New Shop Times for a Fresh New Year

We are excited to be beginning the new year with some changes. We have decided to have a tweak with our opening hours for the farm shop, and will now extend Thursday and Friday to open from 10am-6pm and on Saturday we will open from 10-1pm.

We have thought long and hard about the café too, and although we have enjoyed providing our own home made soups, salads, vegetable tarts and some delicious cakes, puddings, teas and coffees, it's now time to let someone else take over the space of the café and see what they can do with it, as we recognise our time is better spent concentrating on growing the best vegetables in Dorset.

See you all in the New Year.

Apple Day - Sunday October 5th

 

 

APPLE DAY

 

 

 

We have fixed a date for our very popular Apple Day.  Once again we are anticipating a great sticky messy day along with some activities too, Sara will be taking her now famous Farm Walk  at 11am  giving a guided tour of the farm and all its workings.  It is also an opportunity for you to browse around the Art Stable Gallery, see the work Rachel Sargent the talented artist who will also have childrens art activities running.  There will be refreshments available too all with an apple theme, so you can really make a day, morning or afternoon of it.

 

Bring your apples and bottles (we use our recycled plastic milk bottles) and together we will press them, so you will see the whole process from beginning to end.   There will be a small charge of  £1 per bottle pressed.  We hope to see you on October 5th to join in the fun and make the most of your apples.

 

 

Bring your own HANDPICKED apples

Don’t leave them to rot under the tree

Juicing Demonstration                                                      

Farm Walks  11am                                              

         

Parking and entry free.

Cookery Classes for Children on the Farm

Cookery Skills

We are delighted that Diana Green will be here again over the summer, teaching kids some really useful and interesting cookery skills.  They will be able to get their hands dirty and stuck in to some fascinating and exciting methods.
Diana takes the children out on to the plot here and lets the children pick what they need to make some deliciously tasty meals.  They wash and prepare them here in our open barn and then use a variety of different methods including hot smoking.
We naturally feel it only right that we join in a little and help with the taste testing!  Last year the children cooked wonderful dishes and enthused about the fun they had with Diana, and that they enjoyed learning ways of cooking that their parents didn't even know how to do.
In the past the children have learned how to skin a rabbit (not for the squeamish), they cooked heart and they were able to pick and chose the vegetables they wanted to eat, so each child's dish was individual to them.
If you are interested in either day, July 25th or August 22nd do give Diana a call on 01725 518412 or if you want to get a group of children together on another day, Diana will be able to add dates to suit.
Happy Cooking!!

Little Weed

 

 

 

It's that time of year again, and we are delighted to be hosting our very popular weeding parties. The party begins at 4pm every Tuesday, gathering outside the farm shop and then off we all trundle under the watchful eye of Sara, and given our weeding tasks. 

 

These take about an hour, they are fun, good exercise and hugely informative as lots of conversation around vegetables, soil, crop rotation, raised beds and many other growing topics takes place too. Then at the end of all of this you get to take home a veggie goodie bag of some of our beautiful and delicious freshly picked veg.

 

The more the merrier, so come along and tell your friends too.

 



A Welcome Visit

Entering the Jungle of Broad Beans and Sugar Snap Peas

It was all action here on the farm as we opened our gates to Open Farm Sunday visitors.  Families came from all round Dorset, including Poole, Wareham, Sherborne, Bournemouth and nearer by too.

Sara guided the everyone around the plot and explained much about the soil, the plants and vegetables grown on the farm, about crop rotation, and what nutrients each plant puts back in to the soil.

Sara Explaining the Finer points of Beetroot

 

 

Many of the visitors were extremely knowledgeable especially the children, who enjoyed entering one of poly tunnel jungles filled with broad beans and sugar snap peas.

 

They were invited to pick some and have a nibble, to savour the flavour of something that has been freshly picked, and not surprisingly many commented on the sweetness and delicious taste.

 

 

 

We loved having so many visitors here and we feel they left here with more knowledge than when they arrived, and a new taste of exciting and delicious organic vegetables

 

Laura Guarding the entrance to the Runner Bean Tunnel



DORSET ARTS WEEK

All of this week you will be able to come and see the brilliant work of Emsie Sharp who creates unique one of pieces of hand-blown glass wear, and Rachel Sargent's beautiful landscape paintings. Both Emsie and Rachel work from the Cowshed here on the farm and you will not only be able to see many of their pieces of work, but also see them actually creating some of the many individual bespoke works.  Be prepared for the heat in Emsie's workshop which blasts out from the furnace, it is a great haven in the colder months.

