Another week, another newsletter...enjoy!
Craft Corner
Craft corner is now open for business! Come inside and have a browse at our first selection of handmade goodies, perfect if you're on the lookout for a gift that's a little bit out of the ordinary. If it's jewellery that takes your fancy we've got an eggstraordinary selection, including some beautiful glass pendants, as featured later in the newsletter. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for more individual items being added!
And if you like the idea of selling your handmade items in the Omlet shop please get in touch. We are on the lookout for all sorts of bits and bobs so don't be shy, whether you're into ceramics, sewing, stained glass or anything else, just email stephanie@omlet.co.uk with your idea.
Egg Boxes
Ever wondered what to do with your empty egg boxes? Well someone obviously has because they have written an article all about it. Written for the eco-friendly website Earth911, the feature gives six different ideas of what to do with your egg boxes, and some of them are pretty nifty. For eggsample, how about using them to store your christmas decorations or to grow some plants?
So if you've got a few boxes lying around and were planning on throwing them away, why not read the ideas and get the kids to try some out. It'll keep them amused for a while and give you some peace!
Omlet TV Results
We had a great response to the Omlet TV competition last month and there were some brilliant entries. Our shortlist of families then made mini videos about themselves and we had the tough challenge of selecting just one...
Well, not quite...There were two families that really had the eggs-factor and we just couldn't choose between them, so we have decided to make them both stars of Omlet TV. The Elwells are going to be the lucky owners of an Eglu Go and the Tyler-Jones are going to receive an Eglu Cube. Neither family has kept chickens before so they are very eggcited about this new venture, and we will be filming them every step of the way.
In the meanwhile, keep an eye on the Omlet TV channel bee-cause we are regularly adding new videos about keeping Bees.
Win a USBee Microscope!
Listen up kids! There is still time to enter this month's competition if you haven't already, and you could win some bee-rilliant prizes, including a USB Microscope worth over £50. To celebrate the Beehaus' first birthday we want you to come up with a piece of bee inspired artwork. It could be a photo, a painting or a collage...or anything else you can think of.
You can send your piece of art to Stephanie, Omlet Ltd, Tuthill Park, Wardington, Banbury, Oxon, OX17 1RR, or email it to stephanie@omlet.co.uk by this Sunday. Please include your name, age, address and email address.
60,000 New Jobs
There aren't many people that can say they have 60,000 workers but Margaret Wilson, chairman of Sector Security has just that. They're a bit different to her usual employees though and they're creating a buzz in the company. That's bee-cause these hardworking creatures are bees. Margaret already kept bees, with a few of her own hives in her garden, but she wanted to help the honey bee population by creating a home for them on the roof of her business too. The company in Blackpool now sites an Omlet Beehaus, surrounded by flowers and a real hive of activity.
Although many of the people that work there are happy to help out with the bees there are a few that aren't so happy about their arrival. Margaret said “one of our workers who used to smoke up on the flat roof but will not go up there now.”
The Omlet Team
Summer is in full swing, school's out and here at least the sun is shining. But this time of year can be really expensive entertaining the children or just spending quality time with friends and family. Entrance fees, eating out and travel costs all mount up. Picnics are an excellent way to reduce costs, pack your own goodies and you’ll eat well without paying too much. As to where to go check out your local parks, National Trust places or Google “do free stuff” for a list of free places in your local area. Remember to take entertainment – my favourites being Frisbee and rounders (if there are enough of you!). Don’t forget that there are plenty of free indoor places such as museums to see if the weather lets us down!
Avoid buying new titles for holiday reading and you can save a small fortune. I love my local library and use their online catalogue to browse and reserve available titles. If you want to own the book you can always try the “Read it Swap It” website which allows you to swap your books online with other people for free (apart from the postage and packaging). Alternatively why not go to your local boot fair or charity shop, books usually go from about 50p.
Sow winter vegetables now. I know that the last thing you want to think of is the long dark nights of winter but with a little preparation now you can ensure you have a harvest of winter lettuce and herbs which are always a welcome addition. Lambs Lettuce and “Winter Density” are personal favourites and do well in a cold frame. Also now is the time to plant new potatoes (second early variety) for Christmas day (sorry I said the C word!), plant two potatoes in a tub of soil and keep in a greenhouse or frost free area of the garden. Keep watered through dry spells and watch out for blight (yellow and black spots on the leaves).
