Totton U3A Out and About
Whitchurch Silk Mill
10th August Whitchuch Silk Mill
As usual we will meet at Somerfields Car Park between 10.15 & 10.30am for car sharing.
Anyone wishing to come along will have time to tell Barbara, Molly or myself at the next meeting which is on the 8th of August.
The entrance charge is £3.00 pp. There is a cafe on site, or for those who like to lunch I am sure we can find some other venue. LIZ
As usual we will meet at Somerfields Car Park between 10.15 & 10.30am for car sharing.
Anyone wishing to come along will have time to tell Barbara, Molly or myself at the next meeting which is on the 8th of August.
The entrance charge is £3.00 pp. There is a cafe on site, or for those who like to lunch I am sure we can find some other venue. LIZ
update on days out
Hello to you all from Liz taylor. I apologise for the lack of news over the past month or so. I have had a few family commitments, and also moved out of Sylvia Crescent. At the moment I am in limbo, living in Ashurst with my daughter, prior to moving to Minstead to a permanent address in a few weeks from now. This of course also meant the computer was put away for a few weeks too.
So, here we go with what has been happening.
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June 11th we were unable to go to Stapehill as planned after we discovered that it is closed on a Monday,as we only had a few days to go Molly and I decided to surprise everyone with a trip to Ringwood Town & Country Experience instead. This was a great success and we all enjoyed a very interesting few hours there. It is a completely indoor experience with lots to see. Roman remains,Victorian Dairy,RAF display, Old cars & Motorcycles and much more.Also a very nice lunch in their own Cafe/Bistro.
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July 6th. Eling Mill which is the only working Mill in the country, in fact I believe, in the world.this again was extremely interesting. We were told the history of the building in detail, how it has been rebuilt, shown how the water pressure is used to move the blades on the huge wheels,also how the huge sacks of grain etc were winched up to the top floor to the hoppers. Fascinating stuff well worth the visit. We then walked across the bridge and up the hill to the Rufus Pub where we had a very nice lunch.
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July 12th. Lyburn Cheese Farm. This was arranged by Rusty Hoddinott some few months ago but unfortunately Rusty was unable to come ( you missed a good evening Rusty). Everyone piled on to two trailers set up with bales of straw for us to sit on. These were drawn by two tractors, a little late setting off, we were taken along the road for half a mile or so, through a gate into the fields where the organic vegetables are grown. Mainly Runner & French beans/Courgettes/Pumpkins and others of that family.No Root vegetables at all, as they are grown in other parts of the country.
Also the vegetables are not sold in the Farm shop as they go on the whole to Waitrose. They pick as much as a ton and a half a day each of Courgettes & runner beans. The last field had 140 Cows grazing who were obviously delighted to see us arrive because they got extra rations by eating the bales of straw (yes! the ones we were sitting on ) the Farmer did not seem to mind even though one gentleman ( who I might add was not one of ours) proceeded to untie a bale and throw it into the field for them. Hey Ho.
The main produce is of course the cheeses of which they have four different ones, also some butter. The milk from the cows taken at 5.30 am is still warm when the process of cheese making starts and, at 9.30pm on the same day is being taken out of its container and turned over by hand then replaced in the container to hold its shape and texture etc.All very hard work and long hours. On returning to the farm we had a splendid Ploughmans lunch all laid out for us to help ourselves to, red & white Wine was poured or a soft drink, plus second helpings if you wanted.
Photos to follow later from these events and should you wish to try the cheeses the Farm shop is open tuesday to friday from 11.00am to 4.30pm, or they have a stall at several local Farmers markets. liz signing off.
So, here we go with what has been happening.
*************************
June 11th we were unable to go to Stapehill as planned after we discovered that it is closed on a Monday,as we only had a few days to go Molly and I decided to surprise everyone with a trip to Ringwood Town & Country Experience instead. This was a great success and we all enjoyed a very interesting few hours there. It is a completely indoor experience with lots to see. Roman remains,Victorian Dairy,RAF display, Old cars & Motorcycles and much more.Also a very nice lunch in their own Cafe/Bistro.
**************************
July 6th. Eling Mill which is the only working Mill in the country, in fact I believe, in the world.this again was extremely interesting. We were told the history of the building in detail, how it has been rebuilt, shown how the water pressure is used to move the blades on the huge wheels,also how the huge sacks of grain etc were winched up to the top floor to the hoppers. Fascinating stuff well worth the visit. We then walked across the bridge and up the hill to the Rufus Pub where we had a very nice lunch.
****************************
July 12th. Lyburn Cheese Farm. This was arranged by Rusty Hoddinott some few months ago but unfortunately Rusty was unable to come ( you missed a good evening Rusty). Everyone piled on to two trailers set up with bales of straw for us to sit on. These were drawn by two tractors, a little late setting off, we were taken along the road for half a mile or so, through a gate into the fields where the organic vegetables are grown. Mainly Runner & French beans/Courgettes/Pumpkins and others of that family.No Root vegetables at all, as they are grown in other parts of the country.
Also the vegetables are not sold in the Farm shop as they go on the whole to Waitrose. They pick as much as a ton and a half a day each of Courgettes & runner beans. The last field had 140 Cows grazing who were obviously delighted to see us arrive because they got extra rations by eating the bales of straw (yes! the ones we were sitting on ) the Farmer did not seem to mind even though one gentleman ( who I might add was not one of ours) proceeded to untie a bale and throw it into the field for them. Hey Ho.
The main produce is of course the cheeses of which they have four different ones, also some butter. The milk from the cows taken at 5.30 am is still warm when the process of cheese making starts and, at 9.30pm on the same day is being taken out of its container and turned over by hand then replaced in the container to hold its shape and texture etc.All very hard work and long hours. On returning to the farm we had a splendid Ploughmans lunch all laid out for us to help ourselves to, red & white Wine was poured or a soft drink, plus second helpings if you wanted.
Photos to follow later from these events and should you wish to try the cheeses the Farm shop is open tuesday to friday from 11.00am to 4.30pm, or they have a stall at several local Farmers markets. liz signing off.
