Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

"Sacha Hubbard" wrote
Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement?

I've taken back a dead tree for a refund, a few months after its purchase.
I've also returned a dead tropical fish (I sound like John Cleese!). My
local garden centre has a year's guarantee, which I always forget about, and
I never keep the receipts. However, if the plant was fairly expensive, I'd
probably return it anytime up to the end of the year's guarantee.

"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

I guess that if I was in your business I would be inclined to replace
anything at anytime with no questions asked. I also guess that the number
of returns would be minute compared to the total volume of sales.
Some customers (those folk who cause all your problems) are compete idiots
and you are able to deal with them-I am not.
I have never ever returned any plant to any supplier even when it has died
shortly after delivery. I would never ever admit to killing a plant.
At future visits to a Nursery I will make sarcastic comments such as "How
much are you charging this week for pot plants infested with Vine weevil"
and expect some sort of concern from the staff.
Customer complaints are to be welcomed on the basis that they allow you to
improve your business (that's what the Management Gurus say).

Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

I guess that if I was in your business I would be inclined to replace
anything at anytime with no questions asked. I also guess that the number
of returns would be minute compared to the total volume of sales.
Some customers (those folk who cause all your problems) are compete idiots
and you are able to deal with them-I am not.
I have never ever returned any plant to any supplier even when it has died
shortly after delivery. I would never ever admit to killing a plant.
At future visits to a Nursery I will make sarcastic comments such as "How
much are you charging this week for pot plants infested with Vine weevil"
and expect some sort of concern from the staff.
Customer complaints are to be welcomed on the basis that they allow you to
improve your business (that's what the Management Gurus say).





I purchased 2 water lilies, treated both the same, one died one thrived.
Explained this to the seller, would not accept it, said that I must
have killed it by neglect. How do you neglect a plant under water?

On Mon, 29 May 2006 23:17:54 +0100, Rupert \(W.Yorkshire\) wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake.
snip

I guess that if I was in your business I would be inclined to replace
anything at anytime with no questions asked. I also guess that the number
of returns would be minute compared to the total volume of sales.
Some customers (those folk who cause all your problems) are compete idiots
and you are able to deal with them-I am not.

Luckily for us, most are extremely nice people - the vast majority, in fact.
There is the odd person - in every sense of 'odd' - who does stupid things to
their plants and insists it's not their fault. We had a classic yesterday of
a woman who complained our remaining Arctotis aren't big enough to plant out
yet and then when Ray said "they'll be ready next week" told us she was going
on holiday for two weeks next week. So Ray said "well in that case, it would
be better to wait until you get back because they might die in your absence
if it gets hot". In all seriousness she told my nurseryman husband of over
50 years experience that this was nonsense as it depends on how deep you
plant them! There really is nothing you can say to that sort of thing! But
she was the rare sort for whom absolutely nothing is right - she wanted to
buy something else but wouldn't because it wasn't in flower and she couldn't
see the colour. So he showed her a picture of it in the RHS encyclopaedia
and that still wasn't good enough. She wanted to see the actual flower. As
we don't force our plants, he could only explain that the cold weather had
held things back for everybody AND that if she bought it in full flower she'd
have had it for less time flowering in her garden!
And two customers, standing right beside pots of the plant in question were
heard to grumble that we had no Alliums for sale! But as I say, that sort of
person is the exception.
There was of course, whoever-it-was yesterday who appears to have taken a
hammer to one of the customer loos and broken a vast chunk out of it after
stuffing it absolutely full of paper, but that's another story............

I have never ever returned any plant to any supplier even when it has died
shortly after delivery. I would never ever admit to killing a plant.
At future visits to a Nursery I will make sarcastic comments such as "How
much are you charging this week for pot plants infested with Vine weevil"
and expect some sort of concern from the staff.

Touching wood, that's a complaint we don't get, probably because we use
nematodes.

Customer complaints are to be welcomed on the basis that they allow you to
improve your business (that's what the Management Gurus say).


