http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php en Fri, 09 May 2008 14:11:41 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=32 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:48:27 GMT Last weekend we took delivery of 4 brand new lorries to replace 4 lorries that had been in the fleet for 3 years.They arrived on Saturday morning and... Last weekend we took delivery of 4 brand new lorries to replace 4 lorries that had been in the fleet for 3 years.They arrived on Saturday morning and all went for a picture together which I'll post when I get a copy of it .By the time I arrived home on Sunday morning at 04.30 from My usual run one of them had already made a break for it and was gone . Heres a pic of the other three.



Heres a pic of the driving seat and controlls.



And one of the coffee maker



These are fully loaded with all the gadgets that you need to make living away from home a little easier.

Semi Automatic Gearbox
Air Conditioning
Fridge/Freezer
Coffee maker
Microwave
Leather Seats with armrests
Hands free phone
CD/radio
CB radio
Cruise Control
Night Heater to keep you warm when parked up at night
Adjustable steering wheel
Electric heated mirrors

I've just come back from taking a load of butter to Oldham and the usual back load out of Nuneaton and am as fresh as I was when I started - that says more about the lorries than anything else. A joy to drive .:D
Thats right - Beefy is a happy camper. ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=32 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=31 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:55:27 GMT Got an early start on Friday and was on the 13.30 sailing out of Larne (although bad weather delayed the sailing until 15.00). Had 3 deliveries to do... Got an early start on Friday and was on the 13.30 sailing out of Larne (although bad weather delayed the sailing until 15.00).
Had 3 deliveries to do - Catterick - Hull - and Derby.
Arrived in Catterick around 22.00 and 20 mins later I was 6 tons of pork lighter :D. After another 45 minutes of legally required break i set off for Hull . Arrived at 02.00 on Saturday morning and security told me to go away and come back at 05.00 . A quick turn round and a few minutes later an obliging layby down the road saw me tucked up in bed for 3 hours.Back to the factory at 05.30 and after unloading I shot down to Derby for the last delivery.
This delivery was down a small residential street to a butchers shop which ment that the road was as good as closed while I made the delivery although good staff made it a quick delivery and I was soon on my way.
Down to Nuneaton and after dropping the trailer to be loaded I took my 9 hours rest and after collecting the trailer started the journey home. had the usual stop in Tebay for a curry and arrived in Stranraer at 02.00 on Sunday morning. Into bed for 2 1/2 hours and then on the 04.55 ferry to Belfast arriving there at 07.00 this morning. Home for 08.30.
No track this week as the software has been updated and is giving problems at the moment but hope to have it sorted soon.

Heres a picture taken on top of the A66 on Friday night at around 21.00 just before it was closed . I'm sure you can work out why :D

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i1...1032008078.jpg ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=31 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=30 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 15:44:12 GMT http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/index.do?id=99808... http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=99808

OK its that time of the week again .After collecting the lorry in Larne on Friday at 15.30 I boarded the 16.30 ferry from Larne to nCarnryan arriving in Carnryan at 17.00 .I had two deliveries this weekend the first being 10 tons of butter for Barnsley to be delivered ASAP (what else!)On arrival I was met by one of the two guys that owned the company I was delivering to and 10 mins later I was on my way with the butter unloaded and paperwork signed. No faffing about - we need it ,youv'e got it ,lets get it off - the way every delivery should be.
Next stop Manchester Fruit Market with two pallets of onions that had been delivered to Northern Irerland on Thursday but did not pass quality controll so were sent back.
Again another no nonsence delivery - in and out in 10 mins and on my way to Nuneaton.
Arrived Nuneaton at 05.30 and after leaving the trailer on the bay for loading I climbed into bed for 9 hours.
Woke at 14.30 got up washed and dressed and a quick snack before collecting the trailer at 15.20 and once the paperwork was sorted left and headed for Stranraer for the 23.59 sailing on Saturday night.The usual stop in Tebay (Westmorland services) for a chicken curry to break the journey home. The only delay on the way home was the closure of the M6 between J 41 and J42 northbound due to a serious accident.The diversion was the old A6 which added an extra 10 mins to the journey.

Home on Sunday morning at 05.30.

I didnt record the journey home as it's much the same as the previous ones and the journey down only shows from part way across the A66. ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=30 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=29 Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:24:07 GMT Went for the 16.30 sailing on Friday but weather was so bad it didn't sail until 19.00.
Heres a pic of the boat on the way in for the second attempt to berth.

