November, 2002

Lorraine started baking and making some wonderful Christmassy smells in the kitchen. Figgy puddings, Christmas cakes and little pots of Cranberry relish started to fill boxes in preparation for the Advent Fair at Emily's school at the end of this month.

In searching for outlets and publicity for our beef last year, a friend of ours, Monica, offered to gather a group of her friends together so we could take some samples down and talk with them about what we're doing. This was the inaugural "beef party" and went down so well that another friend, Liz (who's been buying our beef ever since!), asked us to go and do another one for her this year. Lorraine had made a casserole dish, some meatballs and a rare roast beef joint all of which were gobbled up with much appreciation, then the orders came flooding in. Many thanks to Liz for organising this and for raving about our beef in such a way that so many folks wanted to come and try it! Next year we'll need another animal at Christmas time to fulfill demand!

On that note and in the light of the increasing popularity of our beef we have been looking for some more beef animals to buy in to keep the supply going. It takes 2½ years for a calf to reach readiness for the table so whilst we're working towards providing everything born on the farm, it's a way off yet and in the meantime we have been searching for animals that have been kept in a way harmonious with our philosophy. We have located an organic farm with British White cattle near here and are buying in some of his stock. Whilst looking around he introduced us to his girls and his bull - beautiful animals. We expressed a vague interest in the bull but as he's likely to be expensive and we're not quite geared up to keep a bull here took that conversation no further. We completed our business and returned home. A few weeks later he phoned to ask if we were really interested in the bull and he'd found a way through the cash flow problem - he'd give him to us! And by the way, he'll also come over with his angle grinder and help us take out the cubicles so that the housing isn't a problem either. What a nice man. We are awaiting the arrival of the animals as I write.

Mud, mud, glorious mud... it appeared with a vengeance and we have invested in some matting to place round the barn in the hopes of providing some drier hardstanding for our horses this winter. It arrived rolled up and being quite firm, is taking a while to flatten out, however, we have two lengths just inside the gateway to the horses field which, whilst the mud is squelching up through the holes, it is holding it's own and not sinking. In the spring we anticipate seeding through it to reduce the mud next year... nice idea, we'll see if it works!

And finally, Natural Horsemanship magazine shared Lucinda M^cAlpine's stand at the South West Equine fair. Lucinda is a top class dressage competitor who keeps her horses out 24/7 year round, without rugs or shoes - like we do! She's a supporter of the magazine and someone committed to encouraging people to keep their horses more naturally. She did a wonderful, moving demonstration with some of her ponies and horses and ended up with a beautiful dressage demonstration on one of her shaggy barefoot competition horses straight out of the field. Heartwarming it was.

The school advent fair was magical as always and our stall was very popular. We boosted the stock of puddings and cakes with home made florentines and advent jewel biscuits, which were snapped up by the children... and some sloe gin gift bottles which were snapped up by the adults!

A busy and most satisfying month.