Growing Update, plus new half day courses available

July 31, 2026

Hello Everyone,

We have had another warm week. However, not as warm as our Southern friends who are struggling with very high temperatures. It is funny how we want our Summers to be barmy with lots of blue skies. That is just what it is like in the South of our country. It may not be all it is cracked up to be. I have heard that this heat is intense and that not a single cloud has been noted across the sky. The fact that fires are popping up and water bans are in place shows how serious our times are. Climate change is happening and it is affecting our daily lives. It will be sad to hear farmers talk about loosing crops. The outlook for the general public will no doubt be a rise in the cost of produce.

Here on the farm we are really lucky that there is no water ban, not that farmers have to adhere to this rule, the temperatures are more of an average nature and that our crops are doing just fine. We do have to work really hard to ensure each crop receives its fare share of watering but we are not having to entertain such extreme heat from the rays of a blasting sun where lack of water is a critical situation. Not only does this affect the growing produce, workers do not give of their best, finding it hard to complete tasks efficiently or to even think effectively. Here we are all coping by working at an even pace, drinking plenty and enjoying ice lollies.

Harvesting our produce takes place over the Tuesday through till the Thursday for both the restaurants and our lovely customers. Both receive the same fruit, vegetables and herbs. So, I am sure you are pleased to know that you, as a customer, are given the same produce as a Michelin starred chef or an award winning local restauranteur. We do our utmost to prepare each carrot or cabbage (for instance) to look it’s best. Even though we would like to imagine that what we deliver is absolutely perfect, our produce may be of an unusual shape, it may have a little of the earth over it and it may be a little battered and bruised around the edges. The taste will compensate for all the irregularities. Our simple Carrot is as sweet as. The Cabbage tastes delicious sautéed in a little butter. Simple pleasures from freshly harvested, local, seasonal, organic vegetables.

As per usual we have been really busy. I am delighted to say that ALL the Garlic (1500+) is prepped and now in storage. Thank goodness as that was a task and a half. The lovely Lucy has removed all the remaining Broad Bean vines and the early Chard (more has now grown). Everything is now in the compost bin. This has created empty beds for future sowings and plantings. The Tomatoes and Cucumbers were tended once again. We are now beginning to harvest from our Summer fruiting plants. Cucumbers are now available as are the Tomatoes and Aubergines. It is always a pleasure when we are able to have these vegetables going into our Gardener’s Box.

We have another Gardening Course next Sunday. This is heavily over subscribed, which we don’t mind as there are a number of ‘couples’ attending. Must be ‘date day’.

We have decided to try a few half day courses and making them a little more specific in information. I would like to take the credit for deciding this course. However, a past ‘student’ of a previous course has suggested this would be of great use to gardeners (Thanks Gillian). We will give it a whirl. So, please take a look on the website for more information. The first half day course focuses on Planning Your Growing Year. Two dates have been set-up, Sunday 6th September and Monday 14th September. Yes, we are trying a Monday course as some customers have advised they cant make a weekend course.