Newsletters from Trevaskis Farm

Trevaskis Farm

Winter pruning in the sunshine...?

Edition 10 - 09.02.08

A very belated Happy New Year! 2008 looks set to be another exciting year for Trevaskis Farm. January saw the building of our new conservatory - so far a great success in easing pressure on the restaurant and very popular with those who were first to dine there. So now, even in the most miserable February weather, our hardy customers still have somewhere cheerful to enjoy a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a cake!

Last week saw some glorious bright blue days that tingled with a sense of Spring; the patio was bustling with people making the most of those rare sparkling moments, the farm field staff, me included, ventured out of the polly tunnels for some outside pruning work and even the piglets and their mothers have been out enjoying the moments of sun! Despite the unpredictable weather, there has been fantastic subscription to Paul's Organic Kitchen Gardening workshop days - the Winter Pruning day on the 16th February and the Kitchen Garden Year Workshop on March18th. There are still a few places available for both - read on...

Here, we are all buzzing with the prospect of our next major project since the restaurant expansion. You cannot fail to notice the deep trenches surrounding the Farm Shop and the rabbit warren of protective wire fences. Yes, it has finally begun - the building of our brand new concept that will transform the farm shopping experience! More about that in the next newsletter...

In the meantime, some more excellent community work from our chefs in schools program...

Still struggling to train your cane fruits or grappling with your apple tree?

Paul's winter pruning course next Saturday looks set to be another really popular event in our education programme.

Set amist four acres of established apple orchard and eighteen acres of cane and bush fruits, the day takes participants through the training and pruning of their fruit trees, from step-overs and cordons to fans and trails, Paul's fifty years growing experience and depth of knowledge have proved invaluable to particpants on previous workshop days, who often drop in to keep us updated on their progress, having successfully applied the techniques learned on Paul's course in their own gardens, and sometimes just to pick Paul's brains!

Following this, another Organic Kitchen Garden Workshop Day on on March 8th is already filling up fast, taking participants through the Organic Kitchen Gardening , from soil and bed preparation and crop choice to harvesting fruits and organic methods for pest control. The day is a pleasurable, hands- on workshop day set in Paul's Organic Kitchen Garden - established two years ago as an education centre. With a delicious home-made pasty for lunch and concluding with a much needed cream tea, the day is a sociable and rewarding experience.

Previous participant, George Robinson says 'Paul's knowledge and expertise were invaluable. The course gave me confidence to grow my own vegetables at home and I loved his 'just-get-on-with-it' attitude. I would highly recommend this course to anyone.'

If you're interested in taking part in either of these courses or would like further information, please call Hannah or Emma on 01209 713931.

The next generation in Catering...

We were delighted to be invited back to Mounts Bay School Last Tuesday as part of a Year 9 careers day.

Jeremy Jackson, at the age of 21, has six years cheffing experience and is a key member of the Trevaskis team - a terrific role model for these Cornish teenagers! Jez delivered an excellent cookery demonstration to over 70 children and guided them through practical activities that highlighted the creative skills needed in cheffing, while underlining the message that your meals are only ever as good as the quality of the produce you use, and seasonal produce picked minutes from your doorstep will be the best you can hope for!

The three sessions were a great success and definately caused a stir in Mounts Bay's Year 9. Their efforts were fantastic and we're sure we discovered a few budding chefs! Eat your heart out Jamie Oliver...