I really enjoy planning the interior of the bedrooms and I’m constantly on the lookout for suitable bits and pieces to make them comfortable for our guests.  I’ve just finished recovering this pretty footstool with fabric left over from making the curtains which I thought would be fun.  I hope to obtain some comfy sofas which I can reupholster so guests can easily enjoy watching TV, reading or just relaxing in their room.

Footstool prior to recovering

Footstool with its new cover!

One of the bedrooms has the luxury of a huge en suite bathroom with a free standing bath, twin sinks and a large shower.  However, I am finding it a challenge to replace the original bath plunger but nothing is impossible!?!

We already have a busy year planned ahead with many wedding guests booked as well as returning guests for the popular Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb held locally, events at the Malvern Three Counties Showground and we are especially excited to be hosting a marquee in the orchard for a wedding reception in May; more photos and excitement to follow.

As always, we look forward to welcoming new and returning guests to our home and please don’t forget, Stephen is more than happy to cook an evening meal for you.  Trust me, you won’t leave the table hungry!

Happy New Year!
Lucy & Stephen

A class of 3 students, all eager to learn and go home with a reupholstered piece of furniture creates a fantastic atmosphere; one of anticipation and excitement.

Ed brought his family rocking chair which he beautifully cleaned and then pin stuffed the seat and back.  Lizzie came with an amazing, Regency style, circular piano stool which she diligently stripped and rebuilt from scratch, patiently stitching to form the hard edge.  And Kate came bearing 2 stools and a picture back dining chair.  The stools were finished with beautiful linen cloth from Tinsmiths of Ledbury and the picture back dining chair was half stripped, ready for another day.

Lucy helping Ed with his pin stuff seat on his rocking chair.

The 2 day course was filled with concentration, dedication and satisfaction at the end results, not to mention the delicious lunches prepared by Stephen.  And homemade cake in the afternoon!

I will be holding 2 day beginners upholstery courses every other month but I’m happy to hold an afternoon course or a 1 day course to suit student’s needs; just get in contact and let me know.

Fun was had by all and although the students had to negotiate the escapee piglets up the drive and the friendly, pet lamb who decided he wanted to join the upholstery class too, all in all, everyone left with a smile on their face and a new skill found.

Kate stripping her picture back dining chair

Lizzie concentrating hard on her piano stool.

More and more male guests are leaving with the new knowledge that their home is about to be totally redecorated or in some extreme cases, an extension built when they get home!  For female guests, they leave armed with a list of interior decoration ideas to implement and projects to complete.

More and more guests, especially female guests, are leaving Huntlands Farm Bed and Breakfast full of motivation to redecorate their house, plan a new kitchen or reupholster or recover their old chair that they started in earnest many years ago but have never got back to.

My passion for interior decoration started when I had to renovate the house and start planning each room.  I love putting fabrics and colours together with old furniture finds, whether they be from free cycle, an antique/second hand shop or in some extreme cases, the tip!  There is nothing more satisfying than finding something old and possibly unwanted that you know can be renovated and turned back into something useful and possibly cherished. 

If you share my love for old furniture and renovation, why not satisfy your craving and come along to one of my beginners’ upholstery classes; the first one is this weekend which should be fun.  Next week I’ll put some photos up of student’s work and their progress.  It may just stimulate your interior dreams and make them a reality!

The kitchen at Huntlands Farm Bed & Breakfast

Having visited and arranged a time to collect the kittens I didn’t think there was anything else to do but wait until they are old enough to be weaned from their mother.  I hadn’t realised that naming these little balls of fluff was going to be that difficult but I was proved wrong.  We sat one evening and brainstormed names, some hilarious, some downright stupid but we had a great laugh doing so.  In the end, Stephen shouted out “rice and peas” as just about every Jamaican dish is accompanied by rice and peas (red kidney beans).  And so, Rice and Peas were born, Rice having a tiny bit of white fluff under his chin.  Other than that, they are identical.  They both are jet black with the most amazing brown markings, almost like a tiger’s markings.  And they act like tigers when our 3 friendly dogs try to befriend them.  Rice and Peas are having none of it; one spat at the dogs recently!

They are still quite small and haven’t ventured very far from the protection of Stephen’s workshop and garage but soon, they will get into mischief everywhere.  They have a whole farm waiting to explore.  It’s also lovely when guests have finished their breakfast and as they leave the table ask if they can visit Rice and Peas as well as any other small farm animals that may have been born at the time.

