Here we are, a month on from my last entry and three big shows now completed and achieved! For total novices, Hartpury was quite scary- our tent took off one day and needed four adults to get it back again- fortunately it was NOT raining and in hindsight was probably quite entertaining. It was a really friendly and appealing introduction to the world of shows. We met some delightful people, most of whom were horse enthusiasts and had had their lorries targeted with leaflets by our kind and hardworking children.
All the hard work and early morning starts certainly paid off and we finished feeling delighted with the way it all went. It taught us to be organised and keep the same formula for displaying stock, to invest in a much bigger and better marquee and take plenty to drink as you can never leave your stand, let alone stop talking to customers!
We have had a very successful August, we went to Monmouth Show on 31st (http://www.monmouthshow.co.uk/default.asp) and found ourselves packed into a large but long marquee- we had to work out a new formula for display, but again met great customers and came home happy with having been there. We also attended Frampton Show (http://www.spyderwebdesign.co.uk/frampton/pages/links.htm) This is a traditional country show which offers great entertainment for absolutely everyone and which will definitely be part of our priority list for 2007.
Our new brochure is imminent, it will look stylish and gorgeous. A lot of discussion has taken place over the front cover which is, of course, key to the whole look of any Company. Finally we have plumped for a repeat of a stunning New Zealand panorama, which for us, sums up the beauty of New Zealand and has become our brand image. The brochure is due to be sent out at the end of October to all our existing customers and we hope it marks a fitting 1st anniversary of trading.
Discussion is on going with Ellis (our manufacturers in NZ) as regards new products and packaging- plans are afoot for the whole of our family (minus blog dogz, sadly) to visit NZ next July on a fact finding mission. Reminds me, must get middle son's passport renewed and updated!
This weekend I have been making copious amounts of damson chutney and tomatoes bottled in olive oil. Fellow food enthusiasts, read on for detailed recipes!
Damson and Ginger Chutney (with added figs)!
21bs stoned damsons
1 1/2 lb mixed sultanas and raisins
2 medium onions
1 pint spiced malt vinegar
1 lb demerara sugar
1/2 oz ground ginger (I also included cut up chunks of preserved ginger)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 oz salt
Make sure you have enough clean/hot jam jars before you start!
Crack a few damson stones and keep the kernels. Peel and chop the onions, place the damsons, kernels, dried fruit (including optional extras!), onions and vinegar into a large pan and boil until soft, about 30 minutes.
Add the sugar, ginger, cayenne and salt and boil until the mixture thickens. Stir every so often for 30-40 mins. Ladle into sterilised jars and seal with non-metallic lids.
Great with cold meats, cheeses or stirred into curries.
Home dried Tomatoes (Recipe no.2!)
1 kg ripe tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 bunch thyme (I also used basil leaves)
Cut the tomatoes in half and place on a wire cooling rack. Brush the tomatoes with a little olive oil, sprinkle with sliced garlic, seasoning and thyme. Place the rack onto a baking tray and then into a low oven (warmer oven of an aga is ideal) for five to six hours.
When ready the tomatoes should be soft and chewy, but not completely dry. Allow to cool before placing into a clean air tight jar. The tomatoes will last for at least two weeks if refrigerated and longer if covered in olive oil. (I added extra garlic and herbs whilst filling the jars with olive oil.
HEY PRESTO the perfect antidote to a non-stop working life- great fun doing the preparations and such satisfaction eating your own produce. Get bottling and give yourself a break from the office.
Here is MOG BLOG keeping me company on a Sunday evening, after a hard weekend of coping with two visiting dogs!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Pure New Zealand wool duvets, wool pillows and wool bedding from White Cloud Trading Co Ltd
Hi, my name is Caroline and welcome to our brand new blog!
I am married to Guy and we have three special and lovely boys, two dogs, two cats and a variable population of hens. We live in a beautiful unspoilt corner of Gloucestershire (the edge of the Forest of Dean) in a house we bought in 1991.
For someone who has never really enjoyed contact with computers, I have had to learn very fast in the last 18 months but this blog really appealed to me as I do love words and suddenly realised we could devote a little corner to our much loved dogs (like most English people, I really love my dogs) and their spot will be called DOG BLOG. Occasionally, when there isn't enough for them to contribute, you might see MOG BlOG instead. In fact one of our cats, Sponge Bob, is more entitled than the rest of us as she was born in New Zealand and was a $25 spontaneous purchase in a pet shop ....
