Merry Christmas

Hello Everyone, 

The Crew, Bob and myself would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas. 

We are all about to take a well earned rest from gardening and managing and I can safely say we are all really looking forward to the festivities. 

The Walled Garden 

At the top of the Walled Garden an enormous greenhouse will be erected next year. The ground, where the build will take place, has been marked and levelled. We can now visualise the extent of the greenhouse…it is big! 

During the planning process we worked alongside English Heritage who explained how the garden was previously a historical garden which ought to be re-established with this in mind. Even though it has listed status Bob and I always intended to recreate a garden of the past using traditional with modern gardening techniques. The layout of the garden compliments the original drawings from two hundred and fifty years ago. The greenhouse will also be of a traditional design and material. For instance we are using Western Red Cedar wood for the greenhouse structure plus Bob has sourced as close a copy of the back wall bricks for the supporting walls. 

Groundworks are continuing around the restaurant site which is muddy but surprisingly tidy…we have unbelievably tidy builders. This keeps me very happy.

The Farm 

The Crew are now on holiday for the duration of the festivities. So, the last week has been spent ensuring that the farm is safe and sound and placed on ‘downtime’. All tools and equipment are now in the shed or barn. The bed coverings are securely placed over the crops in the hope that any winds do not make them fly away. The hen houses are all clean with fresh bedding. All working areas are clean and fresh so everywhere is now ready for the start of the new year. 

Over the coming weeks Bob and I will take some rest but we would like to concentrate on tidying the barn and obviously plan for the coming new year. We want to plan for all the growing areas in both the Walled Garden and on the farm. This will be the crop plan, sowing plan, planting plan and the harvesting plan…this is a lot of planning! Thank goodness I have a Bob. 

On this week's YouTube Channel Alex is cooking Brussels Sprouts!

You will hear from me in the New Year, which is less than two weeks away and will be here before we know it! Till then Enjoy! 

Ho Ho Ho, 

Ann