It is often said it is easy to ‘live off the land’ during July & August – the challenge is extending the season for using your own fruit and veg. There are two sides to this: firstly, looking at what you do with surplus crops; and secondly, growing crops that supply you with veg outside of the normal summer glut season (these crops were discussed in an earlier ‘Vegging Out’).
At this time of year you can be overwhelmed by the number of tomatoes, runner beans, courgettes, etc that seem to ripen on an almost daily basis. The options are to only use what you need – it upsets me when I see perfectly good crops just left to rot down the allotment, all the effort that goes into growing it just to be wasted. There is nothing better than fresh tomatoes in summer salads, grilled on the BBQ, or roasted with herbs, but we cannot eat tomatoes three meals every day. Surplus can be: cooked with courgettes, onions & garlic and frozen for use in the winter; made into tomato sauces and frozen for use with pasta or in stews; made into ketchup; made into chutney; or dried out and packed in jars with oil. At this time of year we make a lot of ‘mustard pickle’ (aka piccalilli), this uses up a variety of whatever you have too much of – it can include onions, garlic, cauliflower, courgettes, carrots, cucumbers. Whenever I pick French beans or runner beans I pick all that are ready (this encourages more to grow) and slice and freeze all spares for use over the winter, or make runner bean chutney.
Some veg need very little effort to store for the winter – onions, shallots, potatoes and garlic just simply need drying out of the outer skins and then stored in dry dark conditions and will last all winter – until the next year’s crop is ready.
With fruit I am always stewing more than I need and putting the extra in the freezer for the winter. Every time I make a
crumble I will make a bigger batch of the topping and again freeze the extra. In the winter making a crumble then just means defrosting a pot of prepared fruit and sprinkling over ready prepared topping.
So get picking and using your fruit and veg fresh and storing the surplus to use when less is growing in the garden over the winter.
Who needs air freshener when you've got onions?!
Your name and age:
Margaret T Etzel, 64. (Winner of the Eglu Go competition.)
Where and with who do you live (pets included)?
Rising Sun, Md, up in the northeast corner of Md, about 3 miles south of the Mason-Dixon line. I live with my son, Jonathan (21) and his girlfriend. We share our house with 2 dogs, 3 cats, and now two beautiful chicken girls! Except for the 13 year old dog, the animals I have are from my older 4 kids leaving home and giving me custody of their "babies". We love them all.
Your occupation:
I have been an RN for 40 years. I am now semi-retird, working 2 or 3 days a week, and LOVING my second childhood. I sleep when I want, eat what I want, and can tell myself "Yes" if I want. .
What is your favourite dessert?
SO Many!!!! Dessert is my favorite course. Red Velvet Cake pops up as number one!
What song always makes you dance?
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly.
Why did you want to keep chickens?
Long story short: when I was 15, my family lived in a rented house on a working chicken farm in New Bedford, Mass. My very first pet that was all mine was a little chicken I found hiding in the old stable. She was so little, and so scared, and hiding because she was crippled and could not defend herself. At first, she was terrified of me, but we became great friends as I brought her food, and held her and sang to her. She liked "I Dream of Jeanne" by Stephen Foster. I named her "Little Bit", and I know I'll see her in heaven.
Why did you enter the competition to win an Eglu Go?
My sister e-mailed the contest infromation to me and my heart jumped! She has an Eglu and it is so perfect! Your company has so well designed it that the chickens are safe and happy.
How did you feel when you heard that you'd won?
I felt a rush of joy, so intense it made me cry! Having my own little chicken girls has been in my heart all my life, since my Little Bit died. Now, it's like God put the whole puzzle together one piece at a time over the last year, and your contest dropped the most precious part in place.
What are their names?
Miss Cassandra (a very proper and well mannered chicken) and Miss Catherine. Catherine is one of those souls who asks "Where is the line?", and then catches your eye and steps right over it!. She is a gift to me, to keep me laughing and questioning "Why is there a line?"
