When Sally and John Robinson were looking for new ways to diversify on their farm near Helmsley, North Yorkshire, Sally came up with the idea of selling bras and lingerie on the internet and, in 1999, she launched the wonderfully-named ‘Ample Bosom’. It was certainly one of the more unusual farm diversification projects that we… Continue reading Ample Bosom
Tag: Muddy Marathon
SLOE motion
Those of you who were coming to see us at the CLA Game Fair this year might remember that one of our sponsors was Yorkshire-based sloe gin company, SLOE motion. Since we were in the area, we thought that it would be nice to pop in and say hello to Jonathon Curtoys, the owner, and… Continue reading SLOE motion
Being Model Fisherwomen in North Yorkshire
Whilst in Yorkshire, we were invited down to Raygill Fisheries, in the heart of the Dales just outside Lothersdale, to take a look round and do a spot of fishing. Previously a lime quarry, Bernard Clement bought it in 1987, landscaped the site and began to stock trout. Twenty years later, they have four lakes… Continue reading Being Model Fisherwomen in North Yorkshire
Getting Your Goat
We’ve been to all sorts of farms on this trip but thought it was time we found out what goat farming was all about, which was how we found ourselves at Gill and Martin McManoman’s farm near Preston, meeting some very entertaining goats and hearing about Gill and Martin’s growing business, Capra Products. They started… Continue reading Getting Your Goat
Training with SARDA: the Search and Rescue Dogs Association
Keen to find out a bit more about the Lake District’s Search and Rescue Dogs Association (SARDA Lakes), we arranged to meet Les Telford, one of the handlers, in a car park in Keswick and follow him to Buttermere, where their weekend training was taking place. A nail-biting journey then ensued as we tried to… Continue reading Training with SARDA: the Search and Rescue Dogs Association
How many cows do you have to kill to get some milk?
Earlier on in this trip we were shocked to hear a story about a London schoolteacher who thought that it was inappropriate for her class to see a cow being milked as it might upset them. What? Turns out she actually thought you have to kill a cow to get its milk. With rubbish like… Continue reading How many cows do you have to kill to get some milk?
Abseiling in the Lake District
Think outdoor activities in the Lake District and you might be conjuring up images of wet school trips with ill-fitting waterproof gear and soggy sandwiches. Okay, so the Lake District isn’t known for its tropical climate, but Johan and Emma Hoving, founders of outdoor activity and holiday company, RiverDeepMountainHigh, strongly believe that with the right… Continue reading Abseiling in the Lake District
Hanging Out at an Eventer’s Yard
We popped into international event rider Jamie Atkinson’s yard at Langley Park, Durham, to have a look round and meet his groom, Kirsty. Being a groom is not for the feeble and involves long hours and lots of hard physical work. The job consists of the general daily care of the horses in the yard: … Continue reading Hanging Out at an Eventer’s Yard
Forraging for Food with James Burton
We spent an action-packed day with professional chef, mean shot and founder of Vallum Cooking, James Burton. Based on a Northumbrian smallholding on Hadrian’s Wall (‘vallum’ refers to the deep ditch that runs alongside the wall), James is passionate about seasonal and locally-sourced food and, with his own rare breed Middle White pigs, the shooting… Continue reading Forraging for Food with James Burton
Spying on Salmon
We came across the Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre by chance when we saw the new log-cabin tea shop they have just built next door and thought we’d kill some time and grab a cuppa. Our mobile country home obviously caught the eye of the owner of the Philiphaugh Estate, Sir Michael Strang Steel, and he… Continue reading Spying on Salmon