Prepared For Christmas?
If you are so well prepared for Christmas (unlike me) that you have time to read this blog, then all I can say is – well done !
Since I last put fingers to my keyboard to update all you Forgotten Farmers out there, the weeks have flown past at such a rate I am struggling to recall all that has been going on …
Early November saw our first Wild Pony Handling break which was a huge success and you can read some of the comments from those attending by clicking here.
The event was also a surprisingly popular media “coup” with a TV crew from France arriving on the doorstep to film the experience followed by our local West Country TV crew. An orderly queue was then formed with local BBC radio, national BBC Radio 4 with Matt Baker; newly appointed Patron of the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust and several regional newspapers too.
We are now planning to hold a follow up event with some of the foals that we didn’t get round to handling in the Spring, so please let me know if you would like your name provisionally put down for it. We will run it along the same lines as the last which was over 4 days and three nights mid-week.
Of equal interest during this break was the opportunity for some of our guests to try out the ancient art of “Hawking on Horseback”; as reported in The Telegraph last week, George would appear to be the only falconer in the country who is actively using a bird from the horse to hunt with.
Fortunately the end of our lovely Indian Summer finished as the last foal was released back out to the herd and the Wintry heavens opened.
The hard work then started – bringing in all the cattle for their TB tests first; thank goodness no reactors so we can breathe a huge sigh of relief for another 6 months.
We then separated out the South Devon cattle from the Galloways and put the latter cattle who are hardier and can withstand the Dartmoor elements back out to pasture. This year’s more mature calves were then sent down to the valley where they will be fattened and finished to arrive back with us eventually for Tor to Tor. The South Devon cows are now cosy and warm in the barn for the Winter.
We have split our large barn in two with the cows one end and the other end is now full of our weaned Saddleback pigs who are in “pig heaven” snuggled up under layers of straw. They don’t get up very early so when we are ready to start feeding in the morning you could be forgiven for thinking no one was home. If you look carefully however you see the first twitches of awareness from under the straw and every now and then an ear will surface. The whole floor of the barn then rapidly erupts into a squealing mass of stripy porkers.
One aspect of this Winter’s mess arrangements that wasn’t quite planned and has caused a stir with our Tor to Tor customers is the fact that all the chickens have taken to sharing the pig’s billet and co-exist quite happily together. Sadly, when they lay their eggs the pigs eat them ! We have had to apologies to our regulars that at present until we find a solution the supply chain is “scrambled”.
The two new cottages; Saddle Tor and Chinkwell Tor have now been completed and I am frantically rushing round trying to finish them off in time for the Christmas arrivals. They do look fantastic and again, we have managed to keep the original features so they are true to their origins. The re-built round house which is now a bedroom is particularly appealing and the open-plan galleried landing that connects the first floor above is equally stunning. The two cottages will work well together to accommodate parties of up to 16 too.
Having just arrived back from our new addition to the fold; Villa Pallero in a beautifully festive Tuscany, I was struck by how the nearby medieval walled towns and cities have managed to retain a dignified restraint towards their decorations that allows each to be enhanced rather than exploited by Christmas. More importantly too, it is focused on the religious implications of the period rather than pure commerce. Maybe you should try it for Christmas shopping next year ?
I have been putting the finishing touches to a really exciting calendar of themed events and breaks for Villa Pallero in 2008 that will include seasonal celebrations of the various harvests such as Wine, Olive Oil, Saffron, Chestnuts and Truffles with some of the more notable dates for Festivals of Music, Art, Culture, Dance etc. Activity orientated breaks will also include painting, photography, yoga, Italian for beginners and riding. For preliminary details of what is going on in and around Villa Pallero for 2008, please click here.
Stay tuned for the release of further details in our New Year Newsletter due out early January.
Tomorrow heralds the start of the Holne Chase Christmas with the annual trip up to the new Covent Garden market in London. Here at the Nine Elms Flower Market, the senses are catapulted into Festive mood despite the outrageously early hour; it opens at 4am and by 6am it is all but over. The smells of the flowers, spruce, eucalyptus etc are intoxicating and really colourful. You can’t help but be inspired and enthused to put on a really special show of “real” decorations. Holne Chase lends itself perfectly to a real “Country House Christmas” .
A hotel full of expectant and discerning guests from 20th December to 9th January is a daunting prospect for any new chef to contend with, especially one who has only just arrived to the job. In the case of Ross Duncan however, the task is slightly eased by the fact that he has already “been there and got the t-shirt”. Ross has returned to the fold after nearly 6 years when he left our brigade to return to his homeland in Scotland. Ross very nearly didn’t pass muster when he joined us the first time back in 1996 whe he made porridge for Sebastian’s breakfast with water and salt instead of lashings of clotted cream and brown sugar.
On that rather sticky note, I will have to abandon my blog to go and take delivery of nearly 100 of the best Dartmoor Bronze Turkeys which are arriving nice and freshly plucked this evening ready for all our Tor to Tor orders. We have been really delighted with the reaction to our new easy to use “on-line” ordering website at: www.tortotor.co.uk and hope you will be checking into it in the New Year too.