Again this week it was another load of butter destined for the Deeside Industrial Estate and backloading out of Nuneaton as usual.
Here's the way down-
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=92507
And heres the route back up again-
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=92509

I usually stop on the way up at Tebay North(Westmorland Services 1 mile North of J38 on the M6)for my tea as I like the idea of supporting local buisness and although the food is not cheap it is good.
Good expensive food or cheap food poision- no contest.:rolleyes: ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=29 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=28 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:18:00 GMT After getting back from Dublin airport( see previous entry) it was into the lorry and away . Shipped out on the 20.00 sailing from Larne to Carnryan... After getting back from Dublin airport( see previous entry) it was into the lorry and away .
Shipped out on the 20.00 sailing from Larne to Carnryan with a load of butter and down to Oldham after taking the butter off I ran down empty to Nuneaton for a load of frozen foodstuffs and back up for the Midnight sailing on Saturday night from Stranraer to Belfast and back to the depot.

This is the run down to Oldham -
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=86419

The run from Oldham to Nuneaton-
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=86424

And the run from Nuneaton back up to Stranraer-
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=86422 ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=28 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=27 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:05:51 GMT Time to go and lift the students that I had left to Dublin on Monday. Picked up the minibus at 07.45 and down to Dublin. Arrived at arround 11.00 and... Time to go and lift the students that I had left to Dublin on Monday.
Picked up the minibus at 07.45 and down to Dublin. Arrived at arround 11.00 and had to wait untill 13.00 before they arrived and reclaimed baggage .Left Dublin at 13.15 and after a quick pitstop in Newry for Mc Don...s we were home for 17.15 .

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=86421 ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=27 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=26 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:55:45 GMT Today I had to leave a group of students to Dublin airport who were going on a study tour of Italy (God help the Italians is all I can say). Left at... Today I had to leave a group of students to Dublin airport who were going on a study tour of Italy (God help the Italians is all I can say). Left at 06.30 this morning from Coleraine and in the hurry I forgot about the tracker until I was on the way home:o. Where the track starts is where I had my dinner and shows the route I took back to Coleraine .I'm supposed to lift them all again on Friday at dinnertime so if I remember I'll try to track the whole journey.

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=80182"]http://http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=80182[/url] ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=26 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=24 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:45:01 GMT This is the route I took from Glasgow to Nuneaton . http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/workoutdetail/set_workout_share.do This is the route I took from Glasgow to Nuneaton .
http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...rkout_share.do ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=24 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=22 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:50:45 GMT I want to use this blogg to show you all where I've been on my travells. If you don't know it already I am a gardener in a school through the week and at the weekends I drive a HGV as I spent 10 years driving before I started to garden.When you click the link you will load a map and the line on the map shows where I was along with start and finish points ,fastest and slowest speeds .
The map below (if it works)shows the tailend of my journey on Saturday.

http://sportstracker.nokia.com/nts/w...ex.do?id=78020

Hope you all enjoy .I'll add more routes as and when I go to different places. ]]> Beefy http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=22 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=21 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:48:20 GMT Just had a massive sowing session to refill my giant propagator which is a giant wooden one in my shed with an electronic heat mat in the... Just had a massive sowing session to refill my giant propagator which is a giant wooden one in my shed with an electronic heat mat in the bottom.



This was the propagator in use last year at our old nursery in Fife .

Today i have sown
Beet -Bulls Blood for salad leaves.
Celeriac -
Alabaster
Bianco Del Veneto
Ibis
Celery - Golden Self Blanching
Leek -
Bandit
Blue Green Winter
Carentan
Toledo
Tornado
Varna
Onions -
Bedfordshire Champion
Hyfort F1
Hytech F1
Hystar F1
Kelsae
Marko F1
Red Pearl F1
Tondo Musona
Shallot - Prisma F1
Tomato - Amish Paste

From Now on its a case of every time the propagators empties we fill it back up again ]]> fivespud364 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=21 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=20 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:34:54 GMT Well our meetings with Fionagh And Richard have gone very well and they are going to give us a business agreement to rent 2 acres of land from them... Well our meetings with Fionagh And Richard have gone very well and they are going to give us a business agreement to rent 2 acres of land from them subject to us getting planning approval for a polytunnel and a 100 foot greenhouse we were originally having 2 polytunnels but someone advertised a 100 foot greenhouse for free on the North Devon Freecycle last night and we managed to get it !!! which is fantastic they also have a large gas heater and a large oil heater we can have with it as well

So we are just about to send a letter off to the council to see if we need to submit a full planning application and away we go.

