Sunday 20th April 12.30 for 13.00 Ebrington Village Hall,Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire

St. George is the patron saint of England and St. Georges Day is April 23rd but Ebrington are celebrating the Day on the nearest Sunday with a traditional Sunday Family Lunch. Dress is an optional English Theme but it is certainly the day for having a red rose in your button hole whatever you wear.

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Tags: chipping campden | ebrington | cotswolds | food | gloucestershire | shakespeare

Cooked and uncooked food waste was collected for composting for the first time by Cotswold District Council’s contractor SITA today (Tuesday, 11th March).

Householders who live in and around the villages of Birdlip, Cowley and Coberley were the first in the Cotswold District to have their waste collected under the Council’s new waste service today. Read the rest of this article »

Tags: cotswolds | recycling | cirencester | food

Pupils from 54 schools in Gloucestershire have given generously and raised over £5100.00 to feed children in developing countries.

Schools were invited to take part in the World Food Programme’s ‘Buy One Give One Free’ initiative, which took place on World Food Day on Monday 16th October.  Schoolchildren were asked to donate 11p, which is the amount needed to feed one child in the developing world for one day.

As a county, they raised £5144.26, which translates into 46,766 extra children being fed through the World Food Programme’s School Feeding Programme.

Many events were organised by pupils themselves, with school councils and classes coming up with ideas to raise money for the World Food Programme’s School Feeding Programmes including miles of pennies, auctions, car washing and theme days. Bishop’s College, Shrubberies Special School and Heron Primary School won a competition to tell the story of their campaigns.  Representatives from these schools will be visiting the World Food Programme in London next month.

Councillor Joan Nash, Cabinet Member for Schools; said: This is an extremely impressive amount of money to be raised by our schoolchildren. Through their generosity, they have ensured that over 46,000 children will receive a meal.  This is a wonderful example of pupil power and participation and I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to all of the schools which took part”.

Representatives from School Councils of some of the schools that raised money have been invited to a ceremony to be held at Shire Hall in Gloucester on Wednesday 16th January where Greg Barrow, a representative of The World Food Programme will receive the cheques from students of Archway School, who raised the largest amount of money.  Jo Davidson, Group Director of Children and Young People’s Services, will be presenting certificates.

Source: Gloucestershire County Council

Tags: charity | education | food | gloucestershire

Friday 15th February 2008 at 7.30pm

Edward Sheldon Limited are independent Wine Merchants who have been trading in Shipston-on-Stour since 1842. They have a range of over 700 wines and, although they specialize in French wines, their list incorporates a wide and diverse range from around the world.

On Friday 15th February at 7.30pm they are holding a Wine and Dine evening with Wine Maker Philippe Germain.

The Germain family own five estates in Bordeaux and three in the Loire Valley and Philippe will be taking guests through wines from prime sites in these regions.

The ticket price is £30.00 per person to include a 4/5 course meal and wines.

Put the date in your diary and go along and learn about the wines, drink the wines, have a good meal and support your local Wine Merchant all at the same time.

Edward Sheldon Limited
6 New Street
Shipston-on-Stour
Warwickshire
CV36 4FA

Telephone 01608 661409
Email: finewine@edward-sheldon.co.uk
Web: www.edward-sheldon.co.uk

Tags: food | shipston on stour | wine

Sprouts are nice to eat! Sprouts are good for you! Who says?

William Haines, whose family have been farming sprouts for three generations in Chipping Campden in the Cotswolds is persuading children that sprouts are nice to eat.

Sprouts are like Marmite - you either love them or hate them - there is no in between. The sprout was voted Britain’s least liked vegetable in 2002 but William believes that people always say that they don’t like sprouts but that is because they only have them once a year at Christmas and then they don’t know how to cook them. The old varieties were bitter but new types are much sweeter and therefore more appealing to all.

He tempts the children by serving recipes with hidden sprouts- sprout fritters, sprout cake and battered sprouts - and has a 80% success rate in converting them over to the benefits of the sprout.

The sprout is one of the few fresh vegetables on our plates in the depths of winter and they are a nutritious treat when properly prepared. They are very low in fat and sodium and high in dietary fibre and vitamin C. Weight for weight sprouts have three times the level of vitamin C of an orange and just four to six sprouts contain the adult daily dose of vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin D and folic acid during pregnancy and have specific health-promoting compounds called glucosinolates which may help to prevent cancer.

