We Are Moving

[fivespud364]

Some of you may well know we were thinking of relocating to Somerset for better growing conditions, Well I have great pleasure in announcing that recently I shake on a deal that sees us moving to Somerset early in the new year with me starting the new season over there hopefully starting sowing as early as mid January.

As your aware a lot of last year's problems were the weather especially the late spring and the fact we have no heated growing facilities to get things grown early on and late in the season as well. That will all change this new deal gives me access to 4400 sq feet of heated glass and 26,000 sq feet of polytunnels which if necessary can also be heated. With acres more polytunnels to expand into if I need them.

The site is a 44 acre former shrub nursery that went out of production three years ago due to cheap Dutch imports.

I came across it after I placed a note on the Downsizer forum about looking for a place to rent in Somerset and someone sent me the link to an advert on Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's Landshare scheme website about this opportunity they were offering

"Are you looking for land any size large or small. We have over 40 acres set in Churchill North Somerset consisting of Poly Tunnels, Green Houses, Gravel Beds, Stores, Shade Areas, Despatching Area, Dutch Barns, Paddocks and Bedding Areas all availiable to rent. This Land is offered for Commercial Growers, Small Holdings, Single Allotment areas or a Co-op with a mix of Fruit Trees, Veg, Hens, Pigs, Bees, etc. animals are not a problem although animal husbandry and welfare would need to be at the highest of standards. There is also office space for an educational centre in any of the above sections. This Land has good access to major roads, and on site access for lorries and machinery, If you are looking for land to grow as a single plot or something larger or a Co-op withFruit/Veg and livestock we are open to suggestions "

At first I dismissed it as we were originally looking for somewhere with a house. But it niggled at me and in the end we had to go and see it and see what it was all about and boy oh boy am I glad I did.

So it is being run as an amazing opportunity for all sorts of people and I think will be an amazing community once everyone settles into their various things they want to do they have all sorts of people coming on board to do all sorts of projects.

What does it mean for you the customer?

We will be starting sowing much earlier as we have heated greenhouses and will be able to use our propagation heated mats as well, starting with the sowing of the Aubergines, Peppers, Celery, Celeriac and early brassicas in January

The infrastructure will allow us to sow hundreds of trays at a time meaning we will always have plenty of stock so eliminating too follows.

The plants will be much better quality as we will be able to grow them earlier thus making sure they are better established and looking better when they go out we will also have more stock to choose from thus only picking the best. As I have been given guaranteed outlets for anything I don't sell.

We have access to as much as staff as we want due to a scheme they have in place with the local unemployment agency to re-train people who want to work outdoors or want to re-train in horticulture.

We will have a minimum of two packers so orders are sent out on time as much as possible. But other staff I can pull in to help dispatch if necessary.

Because we are also going to be growing other items as well you will also have access to Fruit, Perennials, Annuals and shrubs and with the extra storage I have a bigger range of sundries as well.

All in all this move gives us everything we need to put this business back on track supplying top quality plants on time delivered on time

[rachel_nickless]

Hi Keith that's really great news and I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

A business like yours fascinates me...how do you find royal mail and parcel force in ensuring your plugs are delivered in one piece...do you get many quality issues or can you pay for specialist packaging?

I tend to buy quite a few plugs but perhaps some consumers still have my mindset in that you query how the plugs will be after royal mail have handled them lol

[fivespud364]

Originally Posted by rachel_nickless

Hi Keith that's really great news and I wish you all the best in your endeavours.

A business like yours fascinates me...how do you find royal mail and parcel force in ensuring your plugs are delivered in one piece...do you get many quality issues or can you pay for specialist packaging?

I tend to buy quite a few plugs but perhaps some consumers still have my mindset in that you query how the plugs will be after royal mail have handled them lol

We do occasionally get damage but probably 98% get there fine. We use all recycled packaging the plugs are placed between 2 sheets of cardboard then wrapped in newspaper like they wrap fish and chips and we then send in recycled boxes.

Since we changed to Royal Mail and Parcelforce we find we are getting less damage than we did by couriers.

[TradeDemon]

Bit late, but sounds really exciting, wish you luck with it. Any updates ?

[fivespud364]

Well I am now commuting to Somerset during the week I drive to the nursery in North Somerset from Cornwall ( Just over 2 hour trip ) on Monday morning then stay at my parents In Sherbourne Dorset Monday night to Wed night travelling up to the nursery daily from there just over an hour each way. Then Thursday evening back to Cornwall for the weekends

As we still cant find a suitable house to rent

Nursery is going fantastically well loads of sowing been done ready for the new season and lots planned going forward and all very exiting

And I love having so much glass space it is fantastic

[golden14]

Good luck on your new venture - I just sell a few plants locally as I am a house husband but I would one day like to take on something a lot bigger