Woodhouse Farm News Blog

Newent already had an Onion Fair in medieval times. Although it died out during the early C20th, it was revived in 1996 and now is a very popular event celebrating the start of harvest and showcasing local food and drink. What is, in effect, a town party, is unique in the country, as at its heart is the famous Newent Onion Show. Entrants are invited from growers of all Alliums, so leeks, garlic and chives are also welcomed. There are sections for children and teenagers, onion-stringing and an onion-eating competition, all leading to cash prizes and highly-sought-after trophies. This year’s guest of honour is Adam Henson, familiar to many from his part in the BBC Countryfile programme. Apart from onions, you will find music and dancing (including a medieval band and Morris dancers), side shows, fishing, fancy dress, model boats, fairground rides, singing, a dog show, wedding dress exhibition  and, of course, stalls selling  all sorts of tempting items. The Newent Onion Fair seems to have everything. Click on the photos to take you to the website.

There is a good choice of golf courses in this county, including the highest in England, at Kington (click on the photo on the left for the website). On the border with Wales, the views are beautiful on a fine day. Though less than 6000 yards and without bunkers, do not dismiss the course as too easy, as playing it successfully relies a great deal on correct angles of approach. The course follows the hilly terrain and skill and precision are required. Accuracy is also needed at Ross-on-Wye Golf Club, set among wooded hills above the valley of the River Wye ( click on the photo on the right) . Created among forests of silver birch and oak, stands of mature trees line the fairways, from which in Spring one can see carpets of wild daffodils and bluebells. Brockington Hall (middle photo) has a brook running through the course to test the golfer’s skill. There are other courses, too, like Belmont Lodge and Burghill Valley. They all welcome visitors.

The Ryder Cup, that golfing battle between the U.S.A. and Europe, takes place at Celtic Manor in the first week of October 2010. Within about an hour’s drive from here, The Woodhouse Farm Cottages are an ideal place to base yourself for the golfing world’s greatest team event. The Twenty Ten, the course on which the Cup is to be played, is the first to be built specially for the Ryder Cup. If you want to play golf yourself, there are a number of courses nearby which are excellent sporting venues, including England’s highest golf course. (More in the next Blog.) Click on any of the photos to take you to the Celtic Manor Ryder Cup website. We still have some availability for late September/early October.

We are doubly fortunate in having not only the theatre in Malvern, but also the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford within half an hour’s drive. Looking through the calendar for September, I have found a wide variety of interesting sounding shows, with Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band (remember Stranger on the Shore?), Jenny Eclair, and the National Dance Company Wales - all shown above, and also a lecture given by Lt. Col. Henry Worsley, leader of the Shackleton Cenenary Expedition, a show devoted to the humour of Bob Newhart and Tom Lehre and the Bootleg 60s. There is a great choice of other shows to see as well as a cinema. Click on any of the photographs above to take you to the website.

At a fund-raising occasion for a local church last week, we were lucky enough to win two theatre vouchers in the raffle. We are extremely fortunate to have the theatre at Malvern close to us. A twenty minute drive up and over the Malvern Hills will bring you to this renowned centre of the arts.  The main Festival theatre puts on a wide range of excellent drama and music, the Forum theatre puts on concerts and dance and there is also a cinema. Many of the shows are West End ones and one can see opera, ballet and ice shows as well as exciting drama, comedy and tribute bands. Names such as Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Martin Shaw, Patricia Routledge, Brenda Blethyn and Nigel Havers can be seen in a smaller and more intimate setting than the huge West End theatres. Click on the photographs to take you to the Malvern Theatres website.

Herefordshire Art Week (h.Art) is an open studio event, giving people an opportunity to visit artists’ studios and attend workshops and exhibitions. Divided into five routes, (Hereford city, East, West, North and South of the county), one can follow these artistic trails to see and (perhaps even buy) items of original art and talk with their creators. The east of the county (which includes the Ledbury area) has 27 points on the route, three of which are included above. The first photo shows the diversity of stitches which can be achieved by embroiderers; there will be an exhibition of textile art at The Weavers Gallery in Church Lane, Ledbury. The last photo is of a lovely tactile tapestry bag. Ledbury Heritage Centre will be the place showcasing work by The Guild of Herefordshire Craftsmen, including bags, ceramics and jewellery. The middle photo is of Clisset wood, a five minute drive from us. This will host an exhibition and demonstrations of woodland-related crafts such as bark dyed yarns, free form furniture and tool making. In addition, you can always watch the falconry displays and enjoy the tea and cakes. Click on  Herefordshire Art Week for the website or any of the photos to take you to that individual venue.