All in all they have a lot going for them so get some in for Christmas and also get all the family to eat them throughout the winter months.

Sprouts are part of the cabbage family and British farmers produce more than £30 million worth of sprouts a year. Sprout tops, once a poor man’s food, are now one of the most fashionable vegetables around and can be found on the menu of many top-class restaurants throughout the UK.

Tags: food | christmas

Simon Weaver’s Organic Cotswold Brie is now available on the Eurostar London to Paris route

Simon Weaver Cotswold Organic Dairy at Kirkham Farm, Upper Slaughter in the Cotswolds produces a range of Cotswold Brie cheeses using their herd of Friesian cows which are fed on the clover meadows of the River Dickler, farmed exclusively and organically for them alone. Talking of “carbon footprints” their milk travels all of 5 metres from the milking parlour to the creamery. Beat that for a minimalist footprint!

The creamery produces Cotswold Brie, which has won two Taste of the West awards, and they have now added to the range Blue Cotswold Brie - a light blue veined cheese - and Cotswold Herb Brie - to which has been added a suble tasting mix of organic herbs.

The organic Cotswold Brie is now available on the Eurostar London to Paris rail route where it is served to first class diners with their evening meal, so Simon is certainly taking the cheese challenge to the French, in part, in their own country. Simon Weaver has been farming for over 25 years and the Organic Dairy now produces over a ton of cheese every week with organic Cotswold Brie now available in Sainsbury’s stores and Daylsford Organic shops.

Simon Weaver Cotswold Organic Dairy
Kirkham Farm
Upper Slaughter
Gloucestershire
GL54 2JS
Telephone 01451 870852
www.simonweaver.net
You can buy direct from the creamery which is open Monday to Wednesday 09.00 to 13.00

www.eurostar.com

Photo Copyright (c) John Hicks, HicksDesign.co.uk

Tags: cheese | food

Saturday 29th September 19.00 Ebrington Village Hall

Harvest Suppers are held throughout the countryside to celebrate the safe� gathering of the crops.

Harvest Home

“Hip!Hip!Hip!For the harvest home,

Now we’ve taken the last load home,

I ripped my shirt and teared my skin,

To get my master’s harvest in.”

Ebrington’s traditional Harvest Supper will be held at the end of September in the Village Hall and will be a Yubberton Supper and Entertainment.

There is a licensed Bar for beer and wine

The cost is Adults £6.00 Children 12 years and under £3.50

Contact Jean Stanley 01386 593250 or Malvern Strollers 01386 840120

Everyone is most welcome.

Tags: beer | ebrington | food

Saturday 11th August Ebrington Flower and Vegetable Show

The Ebrington and District Gardening Club are holding their 27th Annual Show at The Washbrook Barn, Ebrington and in spite of the recent bad weather, the Club is hoping to have lots and lots of entries in all of the classes to show (no pun intended) that the village tradition and its growing and craft skills are as strong as ever.

There are classes for - Vegetables, Flowers, Fruit,Floral Art,Cookery,Wine,Photography and Craft Work.

Whilst entry is generally for club members only the Children’s classes are open to any child up to and including the age of 12 years and the Floral Art classes are also open to members of Ebrington Women’s Institute.

You will have seen The Great British Village Show on the telly so lets show the BBC what a real Cotswold Village Show is all about (and our judges are just as fierce and just as critical) but unfortunately we can’t take the winners to Highgrove.

The Show is open to the public from 2.30pm and prizes are presented at 4.00pm.

The Show proved to be a big success with over 400 entries and lots of visitors. In particular the children’s section was very well supported with 45 entries and the overall quality of all entries was excellent.

