Rain, rain , rain…the good news is that both the farm and Kilver Court Gardens are looking better than ever. The team are busy devising new, delicious products, including our Christmas range which will include cheese straws, mince pies, Christmas cakes and puddings. Bizarre to find oneself sampling Christmas cake in mid summer, but somehow I managed it!

My wife Monty recently gave me a bee set for my birthday. I’m now three weeks into Beedom and I must say I wish I had studied it properly! I can remember all the fascination of watching this city of hive dwellers and feeling an immense sense of calm. Now as I prize open the brood box and try to decide whether the 3rd frame should move to the 7th frame and am being dive bombed from all sides by a feisty team of protectors, I realise that this is a sport that’s going to take a lot of my patience. That said, the prospect of my own honey made by my own bees from my own land is one of the more exciting challenges that I have taken on!

Next month we will be hosting an exciting event at Kilver Court called Feastival. It really reflects the things that I am truly passionate about. The event will be a forum for all the wonderful producers in the South West and will feature interactive workshops and displays for both children and adults alike, with our charity partners the Food for Life Partnership, Slow Food, Somerset Wildlife and Waitrose Campaign for School Gardening. There will be cookery demonstrations from Gideon Hitchen, Lesley Mackley, Adam Fellows and Claridge’s head chef Martyn Nail to name but a few. Talks and discussions about baking, gardening, bee and hen keeping, environmental issues, nutrition and wellness from such industry experts as Thomasina Miers, plus Jane Clarke, one of the country’s top nutritionists, Daily Mail columnist and chef. Charles Dowding, local organic gardening guru and author will also be there, as will Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association. There will be a farmers market, animal and farming displays and lots of delicious goodies to eat and buy. This is going to be fantastic family and foodie event and we would love to see you there!