Actually, I think there's some truth in that because if nothing else, a
reasonable replacement of something that's died - reasonable in time elapsed,
I mean - makes for a happy customer who tells other customers etc. and means
that people do know they can trust us.
Though while I'm doing my "tales of a nurseryman's wife" thing, one of our
funniest experiences was someone who walked in, plonked a dead something on
the bench and asked my stepson what he thought of that! He looked at it and
being a chap of considerable intelligence, said "it's dead". The woman went
red with anger and said she knew that but wanted to know what Matt intended
to do about it. He picked up the label and looked at it and said "Nothing,
I'm afraid". More fury from the customer who demanded to know why and
turning over the label to show the name of a local NT property, Matt said
"because you didn't get it here"! To her real credit, the woman was
absolutely mortified and couldn't apologise enough. But to our great
satisfaction, not only did she get a replacement plant, it was bigger and
cheaper than her original! ;-)


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:11:05 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote
(in article ):

The message et
from Sacha Hubbard contains these words:


Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this,
I know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!

I have bought plants from several places which offer a one year
guarantee, but it isn't a selling point to me. I often buy plants
knowing they are marginally hardy. The rule of thumb is not to give up
on growing a plant until I've killed it several times.

I suspect that's the mark of a true and experienced gardener, as opposed to
someone who isn't very experienced and/or thinks plants will thrive
everywhere and last for ever.

I've never bothered to take a dead plant back. Not because they don't
die on me, but because

A) It was a gamble
B) by the time they die I've often forgotten where I got it
C) I buy plants far afield and it's not worth making a long distance
return trip for the sake of a few pounds.

The latter point often astonishes us. People will drive several miles to
replace something that cost them 75p - and I do mean right out of their way,
not in a sort of "we were just passing, so we thought........"

The only time I can recall complaining, was when a 56lb consignment
of narcissi came up the following spring and turned out not to be not
the variety I ordered.


Yes, I think most of us would complain at that! We heard the story of a very
elderly gent who had bought a Magnolia campbellii (not from us, thank
goodness!) who was furious when it finally flowers and turned out to be
entirely the wrong one. His anger was compounded by the fact that he was so
old that he felt there was no point in buying another one of the type which
he'd wanted!


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

I bought some Hellebore's during a recent'ish visit to Wisley and to my
surprise the lady servicing told me of the fact that if I keep the
receipt I would be able to take them back if they died. Well I don't
think I would ever do that because in most cases surely it would be the
customer who has killed it by neglect , i.e. putting it in the wrong
place, incorrect watering etc. I know I wouldn't want to go though the
embarresment of being told it was somthing I had done to kill the
plant. As said previously in this thread , I would just want to learn
from the situation understand why I it had died and try to do better
next time.

Myself and my wife buy plants from many , many different places and
would find it impossible to remember where we have bought things from.

I guess the only exception to this would be if I'd spent a lot of money
on one particular specimen plant such as a bamboo or an Acer etc as I
would always resource how to look after such a plant or even ask the
nursery . So I would be more certain that it wasn't me who had killed
it.

But I'm a completely reasonable person (well most of the time) some
people are not !!

Gardening after all , well for me is ALWAYS a learning process and you
don't learn unless you are willing to make mistakes and to accept the
consequences.

"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha

Well I bought a Scabious from Hillhouse in March, and planted it out in my
garden after about a week lolling around in the greenhouse. Within a month
it was obviously dead, and I had even watered it in, not that it needed it
really, but I took the view it was just a bad 'un anyway, no one to blame.

It'd cost me a similar amount in petrol to bring it back for a refund as
it'd cost to buy a new one, so you're one up on that one!

Andy.

On Tue, 30 May 2006 15:53:12 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote
(in article ):

The message et
from Sacha Hubbard contains these words:

On Mon, 29 May 2006 19:11:05 +0100, Janet Baraclough wrote
(in article ):
The only time I can recall complaining, was when a 56lb consignment
of narcissi came up the following spring and turned out not to be not
the variety I ordered.


Yes, I think most of us would complain at that!

The company confessed they had run out and sent a substitute
lookalike from the same group (even though my order said no subs; they
thought I might not notice :-). The existing order (hundreds of bulbs,
all planted out in grass by the time the difference became obvious) was
mine to keep; they re-sent the correct one the following autumn. Ten
years later, I have to admit that their substitute was rampantly
out-flowering my choice..

Nonetheless, it was a bit sneaky of them to hope it would slip in under the
wire!