In 2000 we went to live and work in New Zealand for five years, accompanied by our sons who were then 9, 7 and 5. For five wonderful years we lived in New Plymouth and escaped English winters while we were there we happened to buy, quite by luck, a wool filled duvet which solved much of our eldest son's trouble with insomnia. I was so impressed that we replaced all our feather duvets and thus a little idea began to germinate.
Early in 2005 we began to talk about some business ideas for our return to England and the thought of importing wool duvets from New Zealand never quite went away. Literally as our container was being packed, I went and bought half a dozen "Queenstown" duvets made by Ellis Fibre from one of the shops in New Zealand. The packaging was glorious and we thought we would have them as samples to see if our friends might be interested. We never had any contact at all with Ellis before we actually left.
March 2005 and we arrived back home and telephoned Ellis (http://www.ellis-fibre.co.nz/) in New Zealand. To their utter and eternal credit they liked what we said and have encouraged us and supported us ever since. We have sole distributor arrangements with them and will always have a very special affection and loyalty for a family company in Dunedin that took us on trust and have believed in us ever since.
Here we are, almost 18 months later with a company (http://www.whitecloudtrading.co.uk/) and tons and tons of duvets stored in our barn! Although we have had part shipments, nothing quite prepared us for the arrival last week of a complete container full of duvets, underlays and pillows. After 8 hours work, we finally had everything stored, though there are some corners that I can hardly get to!
We are expecting to launch a new brochure in September and the designers had the brilliant idea last week of storing the brochures in with the sweetly scented aromatherapy pillows; great idea, Paul!
Finally, for today, we are off to what is termed a Three Day Event(http://www.hartpury.ac.uk/equine/eventing/index.htm), but in reality is a Four Day equestrian event at Hartpury College tomorrow- the van and car are packed to the gunwhales and we leave tomorrow at 7 am on a venture into the unknown. What if it rains?? We will let you know how we got on next week ....
I am married to Guy and we have three special and lovely boys, two dogs, two cats and a variable population of hens. We live in a beautiful unspoilt corner of Gloucestershire (the edge of the Forest of Dean) in a house we bought in 1991.
For someone who has never really enjoyed contact with computers, I have had to learn very fast in the last 18 months but this blog really appealed to me as I do love words and suddenly realised we could devote a little corner to our much loved dogs (like most English people, I really love my dogs) and their spot will be called DOG BLOG. Occasionally, when there isn't enough for them to contribute, you might see MOG BlOG instead. In fact one of our cats, Sponge Bob, is more entitled than the rest of us as she was born in New Zealand and was a $25 spontaneous purchase in a pet shop ....
In 2000 we went to live and work in New Zealand for five years, accompanied by our sons who were then 9, 7 and 5. For five wonderful years we lived in New Plymouth and escaped English winters while we were there we happened to buy, quite by luck, a wool filled duvet which solved much of our eldest son's trouble with insomnia. I was so impressed that we replaced all our feather duvets and thus a little idea began to germinate.
Early in 2005 we began to talk about some business ideas for our return to England and the thought of importing wool duvets from New Zealand never quite went away. Literally as our container was being packed, I went and bought half a dozen "Queenstown" duvets made by Ellis Fibre from one of the shops in New Zealand. The packaging was glorious and we thought we would have them as samples to see if our friends might be interested. We never had any contact at all with Ellis before we actually left.
March 2005 and we arrived back home and telephoned Ellis (http://www.ellis-fibre.co.nz/) in New Zealand. To their utter and eternal credit they liked what we said and have encouraged us and supported us ever since. We have sole distributor arrangements with them and will always have a very special affection and loyalty for a family company in Dunedin that took us on trust and have believed in us ever since.
Here we are, almost 18 months later with a company (http://www.whitecloudtrading.co.uk/) and tons and tons of duvets stored in our barn! Although we have had part shipments, nothing quite prepared us for the arrival last week of a complete container full of duvets, underlays and pillows. After 8 hours work, we finally had everything stored, though there are some corners that I can hardly get to!
We are expecting to launch a new brochure in September and the designers had the brilliant idea last week of storing the brochures in with the sweetly scented aromatherapy pillows; great idea, Paul!
Finally, for today, we are off to what is termed a Three Day Event(http://www.hartpury.ac.uk/equine/eventing/index.htm), but in reality is a Four Day equestrian event at Hartpury College tomorrow- the van and car are packed to the gunwhales and we leave tomorrow at 7 am on a venture into the unknown. What if it rains?? We will let you know how we got on next week ....
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