On that rather expectant note, we wish you a wonderfully Happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you at either Holne Chase, Holwell or Pallero in 2008.
Philippa, Sebastian, the boys and all the animals …
We are now planning to hold a follow up event with some of the foals that we didn’t get round to handling in the Spring, so please let me know if you would like your name provisionally put down for it. We will run it along the same lines as the last which was over 4 days and three nights mid-week.Of equal interest during this break was the opportunity for some of our guests to try out the ancient art of “Hawking on Horseback”; as reported in The Telegraph last week, George would appear to be the only falconer in the country who is actively using a bird from the horse to hunt with.
Fortunately the end of our lovely Indian Summer finished as the last foal was released back out to the herd and the Wintry heavens opened.The hard work then started – bringing in all the cattle for their TB tests first; thank goodness no reactors so we can breathe a huge sigh of relief for another 6 months.
We then separated out the South Devon cattle from the Galloways and put the latter cattle who are hardier and can withstand the Dartmoor elements back out to pasture. This year’s more mature calves were then sent down to the valley where they will be fattened and finished to arrive back with us eventually for Tor to Tor. The South Devon cows are now cosy and warm in the barn for the Winter.
We have split our large barn in two with the cows one end and the other end is now full of our weaned Saddleback pigs who are in “pig heaven” snuggled up under layers of straw. They don’t get up very early so when we are ready to start feeding in the morning you could be forgiven for thinking no one was home. If you look carefully however you see the first twitches of awareness from under the straw and every now and then an ear will surface. The whole floor of the barn then rapidly erupts into a squealing mass of stripy porkers.
One aspect of this Winter’s mess arrangements that wasn’t quite planned and has caused a stir with our Tor to Tor customers is the fact that all the chickens have taken to sharing the pig’s billet and co-exist quite happily together. Sadly, when they lay their eggs the pigs eat them ! We have had to apologies to our regulars that at present until we find a solution the supply chain is “scrambled”.
The two new cottages; Saddle Tor and Chinkwell Tor have now been completed and I am frantically rushing round trying to finish them off in time for the Christmas arrivals. They do look fantastic and again, we have managed to keep the original features so they are true to their origins. The re-built round house which is now a bedroom is particularly appealing and the open-plan galleried landing that connects the first floor above is equally stunning. The two cottages will work well together to accommodate parties of up to 16 too.
Having just arrived back from our new addition to the fold; Villa Pallero in a beautifully festive Tuscany, I was struck by how the nearby medieval walled towns and cities have managed to retain a dignified restraint towards their decorations that allows each to be enhanced rather than exploited by Christmas. More importantly too, it is focused on the religious implications of the period rather than pure commerce. Maybe you should try it for Christmas shopping next year ?
I have been putting the finishing touches to a really exciting calendar of themed events and breaks for Villa Pallero in 2008 that will include seasonal celebrations of the various harvests such as Wine, Olive Oil, Saffron, Chestnuts and Truffles with some of the more notable dates for Festivals of Music, Art, Culture, Dance etc. Activity orientated breaks will also include painting, photography, yoga, Italian for beginners and riding. For preliminary details of what is going on in and around Villa Pallero for 2008, please click here.Stay tuned for the release of further details in our New Year Newsletter due out early January.
Tomorrow heralds the start of the Holne Chase Christmas with the annual trip up to the new Covent Garden market in London. Here at the Nine Elms Flower Market, the senses are catapulted into Festive mood despite the outrageously early hour; it opens at 4am and by 6am it is all but over. The smells of the flowers, spruce, eucalyptus etc are intoxicating and really colourful. You can’t help but be inspired and enthused to put on a really special show of “real” decorations. Holne Chase lends itself perfectly to a real “Country House Christmas” .
A hotel full of expectant and discerning guests from 20th December to 9th January is a daunting prospect for any new chef to contend with, especially one who has only just arrived to the job. In the case of Ross Duncan however, the task is slightly eased by the fact that he has already “been there and got the t-shirt”. Ross has returned to the fold after nearly 6 years when he left our brigade to return to his homeland in Scotland. Ross very nearly didn’t pass muster when he joined us the first time back in 1996 whe he made porridge for Sebastian’s breakfast with water and salt instead of lashings of clotted cream and brown sugar.
On that rather sticky note, I will have to abandon my blog to go and take delivery of nearly 100 of the best Dartmoor Bronze Turkeys which are arriving nice and freshly plucked this evening ready for all our Tor to Tor orders. We have been really delighted with the reaction to our new easy to use “on-line” ordering website at: www.tortotor.co.uk and hope you will be checking into it in the New Year too.
On that rather expectant note, we wish you a wonderfully Happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you at either Holne Chase, Holwell or Pallero in 2008.
Philippa, Sebastian, the boys and all the animals …
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Pallero: Luxury Holiday Villa in Italy
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posted by Philippa Hughes @ 2:08 PM
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