While here you can visit the farm shop and have a bite to eat in the café, serving simple home-made meals using our own vegetables or tuck in to a piece of delicious cake.  You are also very welcome to wander around the plot where you can see many of the vegetables growing both outside and in the magic of the poly tunnels.

We look forward to welcoming you.

The Birds and the Bees

Spring on The Plot

 

Lighter, earlier mornings and the birds begin their chorus as if by magic.  Which bird begins the singing we will never know, but it does seem they all begin at once and we love to listen to the chatter.  At this time of year, at the height of spring, it seems as if the birds are busier than usual and we know they watch and wait for the moment we step away from a plant or seed that has just gone in to the ground to swoop down and have a nibble, but we are wise to their ways and carefully and quickly cover them up to protect them.

 

Broad Beans

 

 

We have been delighted to see so many bees around, and they have been enjoying whizzing around the poly tunnels collecting from the many flowers on the broad bean plants, and the newly appeared pea flowers.  So lots of lovely honey and plenty of our delicious vegetables to go round.

 

 

 



MODERN BRITISH & EUROPEAN PRINTS

 

Exhibition at the Art Stable

 

Here at Goldhill Organic Farm

 

on

 

Saturday 25th January 11am-4pm

 

Lunches, Teas and Coffee and Cake

 

Available in the farm café.

 

Free Parking

 

We look forward to welcoming you.



Blow A Bauble & Late Night Shopping

OPEN STUDIOS AT GOLD HILL ORGANIC FARM

SUNDAY DEC 15TH 11-4PM

&

THURSDAY 19TH 4-7.30PM

 

 

Come along and join us at the Farm and make your own baubles in Emsie Sharp's studio, and visit Rachel Sargent's studio to see her beautiful range of cards and linoprints of local locations.  After you've exhausted yourself with all of the activities going on, pop in for a nibble of some delicious festive treats, or enjoy some coffee and cake in the café.  We all look forward to seeing you soon.

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



 





APPLE DAY - IT WAS STICKY, MESSY FUN

 

 

 

 

As predicted on our Apple Day last Sunday, the weather was beautiful and we had a huge turn-out of people bringing their bags, wheelbarrows, boxes, crates and even prams brimming with their apples ready for juicing.

 

The process is sticky, messy and time consuming, but everyone there agreed it was all worth it as the outcome is so delicious, and there is nothing like being able to drink the juice of your own apples.

 

 

 

People brought their own bottles and there was an exciting and interesting collection ranging from old milk cartons to elegant wine bottles, these below are our particular favourites, and look at the wonderful colour of the juice.

 



 

 

As we knew the process of juicing takes a long time, we were delighted that our neighbours here at Goldhill were all open to show visitors what they do in their workshops. Emsie Sharp, was teaching people how to blow their own glass baubles in her steaming hot unit in the Cowshed and Rachel Sargent who is an artist here and holds regular workshops, was working with children on apple printing.

 

 

 

 

We juiced over 250 bottles and people went away feeling deeply satisfied.  We will be doing the same next year, see you then!!

 



 











 

APPLE DAY

SUNDAY OCTOBER 6TH 11AM-4PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have fixed a date for our very popular Apple Day.  Once again we are anticipating a great sticky messy day along with some activities too, Sara will be taking her now famous Farm Walk  at 11am  giving a guided tour of the farm and all its workings.  It is also an opportunity for you to browse around the Art Stable Gallery, see the work of Emsie Sharp our resident glass blower and Rachel Sargent the talented artist.  We have also arranged for some delicious tastings with some of the lines we stock here.  There will be refreshments available too, so you can really make a day, morning or afternoon of it.

 

Bring your apples and bottles (we use our recycled plastic milk bottles) and together we will press them, so you will see the whole process from beginning to end.   There will be a small charge of  £1 per bottle pressed.  We hope to see you on October 6thth to join in the fun and make the most of your apples.

 

 

Bring your own HANDPICKED apples

Don’t leave them to rot under the tree

 

 

Juicing Demonstration                                                      

Farm Walks  11am                                              

         

                              

                                                   Parking and entry free.

Happy Smiley People

Here we are happy and smiling, and we hope it is infectious as we always have something to smile about.  We were lucky enough this week to host a wonderful Farm Walk with the Soil Association.  We were joined by a group of people hugely interested in the workings of the farm. For many of our customers the smiling faces above (not including Mrs Telford) are what they see here on a daily basis, and although they know we are growing our vegetables just outside the back door on the plot, they don't venture out there that often, and frankly who can blame them with all that mud and rain.