We heard the story of a very
elderly gent who had bought a Magnolia campbellii (not from us, thank
goodness!) who was furious when it finally flowers and turned out to be
entirely the wrong one. His anger was compounded by the fact that he
was so
old that he felt there was no point in buying another one of the type which
he'd wanted!

Not surprised! AFAIK, M campbellii takes several decades to reach
flowering size and maturity .


Yes it does, normally. But to our amazement and delight, one that Ray
planted here about 13 years ago has flowered this year. Apparently, at the
time, he joked it was his own memorial but it budded in 2004 and 05 and had
the buds killed off by frost but somehow, and miraculously, this year it
flowered and was a real picture. I'd guess it's about ten to twelve feet
tall.


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

On Tue, 30 May 2006 13:38:02 +0100, Andy wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha

Well I bought a Scabious from Hillhouse in March, and planted it out in my
garden after about a week lolling around in the greenhouse. Within a month
it was obviously dead, and I had even watered it in, not that it needed it
really, but I took the view it was just a bad 'un anyway, no one to blame.

Our Scabious were outside all winter so I don't know why you put it in your
greenhouse because that won't have helped it, I'm afraid. That just softened
it up before it was exposed to the elements, whereas before that, it was a
toughie! I think the poor thing was probably shellshocked and given the
extremely cold nights we had, watering it would have hastened its demise
because it would have been standing around in bitterly cold, wet soil.

It'd cost me a similar amount in petrol to bring it back for a refund as
it'd cost to buy a new one, so you're one up on that one!

How? We still reared the plant, paid for the pot it was in, paid for the
compost, paid for the labour that potted it on and the labour that sold it to
you etc. We don't make money out of plants because they die - we'd rather
that they live! BTW, if you've been here, you surely noticed that it's Hill
House Nursery, not Hillhouse?
Next time you're down this way, come in and get something else. Do you
recall what you paid for it?


--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

On Mon, 29 May 2006 18:03:57 +0100, Sacha Hubbard
wrote:


Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a) over-watered it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.

If a plant dies on me, I just blame the gardener and put it down to
experience. The only plant I've ever taken back was a Cotinus 'Royal
Purple', which when it came into leaf, wasn't. The nurseryman's
comment was "Oh, not another one!" OWTTE.

As for mail order, I did have a passion flower arrive via a non-GPO
carrier, the day after a particularly hot Bank Holiday, having been
dispatched late in the previous week. It looked like a piece of
well-boiled lettuce, presumably having cooked in a hot van for three
days. Not very clever on the part of either the nursery or the
carrier. They did send a replacement.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

On Tue, 30 May 2006 19:46:43 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote
(in article ):

On Mon, 29 May 2006 18:03:57 +0100, Sacha Hubbard
wrote:


Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant and
expect a replacement?
snip

If a plant dies on me, I just blame the gardener and put it down to
experience. The only plant I've ever taken back was a Cotinus 'Royal
Purple', which when it came into leaf, wasn't. The nurseryman's
comment was "Oh, not another one!" OWTTE.

I think you were entirely justified in doing so. Most nurseries are very
conscientious, or try to be, about labeling but it is possible for mistakes
to be made and those should certainly be rectified.

As for mail order, I did have a passion flower arrive via a non-GPO
carrier, the day after a particularly hot Bank Holiday, having been
dispatched late in the previous week. It looked like a piece of
well-boiled lettuce, presumably having cooked in a hot van for three
days. Not very clever on the part of either the nursery or the
carrier. They did send a replacement.


You've just identified one reason my husband refuses to consider mail order
from here!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
On Tue, 30 May 2006 13:38:02 +0100, Andy wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What
does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a)
over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha

Well I bought a Scabious from Hillhouse in March, and planted it out in
my
garden after about a week lolling around in the greenhouse. Within a
month
it was obviously dead, and I had even watered it in, not that it needed
it
really, but I took the view it was just a bad 'un anyway, no one to
blame.

Our Scabious were outside all winter so I don't know why you put it in
your
greenhouse because that won't have helped it, I'm afraid. That just
softened
it up before it was exposed to the elements, whereas before that, it was a
toughie! I think the poor thing was probably shellshocked and given the
extremely cold nights we had, watering it would have hastened its demise
because it would have been standing around in bitterly cold, wet soil.

