Very short one this week as it has been a very busy few days and I’m feeling a bit fragile.
Lots of trench digging for power cables this week so plenty of cut pipes and cables short outs to deal with. More to do next week and hopefully cables in and buried by the end of the week. With the current fashion for night-time cable collecting the cables only come on the day they get buried to reduce losses!
On Friday night a gang from the nursery got all dolled up to attend the gala awards dinner at the Winchester Guildhall, everyone turned up looking fantastic, virtually unrecognisable from the usual nursery attire. It was a long and very enjoyable evening and well worth it in the end as we scooped the Green Innovation award for 2011. We made the final of the Business of the Year but missed out on that one. Highlight of the evening happened when we were all gathered together for a group shot for the local paper. All the excited winners huddled together and I felt a reassuring stroking and cupping of my right buttock, I turned expecting to see Caroline but it was the hairdresser who had won the main award. He was a lovely chap but a little forward for my taste. Still nice to know you’ve still got it at my age! Maybe?
Last night was Caroline’s big party night which is the main reason my eyes keep closing and my legs don’t work anymore. We had a great time drinking lots of shandy and dancing the night away to the Ben Waters band. Anyone still not heard Ben play
should checkout his latest CD ‘Boogie for Stu’ which is a tribute album for Ian Stewart who was one of the original Rolling Stones. All the Stones are on the album and proceeds go to the British Heart Foundation, but best of all it is a great recording!
Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Showing posts with label Ben Waters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Waters. Show all posts
Monday, 13 June 2011
Monday, 21 March 2011
A relatively quiet week and weekend in comparison to this time last year and all the 20 years previous to this one. At long last we have got back to concentrating on growing plants, developing our own plans for the nursery and simply doing our own thing, and it is such a relief. In all those previous years we would have been shipping plants into the DIY multiples by now with all the pressure, stress and low personal and financial reward for all the effort involved. It could easily destroy any appreciation of the real joys of spring, the warming sun, bursting buds and the patter of gardener’s feet rushing out for their annual fix of gardening retail therapy. Although there still aren’t enough hours in the day at this time of year at least we are now focussed on doing something we feel is worth the effort. Other than the odd run in with the occasional big institution, like last week’s bank fiasco, we are back dealing with human beings again which has so much more going for it. So well done all you human beings out there!
Anyway, back to this ‘quiet’ week. Lots of orders as the weather improves and a bit of potting done too. Very nearly up to date with production in the microprop lab after a period of very high workload and the first seedling and cutting plant deliveries of the year are in. I finished clearing the hedge debris created when the turbine sites were cut back a few weeks ago, so they are ready for foundation installation sometime over the next couple of months.
The nursery has been selected as a finalist in the Business of the Year section of the Winchester Business Excellence Awards, which I think means we are finalists in at least one or maybe two other sections. I know it’s only a local do but it’s still nice to be loved by someone! The awards aren’t announced until June so I suspect we will get a visit from a judge or two before then, so best behaviour all round, could be tricky.
We managed to squeeze in a concert at a pub venue in Southampton to see Ben Waters playing with Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), a brilliant night and so bizarre to see such a famous musician in such a tiny venue. Caroline had a good day yesterday with a Cat Protection training day (some people get all the excitement) and then going to see Southampton beat Sheffield Wednesday to move closer to an automatic promotion place. Meanwhile I lost my last hockey game of the year 2-1 at Oxford which means after a few weeks of freefall we are now awaiting other results to see if we get relegated. Ooops. A team curry last night helped improve spirits in the short term.
Eco news
Electric consumption continues to fall with warmer weather than last year during February, it’s down 8.82% on last year, 25.63% down on 2009 for the year as a whole. Every little bit helps. Next Saturday at 8.30pm is the WWF’s earth hour when they are encouraging people around the world to turn off their lights for an hour. You can register to take part at http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/get_involved/signup/signup_individual.cfm
The nuclear power bubble seems to have deflated somewhat with the difficulties in Japan, perhaps it won’t be the easy answer to future energy demand after all. It does swing things a bit more back towards renewables for a bit which makes the turbine project even more exciting. This week we made our first big financial commitment to the scheme by handing over a large dollop to the National Grid chaps to put in a new sub station and some new cable. An interesting deal which demands payment up front and the possibility of the work taking 12 weeks to complete. So far I must admit they have been very helpful and I think quite excited about the first of this type of installation in the area. They certainly remembered us when I phoned to sort out the payment.