The Special Prizes were awarded as follows:-
Challenge Shield - most points gained in the Show - Rachel Cunynghame
Sarah Grant Memorial Bowl - Lady gaining most points in the Show - Rachel Cunynghame
Miriam Collins Flower Cup - most points gained in Classes 22-61-Rachel Cunynghame
RHS Bronze Medal-most points gained in Classes 1-68-Eric Williams
Drinkwater Cup-for Floral Art Class 71-Beryl Warren
National Vegetable Society Medal-most points gained in Classes 1-21-Doug Drinkwater
National Vegetable Society Medal-best single vegetable exhibit-Doug Drinkwater
National Vegetable Society Medal-most points gained in Classes 1-3-Roger Righton
National Vegetable Society Medal-most points gained in Classes 15-19-Jo Spark
Peter Righton Memorial Cup-Best Dahlia exhibit-Kevin Righton
Best exhibit in Rose Classes 31-34-Jo Spark
Most points gained in Fruit Classes 62-68-Eric Williams
Cherry Trees Floral Art Cup-most points gained in Classes 69-71-Dorothy Hart
Derby Cookery Cup-most points gained in Classes 84-99-Rachel Cunynghame
Best exhibit in Class 85-Lemon Drizzle Cake- Sheila Masey
Tankard-most points gained in Wine Classes-John Baldwin
David Goodenough Cup-best bottle of wine in Show-John Baldwin
Ebrington Arms Cup-most points gained in Photography Classes - Tim Binder
Craft Work Cup-most points gained in Craft Classes- Jo Spark
Craft Prize-best exhibit in Craft Classes - Tim Binder
Paddington Bear Cup-best exhibit in Children’s Classes - Ethan Hannis
RHS Junior Competitor’s Award of Merit - best children’s horticultural exhibit-Kara Cooke
Mai Dorrington Cup - most points gained in children’s under age 5 classes - Christopher Hunt
Mai Dorrington Cup- most points gained in children’s aged 5-8 classes - James Warren
Mai Dorrington Cup- most points gained in children’s aged 9-12 - Chloe Friedman
Gardening Club Monthly Competition- most wins in the year - Jane Hart

The challenge now is to make the 2008 Show even bigger and better - Happy Growing

Tags: ebrington | food | wi

A real Cotswold Hen with very special ox-blood dark brown eggs

This is another special Cotswold Hen. The name originates from Cotswold farmers Tom and Mabel Pearman who moved to Westhill, Burford during the early 1900’s. Mabel earned pin money from butter and from the special dark brown eggs from the hens which were her pride and joy.

Mabel kept her hens in the Rickyard at Manor Farm and they were free to roam on the grassy slopes overlooking Burford High Street.

Their eggs were very special with a chocolate coloured shell and large deep yellow yolks and a super flavour. With their thick dark brown shells they soon became known as Burford Browns.

Mabel Pearman was Philip Lee-Woolf’s grandmother and the origins of her birds have been passed down through the family until he has reintroduced the breed through the ethical egg producer he founded - Clarence Court. Three years ago Mr Lee-Woolf, bred the first Mabel Pearman’s Brown Burford in 50 years. The hens were difficult to breed because the gene for a chocolate-coloured egg is recessive, meaning it would be swamped by any genes for other colours. Only chickens with a particular heritage produce the eggs.

Another problem is that the blue-black hens lay just five eggs a week compared with up to 10 from the average modern hybrid.

Clarence Court are donating 2p to HEN Aid for every pack of Burford Brown eggs sold between now and End of September.

www.clarencecourt.co.uk

Farm Africa - making a lasting difference to Africa’s families.

Tags: charity | eggs | food

From Patagonia to Stow-on-the-Wold - what a journey!

An “Old Cotswold Legbar” is a chicken. The hen lays her eggs in a variety of beautiful pastel colours including turquoise, blue, olive, pink, peach and eau-de-nil. The colours are perfectly natural and are akin to the eggs laid by many wild birds.

They are proud, striking birds with distinctive “crests” and the hawk-like eyes of their earlier Chilean relatives. They can be traced back to the 1920s. Botanist and explorer, Mr. Clarence Elliott from Stow-on-the Wold in the Cotswolds, who toured the world collecting rare plants and animals, set sail for home in 1927 from Patagonia and amongst the many animals on board his “Noahs Ark” were three Chilean Araucana hens and a cockerel. Disaster struck when the cockerel was killed accidently but the three hens survived the trip.

These hens were used at Cambridge University in genetic studies of poultry and by crossing these Araucana hens with White Leghorns and Gold Legbars, and over four generations, they produced the Cream Legbar.

Direct descendants of these Cambridge Legbars are now kept on farms in the Cotswolds and have been instrumental in the development of Clarence Court’s own bird - the Old Cotswold Legbar.

Clarence Court are donating 2p to HEN-Aid for every pack of Old Cotswold Legbar eggs sold until the end of September.

www.clarencecourt.co.uk

Stay for Bed and Breakfast at Little Gidding and you will be served a free range Old Cotswold Legbar egg (or eggs) from Ebrington Washbrook at the breakfast table and we can show you the blue egg shell as proof.(subject to their hens co-operating and providing enough eggs)

Tags: ebrington | eggs | food