It'd cost me a similar amount in petrol to bring it back for a refund as
it'd cost to buy a new one, so you're one up on that one!

How? We still reared the plant, paid for the pot it was in, paid for the
compost, paid for the labour that potted it on and the labour that sold it
to
you etc. We don't make money out of plants because they die - we'd
rather
that they live! BTW, if you've been here, you surely noticed that it's
Hill
House Nursery, not Hillhouse?
Next time you're down this way, come in and get something else. Do you
recall what you paid for it?

I'm being light-hearted Sacha: you're 'one-up' because I could have shown
you
the rotted remains and asked for another, but I choose not to do so. I've
chalked
it up to fate. It was alive when I bought it from you, so I attach no blame!

I had not studied the Hill House name before, so it wasn't clear in my mind
when I wrote
it whether there was a space or not, as for leaving ''Nursery' off the end,
I was just being
lazy.

My only other complaint was the scones in the tea shop - I bit into a large
lump
of bicarb in one of 'em last year - make sure they stir the mix a bit
better!

By the way, just out of curiousity, is the Riverford Farm canteen any good?
I saw a picture showing long tables with benches either side, and I believe
it is
necessary to book ahead? Not very convenient for the impulse eater at
lunchtime, what's
the philosophy behind Riverford Farm? I thought you might know since you're
not far away.
They have a shop not far from me, but I've never been to their main farm.

They do some very nice sausages and Beef & Stilton pasties.

:-)

Andy.

On Wed, 31 May 2006 01:09:45 +0100, Andy wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...
On Tue, 30 May 2006 13:38:02 +0100, Andy wrote
(in article ):


"Sacha Hubbard" wrote in message
al.net...

Just a bit of mild curiosity and a small personal survey. ;-) What
does
the panel think is a reasonable time in which to take back a dead plant
and
expect a replacement? Some nurseries have definite policies on this, I
know
but I'd like to have an idea of customers' reactions for my own
curiosity's
sake. We had someone bring back a Weigela today which she'd had for a
year
and had taken to Berkshire where it has died. We did replace it and on
the
whole, I'd say we tend to do that sort of thing but it would never have
occurred to me to bring back a year old plant for replacement!
The only time we've refused to do so is when someone brought back a
Meyer's
lemon tree and swore up, down and sideways that he hadn't a)
over-watered
it
and b) hadn't let it get frosted. As it showed unmistakable signs of
both,
he was refused another one when he requested it on the grounds that he'd
only
kill that one, too. But he did get his money back.
--
Sacha

Well I bought a Scabious from Hillhouse in March, and planted it out in
my
garden after about a week lolling around in the greenhouse. Within a
month
it was obviously dead, and I had even watered it in, not that it needed
it
really, but I took the view it was just a bad 'un anyway, no one to
blame.

Our Scabious were outside all winter so I don't know why you put it in
your
greenhouse because that won't have helped it, I'm afraid. That just
softened
it up before it was exposed to the elements, whereas before that, it was a
toughie! I think the poor thing was probably shellshocked and given the
extremely cold nights we had, watering it would have hastened its demise
because it would have been standing around in bitterly cold, wet soil.

It'd cost me a similar amount in petrol to bring it back for a refund as
it'd cost to buy a new one, so you're one up on that one!

How? We still reared the plant, paid for the pot it was in, paid for the
compost, paid for the labour that potted it on and the labour that sold it
to
you etc. We don't make money out of plants because they die - we'd
rather
that they live! BTW, if you've been here, you surely noticed that it's
Hill
House Nursery, not Hillhouse?
Next time you're down this way, come in and get something else. Do you
recall what you paid for it?

I'm being light-hearted Sacha: you're 'one-up' because I could have shown
you
the rotted remains and asked for another, but I choose not to do so. I've
chalked
it up to fate. It was alive when I bought it from you, so I attach no blame!

Well, as I say, come in and get another one if you're passing - at least at a
discount. ;-) But as they cost only £3.50 in a 2l pot you would need to be
going right by the door!

