Nice testimonial 20-11-07

"I ordered some Xmas cards and advent calendar at lunchtime on Monday 19^th November. I ordered early as I thought they might take a few days as you must be very busy. To my surprise and delight they arrived this morning – Tuesday 20^th. This really is exceptional service and it will certainly encourage me to shop with you in the future. Many thanks." JB

Amazing starlings

At the moment thousands of starlings are providing a breathtaking spectacle each afternoon at dusk, doing circuits of the farm in tight-knit but very fluid flocks. Luckily they don't roost on our patch (they're very noisy when they finally all descend into some poor tree) but for half an hour they perform unbelievable aerial acrobatics, like a big big shoal of fish in the air.

Nice testimonial 08-11-07

"Dear Orchard Cards Team,
I would like to thank you for the cards and calendar I ordered last week. The order must have been processed very quickly because it was with me almost immediately! I am very impressed with the service I received and the quality of the goods I bought. Thankyou all for such prompt service; I shall use your company again and recommend it to friends. Best Wishes." JT

Redwings are here

The first Redwings have arrived in Cheshire for the winter from Iceland or Scandinavia. Flocks of them are feeding in the fields around us and flying low over the hedges, their pale grey rumps make them easily identifiable in flight.

Postal strikes

Apart from the obvious fact that industrial action by Royal Mail employees has a devastating impact on this business, I simply can't comprehend why the postmen seem intent on cutting off their noses to spite their faces, as every additional day of strikes must drive hundreds of businesses to other delivery companies. The shareholders at DHL must be rubbing their hands together with glee.

Phew!

We have finished our office move today ... furniture, equipment and stock into new premises which have been converted specifically for us. The computers and telephones are installed (and nearly working properly!) and it's fabulous - it's been such hard work today but we can't wait to try it all out tomorrow!

Nice testimonial 19-09-07

"Dear Orchard Cards
I would like to take the time to thank you for your excellent service. I ordered a selection of cards from your company yesterday afternoon at 1.30pm and received them this morning at 10.30am which is no mean feat considering I live on an Island. I think the reason I received my cards so promptly is mostly due to the fact that my order was dispatched immediately upon order - if only all companies were this conscientious! Thank you for this great service, I will be buying all my cards from you from now on and have recommended you to all my friends.
Kind Regards" TI (Orkney)

Autumn's on its way

Large flights of Canada geese are beginning to move to and from the Mere. It's an amazing sight to watch (and hear - they're blooming noisy!) two or three hundred geese flying in formation only 50 feet or so above the barn, and a sure sign that summer is drawing to a close.

Back to the grindstone ... and new stock coming

We're just back from our last of three short holidays in the UK over the summer. This time we have spent a week in at Wyvis Lodge in Inverness, a once-glorious but now slightly faded Victorian stalking lodge set in splendid isolation at the head of Loch Glass, a good ten miles (of bumpy driving) from the nearest pub or shop. It's been fabulous, no TV or telephones, but plenty of fantastic birds (ospreys, divers, ptarmigan etc) and lots of boozing.

Anyhow, I'm now back at my desk in earnest, with our busiest season ahead of us. We have nearly all this year's advent calendars loaded up (and yes, amazingly some people are already buying them) and we will have six or seven new ranges of cards coming into stock over the next few weeks, including a useful boost to our humour selection.

Another step along the learning curve

The following is taken from an email I received today. In my ignorance, it simply hadn't occured to me how important the written card descriptions can be for some customers, and it will certainly influence what information we include in future.

"I would just like to thank you for the descriptions of your cards and gift wrap. My wife and I are both totally blind so really appreciate any details given. We have speech on our computer so we are able to browse at our leisure."

Card awards

I spent the day in London yesterday, helping to judge "The Henries", a sort of of Oscar-type award for the Greetings Card industry. The panel of judges were drawn from a spectrum of card-buyers representing all types of retailer from the very biggest such as Tesco and Clintons down to small independents like us at Orchard. Publishers submitted entries for about 20 different awards, and there were up to 150 entries in some of the larger categories so it was hard work, but very interesting, and fascinating to talk to other buyers in the business.