I have a feeling Rice and Peas are going to be real characters and great attractions for all who visit us.  They are already benefitting from the leftover bacon and sausage each morning!

Rice and Peas!

We also have another runt of the litter piglet in the house which is turning into a character.  He is being fed every 1.5 hours, 24 hours a day.

Percy piglet

The wild ducks are starting to sit on their eggs; I noticed that one has made her nest under the wooden troughs that we usually grow our tomatoes in, in the garden.  But another very brave duck has decided to chance it and has made her nest in the middle of the pampas grass on the edge of the pond.  I just hope one doesn’t decide to rearrange my bulbs in the garden to make a nest like they have done in previous years.

The last two months have been extremely busy and we’ve managed to finish decorating the downstairs Georgian front; we are now starting the upstairs but as with all things, it is taking longer than anticipated!  And when the weather is so lovely I would rather be outside than in.

Besides our decorating and renovating efforts, we have also turned out attention to outside and had the original railings at the front of the house renovated and moved to the side of the driveway.  The animals are now closer to the house which means guests can sit in the lounge and look out into the field to see the sheep and cattle much closer.  This will be especially wonderful when the lambs are born early next month.

Other updates on the farm is that Spot the pet piglet is now a monster and is holding court with his new friends in the barn!  Recently, we took delivery of a new Aberdeen Angus bull who will soon be put with our lovely Long Horn cows so watch out for some beautiful calves in the future.  I also have taken delivery of some new chickens as well as two beautiful Orpington cockerels who have now learnt how to cockadoodledoo!  When they first arrived, it was rather a pathetic effort but now they are crowing to their hearts content.  Luckily, they don’t make a noise until they are let out so we aren’t woken up at dawn.

Gloucestershire Old Spot pet piglet at Huntlands Farm

January and February are always dull months when it comes to the weather.  March is when everything starts to poke its head out of the ground and shout, I’m still alive!  This weekend just past made we realize just how lucky we are to live where we do.  I have beautiful eggs from my free range hens which taste absolutely delicious, especially poached or scrambled for breakfast.  So many guests comment on the colour and texture as well as the scrummy taste of my hen’s eggs.  I was also able to visit my brother’s house up the lane and pick a wonderful, fresh bunch of daffodils from the field in front of his house which seem to be the best show we’ve ever had.  To round the weekend off, I picked  some early rhubarb from the garden and popped it in the pan to stew as well as make a scrumptious rhubarb and ginger crumble. 

Daffodils at Lower Elmores End Farm, near Huntlands Farm Bed & Breakfast

What a wonderful way to live, with nature.

Earlier this month we had the Clifton on Teme hunt meet which was a rather lovely spectacle; the only down side was that later in the day my father fell over and dislocated his shoulder – probably too much punch!  

Clifton on Teme hunt

We’ve also had the privilege of Spot the runt piglet living in a box by the Aga for a few nights; she has now been re-homed and one of her siblings has joined her.  They both live in their own large wooden box in the barn where they can enjoy individual attention and milk rather than fighting for it with their other 14 siblings!  Poor Lou Lou their Gloucester Old Spot mother really has her trotters full. 

Spot, the Gloucester Old Spot runt by the Aga

I also managed to get all my mistletoe deliveries done before my beloved car broke down en route back from Gatwick airport.  No, I wasn’t delivering mistletoe to Gatwick but Stephen was taking his mother for her return journey to Jamaica.  Thankfully, the car decided to keep going so she made her flight but poor Stephen was 5 hours late making it home!  His mother almost made it home to Jamaica before he did. 

So this past week with a sick car and a sick father I’ve stayed at home, eaten lots and ticked some jobs off my 2011 unfinished to do list!  One such item is reupholstering a pink draylon covered nursing chair with the beautiful Arthur Sanderson china blue Pear & Pomegranate fabric from A Painter’s Garden collection.  The chair is a present for a friend who is expecting a baby this spring; I so hope she likes it.
 

Pink Draylon Nursing Chair - before

Pink Draylon Nursing Chair - after

This is my last news item for 2011 so I wish you all a very happy new year and look forward to updating you with what 2012 has to bring Huntlands Farm.  

