Photos from the Farm – A muddy Autumn

Barley Seeds ready for planting

A photographic update from Kestle Farm, highlighting once again the terrible weather conditions that we’re facing, along with many other farmers across the UK, Europe and the US. We were hoping for a drier Autumn but it hasn’t happened and the deluge of rain has continued, making it tough for planting new crops. A hard year for everyone.

Fertilizer ready to go but we’re unable to plant anything due to poor conditions

and here’s the conditions we’re up against…Mud!! Not good for planting anything…

Richard Lobb out feeding the ewes. Lambing is due to start soon…

Cattle are currently being kept inside due to adverse conditions, the rain has been pretty relentless

Richard out in the jeep checking up on things under a very dark sky!

on the upside, the savoys growing out in the veg field are looking pretty good!

lovely colours in the veg field, sprouts, kale & savoys amongst others

the cold wet conditions have hit the swede crop hard, lots of poor specimins

Richard out checking up on things in the veg field. Usually a lovely view from here today it has disappeared in the drizzle

Beautiful french partridge have been reared on the farm

here’s Ian Lobb, leading a group of students out in the field. The weather’s never to bad for education!

A poor harvest

 

Have a look at the above photo. Look at the difference between the 2011 harvest and the 2012 harvest of wheat. See the difference in colour, size, texture and overall quality. It’s not good is it? The result of a cold wet spring and a very wet summer has resulted in the worst harvest in a hundred years. This is just a tiny example here on Kestle Farm that is representative of a much wider problem. Richard Lobb outlines the financial damages to this years harvest here in the transcript:
“Last year (2011) I had 3.5 tons of wheat to the acre. This year (2012) I’ve had under 2 tons of wheat to the acre. I only grow 40 acres of wheat, so I’m a small farm really but if I’m a ton and a half down, 40 acres times a ton and a half equals 60 tons. £200 a ton is what it’s making at the moment so that’s £12,000 gone from my sales just on the wheat crop. 
Then I’ve got another 50 acres of barley which is half a ton down on yield this year compared to last so that’s another 25 tons of corn I haven’t got so that’s another £5,000 lost. That’s just one year to another, all my costs are identical, I’ve sprayed it and planted it, combined it, everything’s just the same it’s just the yield that’s different.”

 

 

Don’t Tell the Bride!

So, who watches Don’t Tell the Bride on BBC 3? Come on, own up! There was an episode being filmed in and around Mevagissey on July 5th and Lobbs Farm Shop were asked to provide a stand with roasted joints of pork and beef carved up & served in lovely fresh rolls. It was butcher Phil’s turn to be on camera as he was in charge of the stand in the gardens of Silvanus, a large property overlooking Mevagissey village and harbour. The weather stayed dry and the guests were able to mingle out in the gardens. The film crew were buzzing around following the bride’s every move and reaction. Phil did a sterling job making sure everyone was catered for, the food went down very well indeed. Having a roast like this is a nice option and allows you to have a mixture of roasted meats instead of just a whole pig or lamb as a hog roast. If you’re interested, enquire at the butchery counter in Lobbs Farm Shop or give us a ring on 01726 844411. We can also provide freshly made coleslaw, waldorf, potato and cous cous salads amongst others if that took your fancy. It’s great for parties and takes the worry of catering out of your hands!

Phil serves up a lovely pork roll for a guest…

Phil carves the mustard encrusted roast beef.

Here’s Phil!

Here comes the Bride…

Phil being nosey

Apple Sauce, Grain Mustard or Ketchup!

 

 

 

 

 

April Showers

There’s been some fairly hefty showers around, laden with raindrops and hail stones. It made for some atmospheric shots one evening last week at Kestle farm. The logo tree field is currently planted with potatoes under those huge furrows. The clear north westerly air provided lovely views north to the clay district, otherwise known as the Cornish Alps! And yes, I did get splattered with chilly rain whilst out in the field…

Hello Spring!

Oh what a beautiful spring day! High cloud gave way to warm hazy sun this afternoon casting a gorgeous light across the land. Here’a few snaps from Kestle Farm from late afternoon, 21st March.

 

Coffee & Cake

A total of £330 was raised for Cornwall Hospice Care with a busy and succesful coffee morning here at Lobbs Farm Shop on Saturday 11th Feb. Organised by Gill and Caroline who, between them, produced a beautiful array of cakes and savouries. There were also lovely contributions in the shape of pasties and cakes made by Kathy, cakes from Mandy and Anne, a quiche from Caroline’s Mum & a cake from Caroline’s Aunty!  Thank you to all who attended, helping make it such a brilliant coffee morning!

above: Having a chinwag!

above: Gill divides up yet another yummy cake!

Above: Caroline serves up a brew (Nice back to front apron Caroline!) 🙂

above: All for a very good cause.

Stormy Weather

There’s been some rather large storms lurking about this last week, mostly of hail, sleet and rain. Here’s the view yesterday from Lobb’s Lane which runs between Heligan Gardens and Kestle Farm and takes you down to Heligan Mill & eventually Mevagissey. It’s looking south west across the farm towards Gorran Haven and, yes it was hail! Ouch!

Star Field

Here’s a view across Kestle Farm looking north towards St Austell and the Clay  works. It was taken a day before the full moon so there’s a lot of light on the fields and in the sky, although not enough to bleach out the stars. It was fairly freezing out in the field, but very beautiful. All you could hear was the gentle ‘popping’ of watery mud across the field, there’s been a lot of rain recently!

’twas a cold December Night…

What a lovely late night shopping evening that was! A fantastic turn out on a rather chilly evening, blustery great showers of rain and hail blew through occasionally and the car park got rather muddy! However there was a warm welcome in the farm shop with cups of mulled apple juice and mince pies being served. Carols were provided by the Cornish Connection barbershop singers and the staff wore suitably silly Christmas hats. Beautiful christmas wreaths were also on display from Anna & Karen. If you didn’t get the chance to stop by, you can still order for Christmas on our website lobbsfarmshop.com or give us a ring on 01726 844411.

Thank you to all who attended last night and made it such a lovely evening!

above: Lobbs Farm Shop by night

above: come on in!

above: Anna and Karen with their beautiful wreaths.

above: the Cornish Connection singers

above: ah yes, Phil & Simon, taking care of the silly hat department in the Butchery!

2012 Calendar

Have you spied our new calendar yet? They arrived from the lovely Nationwide Print just the other day and we’re very pleased with them! You can get your mittens on one of these by placing a butchery order at the farm shop or online www.lobbsfarmshop.com

They feature a selection of photographs from the farm, taken through the changing seasons. We are lucky to live in such an area of natural beauty. Many of the photos were taken by Sal at Design Room. Here are a few sneaky pics from the calendar: