So here is the front drive, looking quite tidy, apart from the heap of hay bales. The first heap is where the hut for selling our home grown produce is going to be. Lester will move the bales when we get nearer to the time of getting the hut assembled if they have not been used up meanwhile.
And here is the other side of the drive, with the rampant bay tree / shrub on the right, followed by general bits and pieces of hedge along the rest of the drive, including brambles, wild roses, and blackthorn, all of which looks very overgrown and untidy. Knowing that we need to get the place presentable if we are to hopefully be able to sell our veg next year, it has become my mission to get that hedge under control. At one time I was going to pull it up and plant flowering shrubs, but I have come to recognize what a silly idea that is, and that perhaps to cut the hedge down to half height, and trim in back to half width, might be a far more sensible option to take. And yesterday was to be the start of that project.
However.....well, it was not my fault, because for the last few days it has felt very much like Spring has arrived, which has encouraged the birds to sing at full voice, and encouraged a sense in me of needing to stop and enjoy this delightful weather while we still have it. I was also waiting for Lester to come back from the two year inspection of our old black Mercedes, and so this is what I was doing.....
.... at least I had sharpened my scythe even if I was not actually using it, and at least I was thinking about what I ought to be doing even if I wasn't doing it.
And then Lester arrived home with the news that the Merc was now to be no more, after it had horrendously failed the inspection. We had expected it. But now we urgently needed to find another car, but not from the UK as originally planned but locally. By the end of the day we had settled on a little two seater Renault Kango van, which had shelves in the back so we could take produce to the local market if we needed to. This is not something we want to do, but we have to keep our options open as to where we can sell our produce, and we thought the shelves would be very handy if we needed to do that. The van is much more appropriate for trainee market gardeners, rather than a tatty old beaten up Mercedes.
The van is very small, cosy, and cute. It will do.
Meanwhile, nothing much done here again today other than sorting out the paperwork for the van and then having a really super lunch to celebrate the outlay of yet another chunk of money! And then back home for a nap to recover from the nervous energy we have had as we endlessly discussed what the hell we were going to do about getting another car. Hopefully I shall be scything tomorrow.
Bye for now,
Vx
15 comments:
Congrats on the van! Sounds like a good purchase.
DUTA, I hope the van will be OK, but it will be four weeks yet before we get to drive it!
I have my CT on Monday.... my fingers are crossed. I would have suggested a Renault Express, but too late.
Your new project sounds exciting, and I wish you both all the best with it, the van sounds good and very versatile for your future needs :-)
CRO MAGNON, thanks for the suggestion of the Renault Express, but the Kango it is. I already have an affection for that little white van and we have not even got it home yet!
DAWN, while the van is small it does suit our needs, and it is such a nice little van! Yes, we are excited about our future project, but well aware that we shall be worked off our feet for a year or so, which is why I have enjoyed having a slow time this year!
You could always have a farmyard sale Vera? You could sell anything secondhand along with the vegetable produce. Good luck with the newvan and the construction of the farm shop shed. If I lived near you I would give you some of my perennials for you to sell.
A van is essential kit for market gardeners. Especially one with shelves! Are you going to develop a unique brand for your farm produce? With specially designed labels and stuff? It's all very exciting.
I am sure the van will be far more useful to you, we just use a trailer but it is not practical when it is wet!! Good luck and have a good weekend, Diane
oh good luck with the new van
NORTHSIDER DAVE, thanks for the idea about having a farmyard sale, although we don't actually have anything second hand to sell! Would love to have been able to help you out with the sale of your perennials!
DENISE, I am having a glorious time exploring the general 'artistic' look for the shop and marketing stuff ..... gingham of course, raffia to tie the produce up with (not string or elastic) and special boxes to put the salads in. We think we might concentrate on micro greens, salad leaves, and herbs, which we might market to local restaurants, depends on how many people come to the farm shop and much of a turnover we achieve in the first year. There will also be the usual farm produce, but it will be picked on the day and not left to wilt. Any left over at the end of the day will come into the kitchen and will be either used by us, (or frozen, canned, or dehydrated), or given to the cows, pigs, or chickens. So looking forward to this project!
DIANE, we also have a trailer, but the van will be far more economical than the car. Hope you have a good weekend too.
SOL, thanks..... but we don't actually get the van for another four weeks, this being France where things are never hurried!
The kewl thing about Europe is you guys are not living under the heel of the big automakers. Here in the states you can't hardly find an actually useful little van like you got. They outlaw em.
I loved all the unique and cozy little vehicles I used to see in Europe.
PIONEER PREPPY, for some reason the newer cars are built like tanks now, but I much prefer the smaller cars, and you couldn't get smaller than our van!
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