Nature ramblings
Having gone up to the hill top to clear hedge debris I couldn’t help but notice the lack of old nests in the bare hedge. In 400m I didn’t spot one. Just a few meters away, on the nursery, our hedge has loads of nests, I suppose we are talking about two different environments really, open arable fields and an insect rich, more sheltered nursery with winter feeding.
Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Anyway, back to this ‘quiet’ week. Lots of orders as the weather improves and a bit of potting done too. Very nearly up to date with production in the microprop lab after a period of very high workload and the first seedling and cutting plant deliveries of the year are in. I finished clearing the hedge debris created when the turbine sites were cut back a few weeks ago, so they are ready for foundation installation sometime over the next couple of months.
The nursery has been selected as a finalist in the Business of the Year section of the Winchester Business Excellence Awards, which I think means we are finalists in at least one or maybe two other sections. I know it’s only a local do but it’s still nice to be loved by someone! The awards aren’t announced until June so I suspect we will get a visit from a judge or two before then, so best behaviour all round, could be tricky.
We managed to squeeze in a concert at a pub venue in Southampton to see Ben Waters playing with Charlie Watts (Rolling Stones), a brilliant night and so bizarre to see such a famous musician in such a tiny venue. Caroline had a good day yesterday with a Cat Protection training day (some people get all the excitement) and then going to see Southampton beat Sheffield Wednesday to move closer to an automatic promotion place. Meanwhile I lost my last hockey game of the year 2-1 at Oxford which means after a few weeks of freefall we are now awaiting other results to see if we get relegated. Ooops. A team curry last night helped improve spirits in the short term.
Eco news
Electric consumption continues to fall with warmer weather than last year during February, it’s down 8.82% on last year, 25.63% down on 2009 for the year as a whole. Every little bit helps. Next Saturday at 8.30pm is the WWF’s earth hour when they are encouraging people around the world to turn off their lights for an hour. You can register to take part at http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/get_involved/signup/signup_individual.cfm
The nuclear power bubble seems to have deflated somewhat with the difficulties in Japan, perhaps it won’t be the easy answer to future energy demand after all. It does swing things a bit more back towards renewables for a bit which makes the turbine project even more exciting. This week we made our first big financial commitment to the scheme by handing over a large dollop to the National Grid chaps to put in a new sub station and some new cable. An interesting deal which demands payment up front and the possibility of the work taking 12 weeks to complete. So far I must admit they have been very helpful and I think quite excited about the first of this type of installation in the area. They certainly remembered us when I phoned to sort out the payment.
Nature ramblings
Having gone up to the hill top to clear hedge debris I couldn’t help but notice the lack of old nests in the bare hedge. In 400m I didn’t spot one. Just a few meters away, on the nursery, our hedge has loads of nests, I suppose we are talking about two different environments really, open arable fields and an insect rich, more sheltered nursery with winter feeding.
Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 14 February 2011
Morning all,
I can always tell when it’s been a hectic week when I open up Word to record my weekly thoughts and last week’s version was the last file opened. The first thing to do is welcome a few newcomers to my weekly availability list posting, brace yourselves, this is as much to do with my unloading of stuff running around in an aging brain as it is providing the latest list of yummy looking hairy pots for you to release into the wild. I look on it as a bit of a free therapy session to delay the inevitable visit of men in white coats. The extra readership comes courtesy of the local GAN tradeshow which took place last week. It was a little quieter for us than last year, but still rewarding, and it was quite a shock to hear the next day that it was to be the last one. Attendance by stall holders and visitors did seem reduced and maybe the show had run its course, but it will leave a gap in our spring build up. The official reason for the closure was that the space was needed for plant production which is a positive move for a nursery!