I had not studied the Hill House name before, so it wasn't clear in my mind
when I wrote
it whether there was a space or not, as for leaving ''Nursery' off the end,
I was just being
lazy.

My only other complaint was the scones in the tea shop - I bit into a large
lump
of bicarb in one of 'em last year - make sure they stir the mix a bit
better!

Erggg. Very clever of you, though. We don't use bicarb. ;-) Baking powder
perhaps? Mem. to cook - put Kenwood on higher speed!

By the way, just out of curiousity, is the Riverford Farm canteen any good?
I saw a picture showing long tables with benches either side, and I believe
it is
necessary to book ahead? Not very convenient for the impulse eater at
lunchtime, what's
the philosophy behind Riverford Farm? I thought you might know since you're
not far away.
They have a shop not far from me, but I've never been to their main farm.

They do some very nice sausages and Beef & Stilton pasties.


Their farm shop food is very good - the prepared stuff that is, but it is
expensive. As to the canteen, I don't know because we haven't been there.
The reason we haven't been is because they have had to agree to some
complicated arrangement whereby they have to combine eating there with a tour
of the farm in a tractor drawn trailer. I have no idea why the local
authorities have insisted on this but we wonder if it's something to do with
reducing traffic.
Riverford has grown very large and while the locals support the ethos,
they're beginning to find it a bit of a nuisance with large trailers and
machinery thundering about, combined with mud left on the road at the packing
shed at Wash etc. They send out something like 30k boxes a week via the
packing here and organic franchises elsewhere and last year set up a shop in
Totnes, too. It's all doing very well and the Watson family have its
administration sewn up between them, running a co-operative with other
farmers in our area. For example, our nearest farmer has just given up his
dairy herd - who can blame him, unfortunately - but has kept the land and is
growing a mass of organic veg. for Guy Watson. The fields you saw around us
are nearly all organic and those that aren't are being prepared for that
certificate. They recently spent £90k on a green oak barn, so business is
good!
The place I can recommend is Sharpham Valley vineyard. There's a small
eating area outdoors, under one of those temporary marquee things and the
food is very good, though not big, elaborate restaurant food. The girl who
cooks is Tante Marie trained IIRC and she produces delicious things from a
tiny van like a hot dog stand. They're hoping to get permission to build a
proper kitchen and small restaurant there and with that lovely view down to
the River Dart, I hope they get it. It's possible to do a guided tour of the
place (they also make delicious cheese) but you're equally at liberty to
wander through the vines and down to the river, on your own. If you're down
this way again, I suggest you try it. And for two good evenings out with
delicious food, try two entirely different places - The First and Last at
Ermington with its wonderful "built after lunch" crooked spire church and
Bickley Mill at Bickley, near Ipplepen. And for that matter our own very
local is excellent and always busy and popular, The Live and Let Live.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
email address on web site

snip

The place I can recommend is Sharpham Valley vineyard. There's a small
eating area outdoors, under one of those temporary marquee things and the
food is very good, though not big, elaborate restaurant food. The girl
who
cooks is Tante Marie trained IIRC and she produces delicious things from a
tiny van like a hot dog stand. They're hoping to get permission to build
a
proper kitchen and small restaurant there and with that lovely view down
to
the River Dart, I hope they get it. It's possible to do a guided tour of
the
place (they also make delicious cheese) but you're equally at liberty to
wander through the vines and down to the river, on your own. If you're
down
this way again, I suggest you try it. And for two good evenings out with
delicious food, try two entirely different places - The First and Last at
Ermington with its wonderful "built after lunch" crooked spire church and
Bickley Mill at Bickley, near Ipplepen. And for that matter our own very
local is excellent and always busy and popular, The Live and Let Live.

--
Sacha

and as we have diverted to recommending eating establishments in our areas,
may I recommend The Chequers at Rookley on the Isle of Wight? Superb
Plougman's and their cheeses are not to be sniffed at.

I see that the Fighting Cocks on Hale Common between Apse Heath and Arreton
is having a major refurbishment and is due to re - open in June. If it is
run on the style that Jim ran it a few years back, they will need to extend
the car park!!

Just though I would add a couple :-))

Michael Crowe

--
------------------------------------------------
Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
International Festival of the Sea 28th June - 1st July 2007