We are always happy for people to walk around the plot, look at what we are up to, and see what we are growing, sowing, harvesting and ask questions, so although hosting a formal farm walk is fun and interesting we do encourage anyone to have a walk around and enjoy fully what we are doing here, just simply providing the best organic vegetables available anywhere in this area.

For those who prefer the more organised tour, we will be hosting another Farm Walk here on June 8th at 11am, no need to book or anything formal like that, just turn up and we would be happy for a donation to one of the charities we support here.

More exciting news next week.

Soil Association Farm Walk

 

 

Farm Walk: Gold Hill Organic Farm

18 April 2013 16:30 - 18 April 2013 19:30

In association with the Soil Association we will be holding a Farm Walk here on our 60 acre farm. Established 25yrs ago from 1 acres of veg and 1 polytunnel to 10 acres veg and 9 polytunnels. Wide range of veg first sold through co-op, box scheme, very basic farm shop open weekends only.  With an emphasis on growing the business organically (not just the veg) and always being inovative but keeping it managable and profitable. Never relying on one market sector in a small business. Always having an acre of raised beds and tunnels so that whatever the weather something can be planted and harvested. It is a low input business.  We look forward to welcoming you here.

Attendance is free but advanced booking is absolutely essential. We will send out directions prior to the walk.

Please contact the the link below to book your place
http://www.soilassociation.org/farmersgrowers/newsandevents/articleid/4742/farm-walk-gold-hill-organic-farm-dorset

Green Nutrition



 

Getting to know what they are cooking at eating



We thought it would be a great idea to hold a cookery workshop for children here at Goldhill.  We were contacted by Diana at Green Nutrition who runs courses and workshops on a regular basis and we liked her approach.  The children get out and pick their own vegetables, prepare them and cook them making delicious meals.  On the day they came last week, it all began with some outstanding vegetable spring rolls, naturally we had to sample one or two and the kids loved the whole process and were free to choose their vegetables, and then chop away, using tools and equipment they may have seen in their kitchens at home, but never used.

 

Preparing the ingredients

 

This was followed by a Partridge stew which had a sweet flavour, working well with the partridge. As you can see the children were fully aware of what it was they were cooking, preparing the birds from start to finish themselves. The stew was served with egg fried rice, and again we felt the need to sample the meal, I admit I had to go back for more.



 

Tucking in.

 

They all had a fantastic day, and we hope to be holding more events here in the future, we thought perhaps some outdoor cooking would thrill the children, so fingers crossed for some decent weather.

 

 

If you'd like more details, you can contact Diana direct on greennutrition@btinternet.com

 





A Project

We have embarked on a new and exciting project here at the Farm.  So we can make better use of some of our fields since giving up on rearing cows we looked at several possibilities, including a solar farm, but for reasons including the damage to our organic land, and the controversy it might cause in the village we dismissed this plan.  We did instead, plump for a woodland, feeling this fitted in with the ethos of the farm, would enhance the village and fields here, encourage wildlife to thrive and leave a lasting legacy.

We have been hard at it, in all weathers, including a snow storm which covered our materials so quickly we couldn't find our spirals.  We have 9,000 trees of all kinds of varieties, Oak, Silver Birch, Cherry etc.. all randomly planted in perfect lines.  We've had an army of volunteers to help and to date we are about 3/4 of the way there.  We will from time to time release picture updates as these little twigs begin to grow, and 20 years from now we will have our healthy woodland.

Happy New Year - Resist Temptation!

 

We are back from our small winter break and ready for what ever 2013 throws at us, including the cold snap that is due, according to all the weather reports.  We are gearing up for the big chill but are celebrating the gorgeous sun shine cold weather can bring.  Our poly tunnels are being tended and being made ready for planting and some are still producing the leaves we use to make up or very popular salad bags.  The shop is brimming with delicous vegetables and we notice that we have some new customers who have decided to start the year on a healthy note and have heard about what we produce and sell here.

 

We can also now introduce you to our Cafe which is now fully up and running, offering warming soups, vegetables pies, pizzas and vegetables tarts all made using our very own fresh produce. The tarts are made by Christine's Puddings who makes gluten free products, and Christine will be opening here soon in a new unit, and you will be able to purchase her naughty treats, sticky toffee pudding, treacle tarts and more, so much for resisiting temptation!
 

 

Happy New Year..

Forever Blowing Baubles

We are forever blowing baubles, well that's the aim here on December 20th when Emsie Sharp, our newest resident at Goldhill Organic Farm will be holding an all day workshop.  Men, women and children are all welcome to come along and have a go at blowing their very own glass bauble for the tree.  Emsie has moved her workshop here recently, and we are all lining up to have a go at this ancient craft which we are told is a great skill to learn, and Emsie will be on hand all day to make sure you leave with the very best piece of decoration for your tree.