Signs of hard times are hitting home here with the local pub closing this week, it has been struggling and has passed through several tenants in the past few years. Then I heard yesterday that the pub we use, to rehydrate after a tough game of hockey, has closed too, which was quite a surprise as it seemed really busy. That meant there was nowhere to drown our sorrows after getting stuffed 9-0 yesterday!
This week could be a big one on the awards front, with the dinner to announce the Nursery Stock Grower of the Year. We are one of three or four finalists, but we have decided not to lash out on the shockingly expensive tickets. It would have been £500+ for two of us to attend on the off-chance we might win, and I can think of better value things that the dosh could go on. Luckily I located someone who is attending, who has ‘volunteered’ to collect any surprise packages that come our way.
As an alternative night out we are getting a few friends together to go and see the very exciting Imelda May, must polish up my dancing shoes! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxj5wlXY9No&feature=channel
Talking of dancing shoes, we went to see Ben Waters again this week (Boogie Woogie pianist).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT4IzEo6hhY&feature=related A great night out enhanced rather bizarrely by a tall lady in a red shirt and black tights, who danced from start to finish in what can only be described as a ‘classical style’. Pointy toes, pirouettes, leg kicks, no-holds barred, it’s great when you reach a certain age when what other people think doesn’t matter, as long as you are having a good time! After an initial embarrassment period, on the part of the audience, she certainly made a lot of people smile!
Eco news
I can now tell you that we will be incorporating the new bio-insecticide Met52 in our potting composts. This was launched at the GAN show and is a fungus that gives long term protection against the dreaded vine weevil. Since introducing the herb and soft fruit ranges we have shied away from using chemical control in favour of introducing the safe nematode controls, but they are expensive, not always effective and take a lot of time to apply. Although not all our stock is attractive to this pest, by using the fungus in all compost mixes, it should give us an opportunity to get right back on top of its control.
Wind turbines continue to get closer to starting but still not quite there. Turbine prices due to increase at the end of the month so the pressure is on!
January electric use down on last year (warmer weather and less heating), so a good start to further carbon reduction for 2011. Gave away a load of trays and pots to other growers this week, and more loads went off to the plastic recycling man, so we are very nearly clear of our old plastic pot orientated production clobber. The wood burner continues to use up the scrap wood and a few old coir pots so we are land filling less and less rubbish. For a business employing 25+ people we send a remarkably small amount of stuff to land fill, just one wheelie bin (small 4 wheeled) a week, and we hope to get this down to a domestic sized one later in the year when the recycling gets really fine tuned.
Nature notes
Spring is springing, loads of bird song well into the evening at the moment shows that as Valentines Day approaches (don’t forget chaps) thoughts are turning to love. There was definite plopping in the big pond the other night when I walked past, although no sign of any spawn yet. Sunny yesterday but cool today (9.2 C in the office at the moment)
Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
I can always tell when it’s been a hectic week when I open up Word to record my weekly thoughts and last week’s version was the last file opened. The first thing to do is welcome a few newcomers to my weekly availability list posting, brace yourselves, this is as much to do with my unloading of stuff running around in an aging brain as it is providing the latest list of yummy looking hairy pots for you to release into the wild. I look on it as a bit of a free therapy session to delay the inevitable visit of men in white coats. The extra readership comes courtesy of the local GAN tradeshow which took place last week. It was a little quieter for us than last year, but still rewarding, and it was quite a shock to hear the next day that it was to be the last one. Attendance by stall holders and visitors did seem reduced and maybe the show had run its course, but it will leave a gap in our spring build up. The official reason for the closure was that the space was needed for plant production which is a positive move for a nursery!
Signs of hard times are hitting home here with the local pub closing this week, it has been struggling and has passed through several tenants in the past few years. Then I heard yesterday that the pub we use, to rehydrate after a tough game of hockey, has closed too, which was quite a surprise as it seemed really busy. That meant there was nowhere to drown our sorrows after getting stuffed 9-0 yesterday!
