Ernesto

When I'm not charcoal making and coppicing. I spend the summer doing marquees. Depends what size you want. Up to 6m wide Try these for new temporary storage: Home - Hoecker Structures UK Ltd | Commercial Quality Marquees and Warehouse Structures WWW.HOECKERUK.COM Cover it Faster with Hoecker® MarqueesCommercial Quality Marquees manufactured in the UK since 1990 Explore MarqueesCover it Faster with Hoecker®... Or here for the second hand (and some new stuff) Curlew - New and Used Marquees | Search CURLEW.CO.UK | Curlew - New and Used Marquees | Search

Because us GenX'ers have worked for 35-40 years to flippin earn it. Exactly like I did 'til I was in my thirties. It's just childish whing and jealousy, "It's not fair". Sorry for the rant, this kind of thing just annoys me.

They sold up/ merged with Berkshire College of Agriculture, at Birchetts Green, near Maidenhead. All the courses still done through the college. @Kerry BCA , posts on this thread as the contact.

Hi James, Where are you in Bucks? I work and make charcoal just outside Reading, but am regularly up and down to Lincolnshire, where I live (I know, pretty mad, don't ask). Hopefully get my new kiln going in Lincs soon as well. Bit short a the moment but could sort you out in a week and a half/two weeks, in 10kg polyprop sacks. Drop me a dm/pm if you are interested. Ernie. (ps same applies to Joe above as Rugby's kind of on the way home.)

Cheers for that Beau. That looks just the ticket, my Bluetooth gadget loving workmate will be in heaven. Only managed 90kg made last week, and started the new kiln this week, hopefully make around 300kg next week. Just trying to get some stock built up, but actually only keeping up with demand, which is good. Hopefully have our best year yet. The new kiln should, if I've got it right, make 300kg a burn but probably only weekly. As I say I'll keep you posted.

@Woodworks Hi Beau, hope your well. Just in the process of putting together a 3rd retort, I'll post some pics when it's up a running. I was just after some info regards thermometers/probes. We've used old school metal probe thermometers with the glass dial and needle on the retorts so far, but were wondering if you had any recommendations regarding the electronic probe ones? Thanks in advance, Ernie.

Hi John just you a DM/PM.

Hi Mike, hope you're well. If you're not worried about new I think there's a few in the quarterly plant sale in Reading, it's online only, cus of covid and got about 7 days left to run. Might be a bit of a trawl to find them as there's hundreds of lots. It's at www.tsauction.co.uk Ernie.

PM sent

Hi Fonzy, a belated cheers for that. Give him a nudge if he's interested as I've got some time in the yard coming this week and will be able to sort stuff out if needed. Ernie.

Hi Fonzy, I'm in LN9 get him to drop me an email: [email protected] . Don't have the shavings/sawdust Les does but may be able to offer other species of wood in chunks etc. Ernie.

Hi Mike, hope you're well. I had an incident, 2/3 years ago, on the A34 in the morning rush hour. Going sideways down the dual carriage way, a-frame of the trailer flat against the rear bumper, did a complete 360, absolutely bricking it... minimal damage, tightened the load carried on but more cautiously. Been towing a 3.5 tonne trailer for the last 15 years. Problem that day was heavy but not overloaded trailer, but the load was uneven ( too front hvy if I recall). Power on up a big hill to keep going didn't ease off before the crest (always advisable to be slowing before you come over the top) and then the trailer was chasing me/trying to overtake. Essentially you want the load as central as possible on the trailer so that its balanced, ideally so that you could effectively wind the jockey wheel up and the trailer doesn't tip forward or back. You don't want the weight to be either "lifting" the rear of your motor or forcing it down and making the steering light. Also agree that the lorry ruts don't help, I find you tend to get pulled to the side sometimes if one wheel of the trailer finds a rut. I would agree that maybe a higher hitch would help, try a Dixon Bates adjustable one, check with the tow bar place you use if they're compatible with your attachments.. Hope that kind of helps. Ernie.

Gobby, You may be able to apply for one of the grants on offer. There's 3 kinds: Sbrr of £10k, Larger rate payers of £25k and a third type for leisure business that's been screwed by the lock down. You can only get one of the 3, obviously for the first 2 you need to registered for business rates at some level. But if you don't pay business rates you might get the third one. I spoke to a mate who runs a big marquee firm yesterday (to big for either of the rates related grants) and he said that the marquee trade body had got an MP to ask in Parliament what the score was, Rishi Sunak said that events firms were eligible for the grant that pubs restaurants events venues etc can claim as all the weddings shows festivals etc were cancelled. So I reckon as you rely on shows etc for your business it's worth a try. Haven't got a link to what was said but the trade body is MUTA (Made Up Textiles Association, yes despite the name it really exists). Ernie.

Think so, all the stock is insured at replacement value. So cost price for the marquees tools etc. I'll find out soon as spoke to the broker today as renewal is end of April.

Not sure regards the Se side but we're eligible for the £10k from the SBRR grant scheme. Checked on the local authority website, and had to fill in a claim form, they hadn't notified us that you needed to do this, I was originally under the impression that as its rates related they were just going to sort it. Anyway got an email confirming receipt of application, now awaiting some cash... With the 80% for PAYE you've got to wait for the new HMRC portal to be up and running, supposedly soon, before you can confirm staff as furloughed and then claim back March and each month thereafter, April May if still off work. No news yet on what the scoop is for SE other than you'll get 3 months (March, April, May) money in June (80% of your average trading profit for the years 16-17, 17-18. 18-19 divided by 36 x 3 ) regardless of whether your able to work or not, how they haven't said yet. Edit I'm going to see about doing asparagus picking tomorrow, 'til the end of June.