We are excited to also be open later on December 20th in farm shop and cafe, and will be plying our lovely customers with lots of tastings and treats to eat as they wander around for last minute gifts and some veggie purchases while here.  We promise you a mince pie and some mulled wine to warm you up. 

 

 

You will be able to relax in the cafe over cake and tea or a steaming bowl of Sara's homemade soup using our freshest picked vegetables, and we might even have a little music too.  Looking forward to seeing you on December 20th from 10am-8pm.....







Celebrate Apple Day 14th October



CELEBRATE  APPLE  DAY



 

 

AT GOLDHILL ORGANIC FARM SUNDAY 14^TH OCTOBER

10.30am-4.30pm

 

Following on from the success last year of our Apple Day, we have decided to repeat the event this year.  We are delighted that we will be hosting the day in partnership with the Dorset Wildlife Trust which adds another dimension to the day as we haven't worked with them before.  We are anticipating a great sticky messy day along with some activities too, Sara will be taking two Farm Walks one at 11am and the other at 2pm giving a guided tour of the farm and all its workings.  It is also an opportunity for you to browse around the Art Stable Gallery, see the work of Minna Hepburn our resident fashion designer and look at some of the home wares we have in the shop and meet some of the people who make these remarkable objects.  We have also arranged for some delicious tastings with some of the lines we stock and look forward to welcoming them all here.  There will be refreshments available too, so you can really make a day, morning or afternoon of it.

 

Bring your apples and together we will press them, so you will see the whole process from beginning to end.  If you bring your own bottles there will be a small charge of 50p per bottle or we have ready sterilised bottles here for £1.  We hope to see you on October 14th to join in the fun and make the most of your apples.

 

 

Bring your own HANDPICKED apples

Don’t leave them to rot under the tree

 

 

Juicing Demonstration                                                      

Apple Identification

Farm Walks  11am & 2pm                                             

Dorset Wildlife Trust          

                              

                                                   Parking and entry free.

Our New Easter Arrival

If you have ever visited us here at Goldhill Organic Farm, you will know that we have a gang of chickens with serious attitude.  They freely strut about the farm clearly in charge of all that they survey.  They argue with each other, they turn up in the shop and cafe crowing loudly and then run off laughing (in the way that chickens do), they are regularly found taking their pick to the very best of Andrew's vegetables on the plot without regard for his carefully laid out rows of perfection.  They lay eggs in random places which we rarely find, and have been seen charging at the farm cat who is clearly petrified of this unruly lot.

Yesterday, totally unexpected, while looking for a rake in one of the hay barns Richard found this gorgeous little chick (in fact there are two of them), wandering about with their mum.  We salute her nurturing skills and the marvel of nature and welcome our new organic arrivals to Goldhill Organic Farm.  A perfect Easter gift.

Little Weed

This week due to the recent dry weather conditions, we were able to start on the weeding, something we enjoy doing as we know it's doing so much good to our soil and allowing our vegetables to reach their full potential.

This usually doesn’t begin until the end of March. However the ground was dry enough to clear the weeds from the rows of onions and we achieved satisfying results.

The woods that were planted eighteen years ago are now ready to be thinned out to enable the stronger specimens to mature.

We began this task of clearing and left smaller branches in rows on the forest floor; this encourages insects and wildlife to thrive.

The larger branches and tree trunks that we cleared have been brought back to the farm yard. They can be used for fuel and hopefully some of the Oak branches will be carved by our son Philip. We use everything and waste nothing. Job Done!

Try this lovely little recipe its quick and easy - let us know the results......

LEEKS WITH VEGETABLE VINAIGRETTE.

For 6- Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Leeks…………………6

Bouquet garni ….1

Tomatoes………….2

Chives…...................6 sprigs.

Olive Oil..............3 tbl.spoon.

Balsamic vinegar.1 tbl.spoon.

Dijon mustard…..1 teaspoon.

Salt, Pepper.

1 Slice the leeks into 1cm width pieces. Cook them with the bouquet garni with enough water to cover until tender. Remove the leeks with a slotted spoon.

2 Plunge the tomatoes for 30 seconds in the leek stock and remove their skin.

3 Reduce the look stock by a quarter.

4 Chop the tomato flesh into small dice and finally snip the chives and bulb spring onion.

5 Make a  vinaigrette by mixing the mustard with oil, vinegar and 3 tablespoons of leek stock. Season and add the diced tomato, chives and spring onion.

6 Dress the reserved leeks with this vinaigrette.