All departments continued to be busy.  New items for sale were run up on the sewing machine and we experimented with some donated craft items – this one is producing Christmas trees!    New sales outlets kept the kitchen busy and each jar is carefully checked and packaged.  Outdoors the southernwood was harvested – this will be dried and used in our mothballs.    And there is always weeding – with the satisfaction of a neat plot at the end and a job well done.

Because of the early dry and sunny weather crops were ready for harvest early.  The lavender and catnip went to the craft department, and lots of kinds of fruit including currants and strawberries to the kitchen.    For processing some produce such as onions or hot chillies, space-age goggles are chosen to protect the eyes! Three ladies took a few moments to celebrate – they all turned 60.  Congratulations!

By April we were harvesting our first crop of the year, rhubarb – here it is being processed ready for rhubarb and ginger jam or rhubarb chutney. We re-assessed our plants after their winter dormancy and got ready for the new season.   Benches and tables were scrubbed down ready for the first coffee shop:  the milder weather has meant customers could enjoy the outdoors.