Blooming bumper crop of Pumpkins for 2008

October 29th, 2008 admin

 

A CHESHIRE farm has escaped the national pumpkin shortage as it celebrates one of its largest crops in almost 50 years.

 

Families fearing a pumpkin shortage ahead of Friday’s spooky celebrations have nothing to worry about as a Cheshire farm is celebrating one of its biggest pumpkin harvests.

 

The Hollies Farm Shop, at Little Budworth, has grown more than 4,000 pumpkins on its 100 acre farm this year despite national reports that pumpkin harvests are down by 30 per cent the anticipated crop numbers.

 

The family-run farm shop specialises in growing root vegetables and has been growing pumpkins in its fields since 1959.

 

“Our family has been growing pumpkins and ornamental gourds on the farm for almost 50 years and our team of horticultural experts are growing probably the biggest crop in Cheshire,” said Ed Cowap director of The Hollies.

 

He added: “We had a poor year last year which might have been due to the weather but this year has been one of the best yet. The team that looks after the pumpkin harvest has done an amazing job nurturing them.”

 

With the largest Halloween display in Cheshire the farm shop on the A49 near Tarporley is brewing with eerie excitement ahead of Halloween.

 

For more information visit www.theholliesfarmshop.co.uk

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Children given a ‘spooky’ halloween treat

October 28th, 2008 admin

THERE was some eerie excitement at Sandiway Primary School during half term when pupils were given a ‘spooky’ surprise.

 

Children at the school’s multi-skills club were presented with pumpkins from The Hollies Farm Shop, at Little Budworth, to turn into ghostly works of art in time for their Halloween fancy dress party.

 

Mair Strawbridge, Acting Headteacher of Sandiway Primary School, explained: “We are so grateful to The Hollies for donating the pumpkins, which gave some added hubble, bubble, toil and trouble to the holloween party.  

 

“Many of the children may not have had the chance to work with pumpkins before so it was a great opportunity for them – and they came back with some scary designs.”

 

During the two-day club, more than 30 children took part in a range of activities including netball, football, bench ball, and musical games before finishing off with a Holloween fancy dress party.  

 

Mindy Cowap of The Hollies added: “Our family has been growing pumpkins for almost 50 years and this year we have harvested more than 4,000.

 

“We always encourage youngsters to grow their own pumpkins where ever possible and it was great to be able to show the kids at Sandiway Primary just how fun pumpkins can be!”

 

For more information visit www.theholliesfarmshop.co.uk

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Celebration of the ‘Taste of Cheshire’

October 21st, 2008 admin

THOUSANDS of foodie’s delved in to the full bodied flavour of Cheshire when it came to life for a celebration of everything that’s tasty about the county.

 

Visitors flocked to The Hollies Farm Shop, at Little Budworth in the heart of Cheshire, for the Vale Royal Food and Garden Festival with Vale Royal Borough Council to celebrate the ‘Taste of Cheshire’.

 

Food producers from across Cheshire and the North West demonstrated their delicacies at the free Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19.

 

The Hollies director Ed Cowap said: “The Food Festival was a huge success and showcased the food of the region at its absolute best.

 

“There were some fantastic regional producers attending and we hope visitors came away having experienced a ‘Taste of Cheshire’ and will continue to support local producers.

 

“It was a great celebration of what Cheshire has to offer as a leading dairy county and boasting some of the country’s finest independent producers.”

 

More than 50 regional food producers tantalized taste buds with the finest delicacies from across the North West, including meats, fish, cheese, pates, chocolates, jams and preserves, fruit juices, olives, wine and champagne, and much more.

 

The food marquee was bursting full of tasty treats as hoards of visitors met with producers and sampled some of Cheshire’s tasty attractions.

 

Visitors were also able to pick up some mouth watering tips from award-winning Master Chef of Great Britain Brian Mellor, who was joined by culinary experts from some of Cheshire’s finest eateries to give cookery demonstrations.  

 

Chefs from Cheshire restaurants, including Nunsmere Hall Hotel, The Alvanley Arms, Cabbage Hall, The Hollies’ Concept Café and Heathercliff Hotel, showed visitors how to cook using the regions freshest and finest ingredients.

  

Brian, who works closely with producers in the North West, explained: “Cheshire is a foodie’s heaven, with more and more outstanding producers cropping up all the time. The Hollies is a fantastic platform for local producers to have their products recognised, and it is vital that we support and sustain local food producers.”

 

For those watching the calories there was also a craft market, entertainment, Christmas gifts and winter gardening ideas from The Hollies horticultural experts.

 

For more information visit www.theholliesfarmshop.co.uk

 

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Cheshire’s chefs receive master class

October 6th, 2008 admin

 

 CELEBRATED chef Brian Mellor gave some of the Cheshire’s top chefs his expert advice on how to create a ‘Taste of Cheshire’, ahead of the Vale Royal Food and Garden Festival.

                                                          

Award-winning Master Chef of Great Britain Brian Mellor met chefs at Nunsmere Hall Hotel, at Oakmere, on Wednesday, October 1, to put the finishing touches to their recipes in preparation of giving cookery demonstrations at the Vale Royal Food and Garden Festival.

 

Brian will be compering chef demonstrations, as well as cooking himself, at the Festival held at The Hollies Farm Shop, at Little Budworth, on Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19.

 

Chefs from Cabbage Hall, Nunsmere Hall’s Crystal Restaurant, The Alvanley Arms,

Macdonald Portal Hotel, The Hollies’ Concept Café, and Heathercliffe Hotel all enjoyed a private session with Brian, to learn how to make the most of the region’s produce.

 

The chefs are all from businesses involved in the Destination 49 tourism project, which involves a band of businesses, including hotels, restaurants, tourism attractions and retail outlets, situated along the A49 road joining forces to create a year-round tourist attraction, that is a showcase of all that is great in Cheshire.

 

Destination 49 will also have a stand at the food festival to promote the tourism route, which lines the A49 through the heart of Cheshire.

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