What's the best thing about the Eglu Go?
Wow! That's like trying to find the best thing about ice cream! I love the safety it gives my precious girls. I also love the color- it looks like the color little girl chickens would pick at the paint store. And the Grub and Glub are wonderful! So well shaped and and perfect for little chicken heads and beaks. I also love the softness of the wire coating, and there are no raw edges or surfaces so no worries about scratches or boo-boos. Another great feature is the ability to move the whole thing so easily when they need fresh grass and bugs. In fact, my girls have only one suggestion: they request you include cell service so they can speed dial their lawyer if meals or snacks should be delayed or inadequate to their taste!
Star Products!
Here is just a small selection, go online to see the full range.
Organic Omlet Chicken Feed & Mixed Corn
Omlet's complete organic feed not only looks and tastes delicious but it provides your hens with everything they need to stay in tip top condition. It has just the right amount of protein for them to lay more consistently over a longer period of time and added to this are over 20 natural vitamins and minerals to maintain your chickens immune system, add lustre to feathers and strengthen bones.
And for an eggstra treat... Chickens go mad for corn and it is great for feeding to hungry hens as an afternoon treat. This is a special organic mix of wheat and maize, blended by the eggsperts at Omlet, which we know your chickens will love. It'll turn their yolks a lovely deep colour too. Eggcellent!
Pendant - Glass Egg
Think your chicken lays the prettiest eggs? After you've seen this one you might just think again. Handmade from glass, this lampwork egg pendant is a beautiful piece of jewellery that every chicken keeper will adore. The pretty colourful design is set off beautifully by the sterling silver chain and setting and there are three to choose from.
As these pendants are handmade, each piece is slightly different, making it individual. A lot of care and attention has gone into it and the quality is much greater than anything you would find on the high street.
This comes presented in a gift box, making it perfect to give away. (If you can bring yourself to part with it.)
Egg Cup Set - My Egg & Soldiers
The right egg cup can turn a boiled egg into a piece of art, presenting it proudly above the plate for all to admire. There are so many egg cups for an egg to choose from, but what about the soliders? Why should they lie low while the egg gets all the attention? They provide an important part of the breakfast too, and surely they should get some receggnition....
Well the soldiers certainly haven't been forgotten by the designer of this egg cup set. They've been given a handsome white horse to ride and the egg has a wonderful castle to sit in. This makes the soldiers' challenge of attacking the egg much easier and you're more likely to get a good dip. Plus, you'll have lots of fun transporting your soldiers around the plate. You can even add your own sound effects by letting out a little 'neigh' here and there, if you like.
A great eggscuse to play with your food!
Made in Cornwall, from earthenware clay.
Egg Cup Tarzan
Warning! A certain type of humour is required for this egg cup to be fully appreciated, and we don't recommend it as a gift for your granny, unless she can really take a yolk...but for those that can handle staring at such a thing during breakfast, we applaud you.
The sight of a semi-naked man first thing in the morning isn't that unusual, but being face to face with one's rear end while tucking into your brekkie can be a bit of a shocker. You might find that you choke on your toast at first, but pretty soon we think you'll learn to love this character and it might just make your morning more peachy. And if you have trouble waking up in the morning these leopard print pants are an eye-opener indeed!
Although he goes by the name of Tarzan, we can assure you this egg cup doesn't swing through trees or make gorilla-type noises. And he definitely doesn't bang his fists against his chest because it would lead to a broken shell and a bit of a mess. In fact, if you can get over his appearance you'll find that he really is quite a charmer.
I don't Beelieve it!
While villagers in the UK might spend the summer entering competitions for the best cakes, jams and homegrown veggies, it seems the Americans do things very differently. They still like their competition, and they do have a passion for nature, but they like to make it a little bit risky... fancy a bit of bee-bearding anyone? It might sound quite bee-zarre to you and I, but some people like to see how many bees they can get to cover their face. The beard is produced by placing a queen in a cage under the chin, attracting the worker bees to surround her.
Tibor Szabo won the recent Bee Beard Competition in Ontario, with a face and neck swarming with bees and he was left buzzing. But the record for the most bees ever worn goes to a man that was covered in 350,000 of them.