The plan is that any plants not used and sold for our mail order business will be grown on the rest of the field and sold as finished organic veg as part of the farms organic co-operative ]]> fivespud364 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=20 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=19 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:34:18 GMT Well our meetings with Fionagh And Richard have gone very well and they are going to give us a business agreement to rent 2 acres of land from them... Well our meetings with Fionagh And Richard have gone very well and they are going to give us a business agreement to rent 2 acres of land from them subject to us getting planning approval for a polytunnel and a 100 foot greenhouse we were originally having 2 polytunnels but someone advertised a 100 foot greenhouse for free on the North Devon Freecycle last night and we managed to get it !!! which is fantastic they also have a large gas heater and a large oil heater we can have with it as well

So we are just about to send a letter off to the council to see if we need to submit a full planning application and away we go.

The plan is that any plants not used and sold for our mail order business will be grown on the rest of the field and sold as finished organic veg as part of the farms organic co-operative ]]> fivespud364 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=19 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=16 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:21:32 GMT *Braised Red Cabbage* This is a lovely recipe and the reason why I grow red cabbages! 1 Red Cabbage 2 Medium Onions 2 Cooking Apples 3 tablespoons... Braised Red Cabbage

This is a lovely recipe and the reason why I grow red cabbages!

1 Red Cabbage
2 Medium Onions
2 Cooking Apples
3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Salt & Pepper
Garlic - 1 clove chopped

Shred the red cabbage, dice and core the apples and slice the onions. In a casserole dish add a layer of red cabbage, seasoning with salt and pepper, then half the onions, half of the apples, half the garlic, half of the sugar and a grating of fresh nutmeg. Repeat the layers and finish with a layer of red cabbage on the top. Add the red wine vinegar. Put a lid on the casserole dish and cook in the oven for about 2 hours. 150C / 300F / Gas Mark 2.

It can be cooked for a shorter time in a large, lidded saute pan on top of the cooker, stirring from time to time and adding a touch of water every now and then especially if the apples start to stick. ]]> Lesley Jay http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=16 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=15 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:41:56 GMT I was feeling rather down when looking at the wind blowing the teazles in my front garden and then I saw a flash of red and was overjoyed to see... I was feeling rather down when looking at the wind blowing the teazles in my front garden and then I saw a flash of red and was overjoyed to see goldfinches tucking in


we are in the middle of a housing estate and I was rather regretting sowing teazles as they do take over, but not any more:ce: ]]> theothermarg http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=15 http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=14 Wed, 10 Oct 2007 10:05:28 GMT This is my really easy Christmas Cake recipe. 8oz Self Raising Flour 8oz Soft Brown Sugar 8oz Butter 6 Eggs A good teaspoon Mixed Spice 16oz... This is my really easy Christmas Cake recipe.

8oz Self Raising Flour
8oz Soft Brown Sugar
8oz Butter
6 Eggs
A good teaspoon Mixed Spice
16oz Sultanas
10oz Currants
12oz Raisins
4oz Mixed Peel
5oz Glace Cherries

Put the sultanas, currants and raisins in a large bowl and sift some of the flour over them. Mix the fruit up so that each piece is coated in flour and pick off any stalks that you see. Add the mixed peel and distribute it through the fruit. In a small bowl put the glace cherries, which you slice in half, dusted with a little sifted flour.

Cream the butter and sugar together until it is no longer gritty. Add the eggs one at a time and a little sifted flour if the mixture starts to curdle. Then add the sifted flour and sifted mixed spice. Finally add the fruit. I add the glace cherries last. Make sure the cherries are evenly distributed through the cake mixture.

Line a 9 inch cake tin with 3 layers of greaseproof paper. Add the cake mixture making a dip in the centre of the cake. Wrap a few layers of brown paper around the outside of the cake tin, tie with string.

Bake at 140C, 275F for a fan oven for 3 hours. Test the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean it's cooked. When it is completely cold, wrap in greaseproof, store in a cake tin and remember to keep feeding the cake with whisky. ]]> Lesley Jay http://www.vegetable-gardens.co.uk/forum/blog.php?b=14