The building, before and after

Another comparison photo. This is the outside of the cheese premises, before the building work started and after completion:

I just spoke to Rita.....

In the first post of this blog, I mentioned a book called 'Cheesecraft', here it is...

It was written in the '80s by Rita Ash, who by coincidence, I've just spoken to!!

I've been looking for a piece of machinery and was given the number of someone in Devon who's husband Alan makes bespoke cheese equipment - this turned out to be Rita!

Since that initial phone call Alan has built me a number of bespoke items, including this:

Oops....

No matter how many times I mentioned the narrow road and 180 degree bend on my order, some carriers still insisted on sending large trucks!

The driver was pleased with himself when he got the truck up the road, but got stuck on the way down. It was a hot day and the truck got stuck on the bend with the wheels spinning in the molten tarmac.

After making the driver sweat for a while (his control room had noticed that he wasn't moving!), he was dragged out by a tractor!

The building is taking shape....

Progress on the premises is going well. The ceiling, walls and floor are now in place. Here are some before and after pictures to show the extent of the work so far.....

"To make a million, start with $900,000"...

...or to be more precise, why not apply for a Rural Business Startup Grant. This is an initiative whereby European Union money is used to provide 40% funding for new businesses. It's administered by Yorkshire Forward and Business Link with Growing Routes helping out with the application and post approval support. It sounds so simple!

Roll on 4 months, one 60 plus page application form (including the 30 page Business Plan and evidence of dozens of other application criteria documentation), numerous phone calls to Debbie from Growing Routes, numerous emails to Phil from Business Link, and........

We finally got the grant approved at Christmas 2008!! Yipppppppppeeeeee! Now the work can start.

Only one slight snag, all contractors were on an extended Christmas holiday.

Oh well, it's mid-January then to start work.......

Special thanks to Debbie and Phil for assisting with getting this through in time for Christmas. There could have been further delays with the approval committee but this was avoided in the end.

My name's not really dave....

dave just happens to be my anonymous blogger name that I've used to do this kind of thing for a few years now. My real name is actually Carl (so much for anonymity)!

I'm an ex-IT, bass guitar playing cheese enthusiast with a strange addiction to swimming. I'm also one of the four directors of the newly incorporated Pextenement Cheese Company Ltd. The other three being Sandra, Alan and Christine from Pextenement Farm.

Finding premises - Plan C it is then.....

Plan A - the initial idea for the premises was an old garage situated next to the milking parlour. Not completely ideal but it could have been altered for cheese making, the only problem being that it needed a new roof and the Environmental Health people appeared to have some reservations!

Bring on Plan B - Why don't we use a portakabin?! It sounded like a good idea, but whilst looking into various portakabin options, Plan C came along! Why don't we use the old dairy across at Pextenement Farm?

Plan C - Although a bit small, the location seemed more suited to conversion into a cheese making premises. Also, the building contains over 50 years worth of collected "treasure"......!!