This week could be a big one on the awards front, with the dinner to announce the Nursery Stock Grower of the Year. We are one of three or four finalists, but we have decided not to lash out on the shockingly expensive tickets. It would have been £500+ for two of us to attend on the off-chance we might win, and I can think of better value things that the dosh could go on. Luckily I located someone who is attending, who has ‘volunteered’ to collect any surprise packages that come our way.
As an alternative night out we are getting a few friends together to go and see the very exciting Imelda May, must polish up my dancing shoes! www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxj5wlXY9No&feature=channel
Talking of dancing shoes, we went to see Ben Waters again this week (Boogie Woogie pianist).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AT4IzEo6hhY&feature=related A great night out enhanced rather bizarrely by a tall lady in a red shirt and black tights, who danced from start to finish in what can only be described as a ‘classical style’. Pointy toes, pirouettes, leg kicks, no-holds barred, it’s great when you reach a certain age when what other people think doesn’t matter, as long as you are having a good time! After an initial embarrassment period, on the part of the audience, she certainly made a lot of people smile!
Eco news
I can now tell you that we will be incorporating the new bio-insecticide Met52 in our potting composts. This was launched at the GAN show and is a fungus that gives long term protection against the dreaded vine weevil. Since introducing the herb and soft fruit ranges we have shied away from using chemical control in favour of introducing the safe nematode controls, but they are expensive, not always effective and take a lot of time to apply. Although not all our stock is attractive to this pest, by using the fungus in all compost mixes, it should give us an opportunity to get right back on top of its control.
Wind turbines continue to get closer to starting but still not quite there. Turbine prices due to increase at the end of the month so the pressure is on!
January electric use down on last year (warmer weather and less heating), so a good start to further carbon reduction for 2011. Gave away a load of trays and pots to other growers this week, and more loads went off to the plastic recycling man, so we are very nearly clear of our old plastic pot orientated production clobber. The wood burner continues to use up the scrap wood and a few old coir pots so we are land filling less and less rubbish. For a business employing 25+ people we send a remarkably small amount of stuff to land fill, just one wheelie bin (small 4 wheeled) a week, and we hope to get this down to a domestic sized one later in the year when the recycling gets really fine tuned.
Nature notes
Spring is springing, loads of bird song well into the evening at the moment shows that as Valentines Day approaches (don’t forget chaps) thoughts are turning to love. There was definite plopping in the big pond the other night when I walked past, although no sign of any spawn yet. Sunny yesterday but cool today (9.2 C in the office at the moment)
Have a good week, from all at Kirton Farm Nurseries
Monday, 18 October 2010
Beautiful sunny morning but bit nippy as I sit here in the office complete with vest and fleecy hoody. No the hoody isn’t an attempt to hold onto some idea that I retain any hint of youthful style, the vest extinguishes all hope of any street cred, it is just thick and cosy and super effective at retaining the vast amount of heat radiating from the head area (lots of hot air). All hope of youthfulness disappeared this week when we went to see Judie Tzuke in concert who was brilliant, but the audience was 100% old gits of a certain age (mine) who could remember the one and only big hit (Stay with me ‘till Dawn) 30+ years ago. I’m sure I don’t look that old really but everyone else was definitely showing signs of wear & tear with a corresponding dated ‘style’. Sod it, just reread the first part of this, I give up.
Busy social week with another concert last night with an intimate evening with Ben Waters a sensational boogie woogie pianist. A sell out but with only 95 seats to see a great talent, it’s amazing the class out there you can see at a local little venue, must get out there more. Ben was telling us of his recent work with gigs across Europe, sessions with most of the Rolling Stones, Jools Holland, Ray Davis (Kinks) and others I can’t remember. I must admit to being slightly distracted towards the end of the first set when there was nearly a nasty accident. Having downed a quick pint before the start I popped off to the facilities but bumped into Ben and his mum on the way and got chatting. Suddenly Ben was due on so I had missed my chance. Things got a bit uncomfortable as time passed and to add extra tension near the end Ben asked for a request for the last tune. Two got called out and he said he would do both, neither were short either! I was right in the middle of the seating and would have had to shuffle across right in front of Ben to get out, I thought I was going to pass out! Had an ice cream at half time rather than a drink!
