Day 1 .. Coronavirus... How to cope

Here at Carr House Farm, we have decided to close our doors last Monday to guests as we look at how we think can get over the Coronavirus best. Everyone will have their own ideas, but I have to think my dad who lives 2 fields away is 97 and I had pneumonia 5 times in one year a few years ago when we had a big farm fire so my lungs are not as good as an Olympic athlete .

I am trying to do the best for everyone and I am not the best nurse so how would guest be if they took ill here and I had to look after them for a few weeks.

So I have decided to write my blog on how we are coping here in the heart of North Yorkshire. I think the unknown is probably more frightening than what it is to cope with the situation itself.  I hope the blogs I am going to write over the coming weeks will show no one is that by themselves and hope that I might add a bit of positivity into the equation.

I feel if we all pull together in whatever we can, we will get through it. It will bring the British Bulldog spirit we all need to take on.

Share, help and care.

What do I do when I don't know what else to do ... I bake ....  and then bake some more . I need to be kept busy. I do have a good store cupboard probably this comes with my age when as a child people only shopped once a week and even less when you lived on a farm in the depth of winter. I have know years ago, 6 weeks would go by before we could get out to the shops. It would not be thought anything out of the ordinary.

I have to  admit I got a few extra bags of plain flour. Life wouldn't be worth living if my Yorkshire man didn't get his Yorkshire puddings


We had the buns for  tea, the plain cake is for my Dad, he likes it with jam and a sprinkle of sugar whereas we will tuck into the chocolate cake.

Bake a cake trust me it makes you feel a lot better. Even if you don't eat cake you can always give it to someone else.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

We are committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone staying with us and also our family and friends. We ask for the support of all who are wanting to book or are coming to stay with us to minimise the risk of bringing in Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Currently there are no cases of COVID-19 recorded within our area. In line with guidance from Public Health England and the World Health Organization (WHO), please refrain from coming to stay with us  for any reason if you fall within any of the following categories:

1. returned in the past 14 days, regardless of whether you have any symptoms of COVID-19, from the following places:

• Lockdown areas in Northern Italy – in Lombardy: Codogno, Castiglione d’Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo and San Fiorano; in Veneto: Vo’ Euganeo
• Iran
• Hubei province in China
• Special care zones in South Korea – Daegu, Cheongdo

2. returned from the following places and have or develop the symptoms of COVID-19 (a fever, cough or shortness of breath);

• mainland China outside of Hubei province
• Italy outside of the lockdown areas (details above)
• South Korea outside of the special care zones (details above)
• Cambodia
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Laos
• Macau
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Singapore
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Vietnam

If you fit into any of these categories, stay indoors and avoid contact with other people. Please use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.  Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. Please click here to read the latest advice from gov.uk in full.

Visitors may be asked on booking or just before they are due to stay with us to confirm that they have not visited any of these places in the last two weeks. If you are due to visit us and are currently not affected by the guidance above, we would ask that you check this page immediately prior to your visit in case the position has changed.

We are taking the current situation very seriously and you will appreciate that our priority is the safety and wellbeing all those who visit us and those in contact with us.  If this means you are now unable to visit, please contact us as soon as possible and, wherever possible, they will arrange an alternative plan.

We thank you for your understanding of our position.

Forest bathing or a world away in our woodland ...come and enjoy this away from the crowds

Forest bathing originates from the Japanese practice of ‘shinrin-yoku’. Translated literally, it means forest bath. It involves sitting quietly in a forest or woodland and using your senses to mindfully connect with the natural surroundings, completely immersing yourself in them.

The idea is to calm the overactive mind and stress levels brought on by modern life. There are even studies that show forest bathing lowers cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure, and depression or anxiety symptoms – all of which benefit health and counteract illnesses. Worth a try, right?

We have enchanting woodland all around us . We have bluebells very soon and masses of wild garlic so you are welcome to take home as much wild garlic as you wish to cook with, make delicious pestos and sauces . Life is good in the countryside 

Byland Abbey this evening . It is an English Heritage site just 15- 20 minutes walk from here or as Jack would say 5 fields away . There is a public right of way passing halfway down our drive ,but you can get through our fields to it if you prefer and probably see some deer on the way . It is free to enter..

Andy The Hill Farmer's Message To Zac Goldsmith- I have known Andy Fawbert since we were kids and he does know what he is talking about .

New top class chef on the block - ADAM JACKSON at The FEVERSHAM ARMS

Delighted to say there is now another place we can suggest to guests to go to eat. It is in the Weathervane Restaurant at the Feversham Arms in Helmsley. Adam Jackson is now head chef there and his food is amazing.
I have know Adam a long long time .Firstly when he was head chef at the Black Swan in Oldstead where he got a Michelin star for his food.  More recently he has returned from the bright lights of York to take the Feversham Arms to another level .
I was very honoured when he made time to attend the Ryedale Business Awards last week when I announced this great talent was in the area had arrived. It had all been very secretive up until only a few days before.

I went along last night with two friends, Mary who drink Prosecco, Tracy who has a liking for Vodka and Cranberry ..I must try that it was a new one to me and as I was driving I stuck to tap water.
A 2 or 3 course a la carte menu . Chef Jackson certainly worked incredibly hard to keep all 36 diners happy. Nearly a full restaurant  on a freezing evening yes it was 0 degrees when we later ventured out into the late night air.  Please note it was only freezing outside and I had a prime view of everyone cooing and oohhing over their food as I was sat with my back to the wall with a good view of the room.
To start not just bread homemade of course with my favourite of favourites marmite butter and a sea salted version too but a cup of the finest lightest french onion soup I have ever drank . would be pot washer for a week to learn how to make this. I have ever drank . It also came with little balls the finest of choux filled with whipped goats cheese

There is a very detailed version of this blog written up on our FACEBOOK PAGE - JACK PECKITT/ANNA LUPTON if you wish to read it more deeply . I will say what I choose I couldn't have bettered .Sea Trout with hispi, wasabi and apple to start -that was my favourite , my main course was Cod, loveage, ratte potatoes and potted shrimps with the latter catching my eye to make the difficult decision a little easier to know which course to chose. Topped off with Chocolate ,blood orange and pecan.
Mary and Tracy had the beef which they said they had never tasted beef like it .
 We were given extra surprises in store along the way as nice places do . You know it is a "nice "place when you finish with a cheese board with not only has orchard chutneys, crackers and walnut and treacle bread but honey and walnut on one of  cheese as well . 

Localanuary .My new word for a New Year

Why not get behind #localanuary and only buy local produce from independent shops throughout January. Anyone can buy Ultra processed and chemically ripened ‘food’ shipped from around the globe, served or delivered by an unknown face with no connection or knowledge of the produce. How about instead buying locally grown and fresh in season produce from your local farm shop, butcher or green grocer. Grown, matured and ripened naturally, you couldn’t ask for more wholesome nutritious produce, and you may be surprised to find that it’s healthier on your pocket too! And with a wealth of knowledge you may pick up some tips of things to try with new recipes. What’s more, with every penny spent at a local retailer, an extra 50% stays in the local economy compared to shopping with the larger national shops. Happy New Year, and a very happy Localanuary!!
Funny looking fillet to me ..but still tasty looking meat .