Happy New Year!
Lucy

Tenbury Wells mistletoe season and festivities start in mid-November with the switch on of the town’s Christmas lights and events continue until mid-December.  During this time National Mistletoe Day is celebrated which is always the first Saturday in December.  The day sees a procession by the National Mistletoe Foundation through the town led by the “Bang On” Drummers, a multi-faith ceremony on the Burgage which concludes with the crowning of this year’s Mistletoe Queen and Holly Prince.  The day continues with other events and activities for all to enjoy.

So last weekend I set about cutting and bunching up my mistletoe to sell; for the next 3 weeks I will be unable to carry passengers in my car as the seats come out and the mistletoe goes in.  I enjoy delivering the mistletoe, especially in the early mornings when the shops haven’t opened to the public and its cold and frosty as it makes me feel very festive.  I don’t see some of my mistletoe customers all year but as soon as December arrives,  I hear ”here comes the mistletoe lady”!

Mistletoe in a Herefordshire orchard

If you have any questions regarding mistletoe I’m sure The English Mistletoe Company will have an answer for you.

The second mistletoe auction was yesterday so if you wish to visit a Tenbury Mistletoe Auction the last one will be held on Tuesday 13th December 2011.

I hope you enjoy your Christmas preparations and don’t forget the mistletoe!

Herefordshire Mistletoe berries

On Saturday 26th November 2011 Bringsty Forge held their third public open day in which they invited the general public to view their hand crafted artefacts and watch them at work.  I have fallen in love with many things, including this beautiful poppy sconce.

Poppy sconce made by Bringsty Forge Blacksmiths

Handmade artefacts by Bringsty Forge Blacksmiths

The Forge is run by 3 blacksmiths, Adrian Legge, Henry Pomfrett, and Tony Ingarfield.

Besides being a lovely, local meeting place, it also gave me a few ideas for the bed and breakfast and so my shopping list has increased by at least 3 items, if not more!  It was also a rather apt time to visit Bringsty Forge as I am currently decorating the large Georgian rooms (the last part of the renovation of the house) and so I am missing what I consider a few vital items for these rooms!  Namely, the wonderful fireside pan, brush and poker set which I can already picture on one of the large Georgian fireplaces I’ve had put in.  I also had an idea to ask the blacksmiths if they can make me some large curtain rail holders as I only have the originals for one room and part of that original is missing so another job for them as well I think.  Also, a door handle and its keeper for the large front door as it is proving quite difficult to source one readymade off the shelf. 

Gosh, the list is endless as they can literally make you anything you wish, how wonderful is that?

If you are interested in visiting the Forge when you are staying at Huntlands Farm Bed and Breakfast, please do let me know so I can organise a visit for you.  I’m sure Adrian, Henry, and Tony will only be too delighted to show you around and let you watch them work for a little while.

Fireside set made by Bringsty Forge Blacksmiths

Herefordshire cider apples

With over 9,500 acres of cider orchards in Herefordshire, the county produces well over half of the cider that is drunk in this country.  Many producers provide cider and perry tours as well as selling direct to the public. 

Therefore, if you decide to follow the Cider Route during your stay with us at Huntlands Farm Bed and Breakfast you will be able to visit, taste and purchase many ciders and perrys from:

The Cider Museum in Hereford
Dunkertons Cider Mill
Newton Court Cidery, Newton Court, Newton, Leominster
Butford Organics
Oliver’s Cider & Perry
Gregg’s Pit Cider & Perry
Westons Cider
Lyne Down Cider & Perry
Ross on Wye Cider & Perry Company Ltd
Gwatkin Cider
Once Upon a Tree

Herefordshire cider apples

And if you wish to be more adventurous, you could always take the Cider Cycling Tour.  However, be careful as you can still be breathalysed in charge of a cycle!

If you don’t fancy drinking the cider you purchase, why not make a Herefordshire Cider Cake?!

For a more comprehensive list of cider producers in the area Herefordshire CAMRA provides a great list.

However, there is one special cider producer I would like to mention as their cider is my all time favourite and that is Mahorall Farm Cider, situated just over the border in Shropshire.  If you wish to visit Mahorall Farm, they also offer a Nature Trail and Falconry Days. 

Lastly, a date to put in your diary for next year is the Blossomtime Festival in May.

Cheers!