

We were asked to be part of the promotion within the magnificent food hall. There is a considerable footage devoted to cheese sales, and at any one time Harrods will be stocking 200 to 300 cheeses. We contributed the Winchester and Nettle and Chive.

September 2005.

Massive crops of pumpkin this year. Planting a pumpkin seed, is more than just a job, more than just trying to earn a living, it is an act of faith. It is the belief that one day, the seed wont be eaten by slugs or even leather jackets and wire worms. The seeds wont be chewed by mice who relish the very thought of stupid farmers sowing these tasty morsels, in straight easy to find lines. The young plants wont be dug up and left to die, by Crows, that have nothing else better to do on a Sunday afternoon. We fought them all and this year we won!
As you can see this year we have the return of the celebrated Australian chef Jono Smales. Having cooked supper tonight, it was Pumpkin soup, of course, Lamb Shank on parsnip mash with green veg, and to follow, the very lightest of chocolate mousse. The cheese board, well it had to be Winchester, the magnificent Blue Barkham Chase, and Sharpham soft cheese.

August 2005

New milk tanker, the old one had done its time but now too small, too many trips. The new one will take up to 4000 litres, so will also serve as a reserve tank during the winter if the weather gets difficult.

Chris Packham, Anouncing, the New Forest Marque, for use by producers within the
New Forest.

July 2005

Despite some very hot weather in July, we have now had some rain and this has produced a super crop of red clover for 3rd cut silage. We will make this into round bale silage and feed 2 bales a day during the winter months. This element of long fibre helps to maintain the fat levels and the cows seem to enjoy it. The only losers here are the bumble bees, whom were out in their thousands when I cut this crop

Good crops of runner beans and courgette, although the very hot weather tends to bring the cougette on too quickly and we have a job to keep up with them

June 2005

Silage making finished, a disappointing organic rhubarb crop mainly due to all the hard frost earlier in May. Then a large area of pumpkin seed to plant in the picture to the right.

More good results at this years Bath and West Show, 1st. prize in the unpasteurised class, 2nd in a very big export class, the Garlic and Nettle took 2nd in its class for the second time in 2 years, and a very commendable 2nd in the butter competition.

May 2005.

Some very patchy weather has meant that silage making has not been straight forward. It has been a case of stop start all the time, but in general the quality should be good.

Terrible trouble with slugs in the organic runner beans and courgette, they have done a huge amount of dammage, and have had to re plant in an effort to get the population back.

This year the World Cheese Awards have been held at the International Food Exhibition , Docklands, in London. From our point of view another good result, Winchester further consolidates it's place in the market place, taking it's second Gold in two years at this event. Supplies are already under pressure, however the commissioning of a new ripening room will help. Garlic and Nettle did well to also take Gold and was followed by the Lightly Oak Smoked, taking a Silver

Another new store comes into play. Having completly run out of space, this now gives us capacity for another 2000 cheeses. We have the ability to control both the temperature and the humidity, critical to the maturing of our cheese.

January 2005.

As can be seen in the pictures along side, the present ripening room is full to the brim with maturing cheeses. A second room is being built as I write this, to double our capacity. The two young ladies that you see turning cheeses are both from the Southampton General Hospital where they work for Wessex Microbiology Services. As part of their training they have to come and learn about the production end of cheese making as well as knowing the microbiology.