What a week, fantastic weather and everyone and their granny have gone down to the planteria to buy up all the stock. Well done everyone for selling all that stock, spring had to arrive eventually, let’s hope it gets a good steady run for the rest of the season. From ticking over at busy but modest levels for a few weeks it’s gone bananas here. We sent out about three times the quantity of stock this week which was a challenge on all fronts, lots of hours and a lot of transport juggling. A few of our longer distance customers we supplied via a carrier to cope, so those folk will have to hang on to their return boxes at little longer until we can get to you ourselves.
Phil has come across a small problem with the new comedy van, it’s a bit of a tight squeeze for Fredrick the Alsatian. We think this is down to the fact that it was originally designed for Postman Pat’s small black & white cat! Don’t forget although it can be a challenge when it goes this manic, it is good for us in the long run, we are certainly looking forward to getting off our overdraft limit!

Anyway, after a long stint of 7 day weeks and 14-16 hour days this week, we did the sensible thing last night finished early (6.30) and went out to a concert. Although it seemed a bit daft, it was well worth it. We saw a three piece band, Sleeping Dogz, whose front man is Willy Barrett (formerly Wild Willy Barrett of Otway & Barrett fame, or not. They recorded the classics, ‘Cor Baby thats Really Free’ and ‘Beware of the Flowers Because I’m Sure They’re Going to Get You (Yeah)’), who are a bit folky for my normal taste but were brilliant. It’s always amazing to see really good musicians do their stuff live. They played a vast array of instruments including a form of bagpies where he had a bellows pumping under one arm and a bag being squeezed under the other while playing the pipe bit with both hands. I still struggle after all these years keeping control of my knife and fork.

I’m always one to try and take something from songs and stuff, last night was no exception. One particular line that hit home was something from a song about a betting shop, which went something like;

‘Don’t take a tip from old Joe

He’ll poke you in your eye,

Blows his nose on cornbread slice

And calls it pumpkin pie’

I never got the hang of pumpkin pie.

Eco Update

Wind turbine planning application is in, hurrah. Now let’s see what the reaction is.

Nature notes

Big excitement this week with a long low slow passing flight of a big Red Kite right over the nursery. Not sure how it was spotted as it was supposed to be heads down this week with so much to do. It’s the first one we’ve seen for a while. We had a second sighting the next day too.

Tadpoles are now getting more active and seem to have stopped trying to hurl themselves down the pond overflow.

Don't forget to do your bit. Have a good week.

Just a quickie this week, as I have an urgent appointment with a roasting lamb in a few minutes! It’s been a hectic week as expected, as we fit in all the pre Easter deliveries in the rubbish weather. It is always quite a relief to get to Good Friday having completed all the order collations and just got left with a couple of orders to deliver on the Friday. The new comedy van got a good airing, whizzing about on a load of local runs, attracting admiring glances and comments wherever it went which was fun.
The exciting day ended up being Wednesday when the number of deliveries to do out-numbered the vans, so we called into action the old farm van again. I shot out in it on a local drop, got as far as King Somborne and something went bang, followed by clunking and big vibrations. I pulled off the road and called up the farm to rescue me. On arrival the farm mechanical marvel got in it, started it up, pulled forwards and backwards with no exciting noises. It was suggested that perhaps I had picked up something off the road, but we would take it back to the farm for a check over. I followed in the farm pickup and caught the van up a mile or two down the road stopped with hazards on. So it wasn’t my imagination, phew, there was a problem. Luckily we were now on a quieter road but we were now very stuck, the brakes were completely seized on (brake shoe had shed its lining and jammed the other shoe on). Luckily the local bus could squeeze through, so we put some cones out and left it for the garage to sort out. It completely messed up my day with all the waiting around, but in the end I think if we were going to breakdown we couldn’t have done it much more conveniently! The van is back on Tuesday with a complete set of new shoes on all wheels (not worn, but all a bit old and apparently the glue goes in the end) and I met three very nice understanding ladies in the houses nearest to the breakdown sites, who where most helpful despite my slightly grubby, unshaven, hoody wearing appearance!

Had a great day out last Sunday going to see Southampton play Carlisle in the final of the League Trophy final at Wembley Stadium. We won 4-1 which made it easy to enjoy, but the whole day was great, even the trip in & out was pain free. It was the first time I had been to the new stadium and it was very impressive, great atmosphere and we had a great view. I know it’s not quite the FA Cup but all 44,000 Saints tickets were sold which created a real buzz and a very friendly vibe between both sets of supporters. Now it we need a miraculous run to get to the play off’s to go again at the end of the season!

Eco Update

Wind turbine planning application was due to go in at the end of last week, I haven’t had confirmation yet so it may be this week instead, but it’s all getting close, and we will see if there is more reaction than there was to our initial announcement.

Nature notes

Tadpoles swimming about already, although the excess of rainfall has washed a few out of the overflow channel which is just the spot where they seem to congregate! I saved a few and put a bit of debris in the channel mouth to try and filter them out but I’m sure we have lost a few. Good job there are so many this year.