Beautiful Scilly Isles

Just back from a week in the Isles of Scilly, the idyllic unspoiled annexe of Cornwall. It was fabulous as usual - the sea was aquamarine, the deserted beaches sparkling white, and the wild agapanthus in the dunes on Tresco are in full flower now. Do go if you ever have the chance.

Baby owls!

Our lucky neighbours have spotted two baby barn owls hopping up and down on a branch outside the nest! I'm so pleased that the owlets have made it to fledging, and hope the weather lets up so that they're not permanently wet as they learn to fly. On the other hand, one small advantage of all the rain is that no-one has been able to cut their hay yet and there's plenty of owl-friendly long grass in the fields nearby.

Bird trouble

We've seen a lot of the Barn Owls this week. I think the wet weather must be making hunting difficult, as we've spotted them out and about as early as 5pm. They're nesting in an oak tree about 300yds from the house, and even when you see them every day, it still gives a thrill to spot them gliding silently over the (uncut) hay.

Late June and early July is always a difficult time with the hens - it gets dark so late that sometimes it's past my bed time when the chickens go up to roost. Consequently it's difficult to lock them up at night and we have lost three to a fox within a week - may be the same vixen, providing for cubs.

Never too late ...

We've been absolutely amazed by how many Fathers' Day cards we've sold in the 9 days that have passed since the event! We didn't have this kind of late buying after Mothers' Day - perhaps because it's better known?

Growing up

Back from Ascot, we had a fabulous day - great racing and hardly any rain. While we were away the baby swallows in Splodge's stable have fledged and are flying, quite expertly, in endless circuits round the garden. Also, the ewes were separated from the lambs yesterday. The lambs have remained in the field underneath our bedroom window and needless to say there was much plaintive bleating last night, though already this morning everything is quieter.

Big hats all round

Aaagh, I wish it would stop raining ... we're off to Ascot tomorrow (never been before but managed to find a lovely old top hat for Richard on eBay!) and the forecast is not good. Never mind, the rain's not so bad when you have a glass of champagne in your hand I don't suppose!

Advert in the Times

We're publishing an advert in The Times newspaper on Saturday (in the Web Directory). This is the first time we've ventured into newspaper advertising, as we currently get most of our customers from Google, and we've simply no idea what the response will be. I've been really busy all week stocking up on our most popular designs so we have a really good range of stock available, but I'm dubious about whether the ad will be effective or not ... we'll keep you posted!

Waiter service

The woodpecker came to our peanut feeder again today - and brought its baby with it, something I've never seen before. The fledgling was almost as big as the adult, but fluffier and less colourful. It sat on the fence and received a most excellent waiter service from its parent, much the same as was going on in our kitchen at the same time!

Now we are two

I’ve managed to find a really nice local girl, a farmer’s daughter, to help me on a part-time basis.

One of my biggest worries has been how to guarantee a reliable salary for an employee when I cannot predict how much work my business will generate on any given day. Some days we receive just a handful of orders, and on others there may be quite a number to pack and dispatch. I feel lucky to have found Becky so quickly, she seems both capable and good company (important when there are only two of you in the office), and she’s also willing to make up her hours on days when business is quiet by mucking in with the household chores - fantastic! Now, all I have to do is learn how to operate payroll, should be easy eh?

Big decisions

Great decision made today. www.orchardcards.co.uk has been trading for just over a year and I’ve finally determined to take someone on to help me. It’s been a difficult call, as the business is not yet profitable, but turnover is growing quickly and I’m finding myself spending less and less time with my two beautiful children, Kate (3 years) and Charlie (18 months). In the end, maternal guilt sets a limit on the number of times you can flick the TV onto CBeebies with one hand whilst answering the phone with the other in order keep the kids quiet for a minute or two …