At last the phones are sorted. It took another visit from the engineer to install an earlier version of the software that runs it all (newest version had too many bugs in it) and then a few hours resetting it all up again. We still found the odd hiccup after he had gone but he was able to fix all those remotely via the internet in a matter of moments. It’s all very impressive once it works but it has been a pain-full process getting there. I felt quite sorry for the engineer who was so confident in the kit, only to have to sit through days hunched over his laptop and on his mobile, talking to base and the manufacturers, huffing, sighing, and unable to get it to do pretty basic stuff. The relief on his face when the old software worked so well was a delight to see.
I had an entertaining evening recording the various messages on the new system, I had to wait until everyone had gone home and I could talk without distraction or embarrassment. It took me hours to get anything remotely coherent recorded. When you aren’t used to recording stuff it all seems so odd, my voice doesn’t really sound like that for a start, I can hear my brothers voice but not mine, and how come that a simple phrase can come out with so many words in the wrong order! Then I started to get a bit hysterical and started getting the giggles after a few words, after which the language got a bit more colourful and panic filled as I realised that as soon as it was recorded it was on the system. I then had to quickly rerecord it before someone called which added more pressure and more mistakes. I got there in the end, so apologies to anyone who tried to call when either the system was down or you got an earful of garbled rubbish from some nutter with a microphone in apparent need of a sedative.

Sorry, but those of you receiving this stuff by fax rather than email will have had a rather erotic service over the last couple of weeks due to secondary problems with the new phone system. Hopefully this is sorted now, although it would be more eco-friendly, reliable and cheaper to send it by email if you have the facility available. Just let me know an address and we will add you to the list. Isn’t auto speeling correction just great?!

Eco news

Wind Turbine planning committee on Thursday. There are 4 time slots for people to address the panel, 3 mins (total) for the public to oppose, 3 mins for the parish councils to support or oppose, 5 mins for any city councillors and 3 mins at the end for the applicant and/or supporters. The planning officers report for the committee came out last week and it looks pretty good, they seem to have covered all the objections raised and effectively dismissed them and come out with a fairly strong recommendation to grant permission. We have a couple of the local city councillors who are supporting the proposal, one Lib Dem and one Tory, so with a split representation on the panel itself we might be covered. There has still been very little negative local coverage other than the Crawley Parish Council’s foot stamping, and even that seems to have failed to produce much reaction as far as we know. I am ever hopeful that the tide is turning and a project like this will start to see a more positive response from local communities but the proof will be in seeing how the city councillors respond.

We are off in a minute to the Winter Energy Weekend at Whitley Village near Southampton (http://winacc.org.uk/events/2010-09-10/visit-whiteley-energy-weekend-today)%20see to see if we can pick up any info on local sustainability projects and maybe bend Winchester City Councils ear to make recycling easier for local businesses. It’s aimed mostly at the domestic market but there should be plenty of companies and organisations exhibiting and pointing us all in the right direction. This year’s nursery electric consumption is now down by 23.02% (at end of August).

Nature notes

Summer nearly gone, swallows have all left and the house martins have definitely thinned out over the week. On Monday there were over 50 swooping over the nursery and yesterday just a handful returning to a couple of the nest sites. Still looking on the bright side there will be less guano on the conservatory roof!

Don't forget to do your bit.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries

Another interesting week as the telephone engineers try to get the new phone system to work as planned. Nearly there, just the answer-phone service to get going now. During the past 10 days we have been intermittently on and off with nursery phone lines, internet lines, fax lines in, fax lines out, recorded messages etc so apologies if you have had any difficulties getting through.

It even knocked out all our printers from the computer network on Friday after a new router they fitted on Thursday had renamed the IP addresses. The problem didn’t materialise until the computers where turned on again on Friday morning. The joys of high tech. Still, on the bright side we now have network and internet access from the house again after a break of about 5 years and the new mobile hand-sets seem to have a better range than the old ones.
A bit flat today after an afternoon off yesterday the see Southampton FC play against Rochdale. Oops, lost again with another disappointing performance after a tricky couple of weeks when they lost, their main money man who sadly passed away, and their manager and most of the coaching staff who all got the sack. Still at least Portsmouth are doing badly too!

Production of the hairy pots is back under way in Sri Lanka after the fire that destroyed our last shipment and damaged the presses, but it is not up to full speed yet. Naturally there are some insurance delays which haven’t helped but the things are coming together. We will keep production there moving along throughout the winter to build up stocks here and keep their cash flow going. It will mean earlier outlays for us but does give us the insurance of uninterrupted pot supply for next season.

It isn’t the sort of issue we have come across before with a supplier, but it is in its own way it does give us a real connection with the people producing this product and a realisation of some of the social responsibilities we have as consumers.

Eco news

Exciting news on the wind turbine planning which is going before the planning committee on Thursday 16th Sept which is quicker than we anticipated, so well done to the local planning dept. There are 4 time slots for people to address the panel, 3 mins (total) for the public to oppose, 3 mins for the parish councils to support or oppose, 5 mins for any city councillors and 3 mins at the end for the applicant and/or supporters. Our planning guide will prepare my input once the planning dept report recommending approval is issued 7 days before the meeting, nerve wracking stuff. I have a couple of the local city councillors who are supporting the proposal, one Lib Dem and one Tory, so with a split representation on the panel itself we might be covered. There has still been very little negative local coverage other than the Crawley Parish Council’s foot stamping, and even that seems to have failed to produce much reaction as far as we know. I am ever hopeful that the tide is turning and a project like this will start to see a more positive response from local communities but the proof will be in seeing how the city councillors respond.

Hoping to get to the Winter Energy Weekend at Whitley Village near Southampton next weekend and see if we can pick up any info on local sustainability projects. It’s aimed mostly at the domestic market but there should be plenty of companies and organisations exhibiting and pointing us all in the right direction.

This year’s nursery electric consumption is now down by 23.02% (at end of August).

Don't forget to do your bit.

Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries