West Lake supplies Cider Wedding in Dorset

Phil and Laura visited us today to collect a wide range of ciders for their wedding on 25th October.  Phil said when the friends and family heard of the plans to break away from the traditional wine and French champagne celebration drinks and replace them with West Lake two year old Cider Champagne ( that's the traditional method but with apples not grapes) and a range of speciality ciders everyone booked into the hotel and said this is one wedding not to be missed.  

Also on the day is a 'bake-off' style judging where guests at the wedding will bake and bring a cake for Phil and Laura to judge.  This will be an easy task for Phil.  His own business is the Dorset Bike Kitchen where he sells quality street food around Poole and Bournemouth - his new recipe is Lamb with pistachios, capers and mint...yum.

We wish Phil and Laura all the very best.  We shall be toasting the happy couple in October with another bottle of sparkling West Lake champers.

West Lake sponsor Art Auction in Caithness

West Lake hope the scots love Devon apple juice as this is the drink to accompany the auction on the 2nd July.  Locals in Caithness will gather and bid for artwork inspired by seascapes or their experiences by the sea.
Caithness artists, Joanne B Kaar & Liz O'Donnell, invite you to join in their arty fundraiser for Brough Bay Association & Castletown Heritage Society. Be inspired by the SEA to draw, paint or collage postcard size artwork 18cm x 12cm for their fundraiser. Exhibition & sale by secret silent auction at Castlehill Heritage Centre, Castletown, Caithness, Scotland UK. Click below for info on how to participate. Please make sure your artwork arrives by the 20th June!  Or choose and bid for an art postcard.    http://postcardsea.blogspot.co.uk/ 

The drinks are free if you are in that area.

West Lake Willow and George the Dragon

 

One of our swampy meadows was good for nothing but growing willow. And good things have transpired from that boggy land. Local willow worker Mary Jannaway from Black Torrington has turned West Lake willow into a Dragon which now sits on top of a garden shelter in RHS Rosemoor gardens. Rosemoor have called the Dragon George – is there a connection ? Mary has also made some large masks which hang high on the trees. So don your sword and chain mail and check out that Dragon with fire from its nostrils. The 'Middle Earth, Tolkien themed event is on till end August.

Castle Drogo receives a special gift from West Lake.

 

 

Anyone for tea?  or an old tea sign brought by us from Lancashire and which lay gathering dust in our barn for the last 15 years.  We cleaned it off and took it over to Castle Drogo the home of the Drewe family who started the Home and Colonial stores which were common in Lancashire and Yorkshire. They were delighted with the gift and will mount it somewhere in the castle after the major restoration of the roof is complete.
And our gift from the National Trust was a special pass for guests at Orchard Keepers Cottage to visit Castle Drogo, climb the scaffolding and see the restoration work below...then climb down and learn croquet on the lawn.  And of course, have tea.

Cider with Roadies

Campers at Hole Station just 2 miles away descended on West Lake this weekend to sample ciders and learn the craft of the 'champenoise method'.  We tell visitors how the methods used to make champagne were first developed here in the southwest as only the English made toughened glass that could withstand the pressures.

However they were a jolly group who were cycling around the area getting the most of the very wonderful, unspoilt region known around here as Ruby country. After the talk and tasting they went off up the lane laughing,  planning to drink their ciders at the camp barbque

Pollens and Pests under the microscope.

That's me at the very back right of the laboratory ( red hair) picture taken at Harper Adams College during a Microscopy teaching day ...keeping bees now means checking for pests and diseases and for some of this work you need a microscope and a knowledge of dissection and how to prepare slides and samples.  Really interesting. Looking at pollen under the microscope is amazing. Each plant pollen has its own unique size, shape and pattern.

Champagne Cider emerges from the dark.

Our Champagne Cider has emerged from the dark cellars - 2 years in the making, now corked and caged and dressed to impress,  enjoy slightly chilled and share if you feel generous. The first batch took First Place in the cider event at the Devon County Show 2013 - lets see how this batch gets on in the judging 22nd May 2014.  If going to the show check out the results yourself in the food tent. I will be helping in the Honey tent and George is serving in the Devon Ales tent where West Lake Cider is on sale by the glass. Come and say Hello.

Great to see our honey bees out.

 

We are relieved to see our Bees have come through this mild winter and out foraging the crocus.

We have seven hives and all are alive and well bringing in loads of pollen this week. The perfect sign that the Queen is laying.

However there is still little nectar about so we will continue to feed the bees a sugar solution (nectar substitute) so bees get a balanced diet of pollen and nectar. 

 Don't forget to plant out some bee friendly plants this year which are high in nectar.  Check out the RHS website which has a list of such plants

Those visiting the cottage can join in the beekeeping - we have some new spare suits.

 

 

West Lake farm at 25 year celebration today.

That gorgeous man in the photo - next to George - is Anthony Gibson of DEFRA, we gathered for a day of celebrations at Bicton Agricultural College. It is 25 years since the farming consortium 'Devon Farms' started out with a mission to provide outstanding accommodation on their farms in the Devon area.  West Lake Farm with its self- catering cottage 'Orchard Keepers Cottage is a member.  We had very practical help from this group when setting up our self-catering business and it was good to support them today by offering everyone a drink of apple juice.

It was Anthony Gibson who, over the years, has supported Devon Farms and gave all farmers tremendous support and advice during the foot and mouth period.

Willow Cutting this week at West Lake

Many coloured willows for basket making and garden structures are ready for cutting.  George will tackle the Golden rods then the lovely reds and greens.  The very tall Tora and Yoran are off to create an arch for a family wedding at  Bridgerule Water Mill.
Those not wanting to make the journey to the flooded Somerset levels please get in touch and we will see how we can help you with willow supplies this year.

Cutting willow is a back breaking job and not helped when the dog keeps coming up to lick your face - Think I'll take George a warm cuppa.

RSPB Bird Watching Day.

So glad we didn't clear up the Teasels at the back end of summer because the seed heads attract the Goldfinches creating the iconic winter image.
Here at West Lake we were rewarded today on this official RSPB bird count with the antics of this brightly coloured bird.   S o far House Sparrows, Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, loads of Blue Tits have appeared on this wet and windy day in Beaworthy Devon.

Stargazing at Orchard Keepers Cottage

With one eye on the Wildlife camera this week we are also keeping an eye on the sky on the look out for the Northern Lights.  The phenomenon was witnessed by a few in the South West in 2010 but could become a southern happening due to a strong magnetic storm heading our way. Anyone wanting to hunt the Arora Borealis will be well placed in this area due to the dark skies around North Devon - some having the Dark Sky status.
Guests at our cottage have free use of our fairly powerful 'Meade' telescope.
In January the giant of our Solar System Jupiter will be shining in the south at around midnight.  Those keen enough to stay up will be served hot Mulled West Lake cider.  That should get the stars out.

What's on the wildlife camera today.

 

Great Spotted Woodpecker - a male enjoying the fat balls in the homemade bird feeder in the garden at West Lake Orchards. Wake up in Orchard Keepers Cottage and watch the birds feed while having your morning cuppa in bed.

West Lake: New blog for a New Year.

Welcome to the first West Lake blog. We promise to make this interesting. Of course its linked to Twitter. Please follow us...we need all the encouragement we can get!  These next two weeks will be taken up refining the details of the Holsworthy Beekeepers Convention 22nd February 2014. at the Holsworthy Memorial Hall.  This is an all day event with some of the top beekeepers in the country presenting.  This year we welcome Phil McCabe from the Irish Beekeepers, Prof. Steve Martin from Nottingham University - there will be no dosing while he talks as he will be outlining the very soon, dreaded arrival of the Asian Hornet that is a major threat to Bees. Ian and Ruth Homer will guide us through frame exchange techniques, The RHS will show us how to attract bees and there are 3 workshops...our famous ploughman's lunch is included in the £16.