Well, all the preperations for Ludlow Food Festival paid dividends as Ben and team (courier Dave, Sophie, Yvonne, Charlotte, Oli, Maz and Denise) all trundelled to south Shropshire over the weekend.
Ben and 'Courier' Dave (there are too many Dave's at Fordhall for them all to be just called Dave!) had spent most of the week preparing the 12 lambs, 10 pigs and 1 cow, or was it 12 pigs and 10 lambs? I'm not sure, but it certainly wasn't 10 cows - although I am sure it seemed like it at the time.... Harriet and Rosie both came to volunteer as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award and spent days helping to make the 1000 burgers that were sold to many hungry visitors on the Fordhall catering stand.
New banners were purchased, as was a new gazebo, to help brighten the stall and get attention from passers by. But nothing could prepare us for the tiring and non-stop trade that the festival brought.
Burgers were sold by Ben and 'Courier' Dave from 8am beginning with the traders breakfast, Maz spent the day chopping onions, Oli and Sophie raffled half a lamb to passers by and Denise, Yvonne and me (Charlotte) sold fresh Angus beef, lamb and Gloucester Old Spot pork to everyone else!
Burgers were sold by Ben and 'Courier' Dave from 8am beginning with the traders breakfast, Maz spent the day chopping onions, Oli and Sophie raffled half a lamb to passers by and Denise, Yvonne and me (Charlotte) sold fresh Angus beef, lamb and Gloucester Old Spot pork to everyone else!
Our book 'The Fight for Fordhall Farm' was also for sale and all were given a welcome boost after I spoke to approximately 100 people in the Castle Garden marquee about the Fordhall story.
All in all, it was a successfull festival.
After calculating takings and deducting the costs of the show, we made a modest profit. However, if we had paid everyone who helped out, that profit would have all been eaten away.... Farming is not an easy business!
But Luckily, even after leaving at 5.30am friday morning and returning at 9pm on sunday evening, we enjoy it much more than the pay :-)
A big thanks must go to Beth for organising such a fantastic event and to all our customers who came over to say hello or buy a joint of meat. We hope you enjoy your dinner, its you guys that keep us in business.
Warmest from all at Fordhall ..... Online Shop - Christmas is next....
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