roses vs realism

I was involved in discussions last week about the kinds of things that people look for when they visit the countryside. Once you start to think about it, you realise that the countryside means so many different things to so many different people.

One of the points raised, was about the gap that often exists between visitor perceptions, or preconceptions of the countryside - and what it actually is. (and the tendency of certain tourist businesses, to perpetuate and commercially exploit this myth)

But on reflection, does it really matter?

Let's take the example of 'fun farms' with their fluffy, all year round baby animals, or 'country fayres' with their pots of frilly topped jam, and funny shaped vegetables. They offer an undeniably cosy picture, far removed from the reality of rural daily life - but people often come to the countryside to escape 'daily life'.

If these stereotype images and experiences encourage further interest in all things 'country' and a willingness to return, maybe to experience something different next time - then they have served an equally useful purpose for the purists as well as the surface scratchers.

Rural tourism is a broad spectrum. Take a step back to consider the concept - it is not unlike its rainbow cousin, where each colour is enhanced and enriched in the eye of the beholder, by the neighbouring colours on either side.

For those of us living and working around rural tourism, whether it be food, accommodation, or attractions, the message is clear:

We all need visitors, to thrive and prosper, and there is room for us all. If we as businesses and providers, worked together a bit better than we do, then we could maybe offer a more 'complete' countryside experience for our visitors. If we spent more time on listening than advertising, we would make a better job of giving our visitors what they want, rather than what we think they should have - and if the end result achieved greater customer satisfaction, that can only be a good thing for all concerned.

Because ultimately a thriving rural economy will benefit the countryside that we all want to keep - whether we live and work there or choose to spend our valuable leisure time there.

See how you can enjoy a stay in the country on www.dovefarm.co.uk

Natalie's famous blackberry scones

Well, here they are, as promised 2 x blogs ago!

We are mightily impressed. Well done Natalie for coming up with the idea of putting blackberries into scones. I wish I had thought of it myself years ago, and I have added many interesting things to scones in my baking history (some of them not even intended...!)

here is the basic scone recipe we usually use, and you can add practically anything you like, at the dry ingredients stage.

good basic recipe for scones

(sorry for the imperial measurements - it 's a traditional family mix - simply handed down)

• 10 oz self raising flour (sifted)
• 2 oz margarine or butter
• 1 tbsp (generous) sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 x large egg
• 1/4 pint milk

- add cream of tartar to sieved flour and rub in fat until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs

- add sugar

- add ingredients of choice, for flavour eg. sultanas, dates and walnuts... or blackberries!

- mix in beaten egg/milk mixture to form stiff dough.

- Press lightly out onto floured surface.

(do not over-work dough, or scones will be leathery in texture)

Cut out and cook on a baking tray for approx 12 mins in hot oven.

If you're looking for a 'recipe for success', for a birthday, family event or just a weekend away with friends, then take a look at our website http://www.dovefarm.co.uk/

The Rainforest

If there are any tensions to be felt in the Dove Farm household, it's likely that things are sparking off between me and Celine, our eldest daughter - just one of the hazards of being the eldest, I guess, and similar in temperament to her mother.

But is it not written into the job description of 'eldest children' to push the boundaries and 'feel the pain', easing the way for their younger siblings?!

Celine is now at middle school, (what used to be the old 'Juniors') - it's a good system, as it allows children to stretch their wings beyond primary but it bridges an important development gap, before they have to cope with the cut and thrust of secondary school.

She has just won a 'highly commended' and £20 in book tokens for a poem she wrote at school for a national poetry competition. The topic was 'the Environment' and all the shortlisted poems are worth a read - it's heartening to see young people caring about their world, let's hope they stay anxious enough to take action once they are grown up. You can read these poems at

www.scemes.net/poetry/poems/Ten.php

I am showing Celine's poem here, because I am proud of her and her achievement, (naturally) and it offers a small window for me, as her mum, to simply celebrate her being my daughter. Love you Celine....

The Rainforest

In the density of the leaves,

A coiling python weaves,

In and out of the trees and flowers.

Can anyone doubt the rainforest's powers?



In the humidity, a community thrives,

Frogs with green luminous eyes.

An army of ants, almighty and strong,

A chorus of birds chirruping a song.

The leaves are as green as green can be,

A rainbow of colours is what I see.

But I turn around and what do I find?

A whole different scene cripples my mind.



The trees are being chopped down,

And emptiness is all around.

A parrot caws its lonesome cry,

A frog springs from a leaf nearby.



The decades of trees are chopped down in seconds,

As for the animals and plants, death beckons.

The end of this mighty forest is near,

The moral of the story is surely now clear.

So let us find,

In our selfish minds,

What everyone can do

And you can help too,

To save the rainforest from destruction.


by Celine Stretton

blackberry and apple

....now that's better.

At risk of sounding like my father, who always used to say, at the mere mention of 'curry'- that the only way to eat rice was in a pudding, with sugar and milk on - I now hear myself saying that the way to enjoy blackberries, is to pick them and put them in a pie with some apple!

that holds more promise of enjoyment for me, than 24 hr web connection, with intravenous texts and email alerts. (I'm afraid you'll have to read previous blog to see where I'm coming from here.)

Natalie our youngest, absolutely loves blackberry picking, and goes off on her own little foraging adventures around the house and garden - usually coming back with three or four squashy berries, which are handed over with the kind of expectation that you just can't ignore, "but I can't turn three berries into a pie Natalie," I try to explain. We usually end up washing them, dipping them into a generous dab of sugar, and eating them there and then.

Numerous animals have benefited from Natalie's enthusiasm for blackberries. The dog quite likes them, the hens seem to relish them, though they struggle to wipe the juice off their beaks, the sheep eat them without showing any appreciation at all, but the donkeys taste and savour them as the hedgerow delicacies that they really are.

When we pick together, we can usually half-fill a margarine tub - plenty for a blackberry and apple crumble, our personal family favourite. Natalie wants to try putting them in scones next. I'll let you know how we get on. www.dovefarm.co.uk

BlackBerry

Surfing the net, as you do, up popped this BlackBerry definition ... an 'always connected' wireless solution providing emails on the go, text messaging service, internet connection etc. etc. - so says the blurb on these nifty little devices. For me, it's another ploy to keep me on task at my desk, (even if I am on the move) when I'd rather not be!

I have chosen my way of working, to break free from the magnetic field of the office desk, and the PC as much as I can. I would not want to deliberately strengthen any emotional bond to it!

If I wasn't already convinced, here's another quote to tempt me: "On average, BlackBerry users report they convert 60 minutes of downtime into productive time per day." - Ipos Reid 2007.

Now, I'm no philistine when it comes to using technology, but what exactly would 'downtime' be for me? I can see the uses of the BlackBerry when you are between executive flights, and delayed at check-in. But between school runs and stuck at the check-out at Tesco? - not really.

...and, let's face it, any downtime that I have (I prefer to call it "me" time) is relished, deserved and deliberate - and I would do anything not to have it interrupted with texts or technology.

Examples of things I put in this category would be walking the dog, or grooming the donkeys, or having the occasional coffee with a friend. Does hanging out the washing, or cooking kids teatime, or any other non-admin task, count as downtime too? (I wouldn't mind enhancing or deleting these particular activities!)

Does this strike a chord with any other self-employed people, especially those of you working from home? No doubt your normal working day extends way beyond the boundaries of nine to five, and like me, you'll be looking for ways to shorten, not extend active working hours. It will take more than a BlackBerry to do that. see what we do on www.dovefarm.co.uk