Dramatic and heart-warming news about the rescued miners in Chile, what a great result. Mining has always been dangerous and when safety is cut to produce raw materials cheaply, things are bound to go wrong sometimes. Just a note to think about is that 2,600 miners died in China last year. Let’s hope the Chileans do as they say and get their safety act together, I just hope it doesn’t mean they kill the industry because someone else cuts corners to do it cheaper. Sometimes the global economic system we work in can be tricky to live with and don’t get me onto bankers (yes, I do understand just how hard they must work!).
Eco news
Ecologist is booked to do our official environmental programme/scheme for the wind turbine site. Once that is done we can get final clearance from the planners to get started, we just need to secure finance and order everything then we are off.
A friend of mine is a military strategist and looks into planning what the expected military requirements are likely to be in the future so that procurement plans are as effective and relevant as possible. Bit scary. It was interesting to hear how the eco stuff is now affecting their sector so much. The predicted scenario is based on the simple basis that demand for raw materials and energy is accelerating, populations expanding and supply of the stuff is running out or getting much harder to extract. They are now wondering what will happen when things start to get in short supply and recognising the importance and urgency in doing something about securing the future by reducing consumption and securing supplies. There is also a realisation that this will take a major change in culture to make this happen. That’s you and me.
Electric consumption on nursery down by 23.37% for 2010 up to the end of September. Water consumption down 15.6%.
Have a good week.
Busy social week with another concert last night with an intimate evening with Ben Waters a sensational boogie woogie pianist. A sell out but with only 95 seats to see a great talent, it’s amazing the class out there you can see at a local little venue, must get out there more. Ben was telling us of his recent work with gigs across Europe, sessions with most of the Rolling Stones, Jools Holland, Ray Davis (Kinks) and others I can’t remember. I must admit to being slightly distracted towards the end of the first set when there was nearly a nasty accident. Having downed a quick pint before the start I popped off to the facilities but bumped into Ben and his mum on the way and got chatting. Suddenly Ben was due on so I had missed my chance. Things got a bit uncomfortable as time passed and to add extra tension near the end Ben asked for a request for the last tune. Two got called out and he said he would do both, neither were short either! I was right in the middle of the seating and would have had to shuffle across right in front of Ben to get out, I thought I was going to pass out! Had an ice cream at half time rather than a drink!
Dramatic and heart-warming news about the rescued miners in Chile, what a great result. Mining has always been dangerous and when safety is cut to produce raw materials cheaply, things are bound to go wrong sometimes. Just a note to think about is that 2,600 miners died in China last year. Let’s hope the Chileans do as they say and get their safety act together, I just hope it doesn’t mean they kill the industry because someone else cuts corners to do it cheaper. Sometimes the global economic system we work in can be tricky to live with and don’t get me onto bankers (yes, I do understand just how hard they must work!).
Eco news
Ecologist is booked to do our official environmental programme/scheme for the wind turbine site. Once that is done we can get final clearance from the planners to get started, we just need to secure finance and order everything then we are off.
A friend of mine is a military strategist and looks into planning what the expected military requirements are likely to be in the future so that procurement plans are as effective and relevant as possible. Bit scary. It was interesting to hear how the eco stuff is now affecting their sector so much. The predicted scenario is based on the simple basis that demand for raw materials and energy is accelerating, populations expanding and supply of the stuff is running out or getting much harder to extract. They are now wondering what will happen when things start to get in short supply and recognising the importance and urgency in doing something about securing the future by reducing consumption and securing supplies. There is also a realisation that this will take a major change in culture to make this happen. That’s you and me.
Electric consumption on nursery down by 23.37% for 2010 up to the end of September. Water consumption down 15.6%.
Have a good week.
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