The Vegetable garden has been going great guns! We have now dug all of our pink fur apple potatoes and we have still got courgettes, spinach, runner beans and curly kale coming on. The squashes are going well and I’m itching to pick them but my chef’s keep telling me to wait as they are still a bit small! Our beetroot is also going well and it was pointed out to me today that the swedes are looking fantastic…

The Christmas menus are nearly ready they just need a bit of fine tuning before we print them. As always we are trying to keep the produce local and home grown as well as at a price to suit all pockets. The menu will be running from 1^st – 24^th December.

Just a reminder we are closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Farming news, grain prices are very good at the moment but with this latest run of wet weather we are unable to harvest it. I do try to remind James that September is the old fashioned time for harvest and all is not lost!

Keep reading for future events.

Last year started disastrously with some villagers getting upset with the vegetable patch in our field, questioning whether we needed planning for it. Some of are supporters our now keeping their own free range chickens in a corner of our field alongside the grazing sheep belonging to some other villagers. It’s almost a community farm!

On the family farm we have started combining and we’re still finding T.B. a real headache.

 The Langton Arms is still trying to support everything local and we are really trying to keep the prices realistic in this ever challenging financial climate. Although we have our a la carte menu the traditional fayre menu that everybody knows and loves continues to be our best seller because there is always something for everyone’s taste and pocket.

 I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our lovely couples who have booked their weddings with us over the course of the year and it is always special to be part of the day with people who are closely involved with The Langton Arms. Special mentions go to, Lisa and Scott, wedding photographers and web design, and Kay and Chris my secretary’s sister in-law, we have now provided 3 weddings for the Curtis family (they will be wanting repeat booking discount soon!) and from the farm, David and Louise, who are getting married in September. I have worked out that since I have been involved with weddings at The Langton Arms I have shared very special moments and time with about 400 couples who still treasure their memories of The Langton Arms as I do.   

 We have finally decided to name the staff house, ‘Horwood House’ as  Horwood is an old family name.

 Our self catering cottage –Taddlestones – has just had a revamp with new carpets and a bigger shower. All you steam fair enthusiasts – it sleeps up to 10 and is still available from Tuesday 31^st August until 6^thSeptember, please ring The Langton Arms for details.

 I would like to congratulate Sebastian Paulinyi who has recently been promoted to head chef. He has been a strong member of my kitchen team for over 2 years and has had a very active involvement with menu planning. His creativity has already influenced our menus, he is enthusiastic and confident and I look forward to working with him in the future to maintain the quality of our food.

 Christmas menus dare I say, will be out in August so watch this space for details…

We in our second season of growing our own vegetables, we are currently cutting lettuce and spinach and growing pink fur potatoes, the patch is yielding well in only its second year.

We would like to welcome to our team Simon Hallam and Andrew Rosser who have both joined me in the kitchen for an exciting & busy summer  of wedding and functions.

Happy 18th Birthday Kerry from all the Staff at The Langton Arms, we hope you have a fabulous year!

Kerry's Birthday Party

Kerry cuts the cake

Kerry's Birthday Cake

The Great Dorset Steam Fair

Maybe you are a collector, a steam fanatic, an exhibitor, a heavy horse fan, an avid camper, a music fan or just on holiday in the South of England at the end of August/beginning of September and fancy an excursion to what is described as the most remarkable show on earth!

Self-Catering Accommodation, Blandford Forum

Taddlestones Cottage, sleeps up to 10 people and is the perfect place for friends and family wishing to attend The Great Dorset Steam Fair this year!  So do Get In Touch to book the cottage for the weekend while it is still available!

ALL proceeds going towards Round Table Children’s Wish, who grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

The Round Table Children’s Wish has made the dreams of more than 1,300 children with life-threatening illnesses come true. None of this would have been possible without the support of Round Table clubs around the country.

The Roundtable Childrens Wish Charity

To find out more about ‘The Roundtable Children’s Trust’ take a look at their website:

http://www.roundtable.co.uk/achievements/rtcw

There will be Prizes for the winning team AND the losing team-so everyone’s a winner!

Teams can be made up of 6 players or less (minimum of 3), you can come with some friends or come solo and join a team-there is room for everyone.

Just Giving

Tickets are £3 per person – as this is for such a worthy cause. Ruth Parker (organiser) is running the London Marathon for RTCW, so tickets should be purchased by making a £3 (or more!) donation to Ruth’s fundraising webpage: http://www.justgiving.com/rparker (Just make sure that you mention the quiz, so we can reserve your ticket.)

Any queries please email: ruth.e.parker@gmail.com

There will be raffle, a book sale and other fun games to take part in…. Bar snacks and drinks can be purchased throughout the night …

PS. There will be a special ‘marathon’ round – so get swotting!

Self-Catering Dorset Cottage

Whether you enjoy walking, horse riding or simply relaxing by the fire, self-catering accommodation in Dorset doesn’t get better than this!

Hire a cottage, Dorset

The cottage boasts a spacious living room with a beautiful fireplace

Self-Catering Family Cottage, Blandford Forum

A large dining room (seats 10)

Self-Catering Cottage Dorset

A modern farmhouse kitchen; a small double bedroom with en-suite wc (ground floor)

Family Self-Cattering Holiday, Dorset

A double room with two additional single beds

Dorset Cottage Holiday Hire

A twin room; a single room with pull-out bed to make a double, and a bathroom/wc with shower cubicle.

Dorset Family Holiday

All linen & towels are provided. The cottage is equipped with a washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, fridge/freezer, TV with DVD and video, cd/radio cassette and ample off road parking.

For further information or to make an enquiry do Get In Touch

Dorset Countryside Walks, Blandford

Walk: 6 miles- Tarrant Monkton

The Langton Arms is situated in the heart of the Tarrant Valley;  Thatched cottages, isolated farms and historic churches populate the Tarrant valley.

This 6 mile walk by Nigel Vile  follows tracks and fieldpaths in and around the Valley.

Click on the link to purchase a PDF Map: Walk: 11 Countryside books

Walk: 2 miles-Tarrant Monkton

“A few miles east of Blandford Forum the Tarrant, a sparkling chalk steam, flows south to meet the Stour past a succession of tiny villages. One of the most enchanting is Tarrant Monkton. At the turn of the 20th century the historian Sir Frederick Treves described Tarrant Monkton as being ‘half asleep in the sun and away from the world … a shy hamlet of thatched cottages whose walls are heavy with creepers and are hedged around by flower gardens and many orchards.’ The village seems to have changed little with the years.”

This grade 1 walk by Anne-Marie Edwards in Footpaths for Fitness Dorset covers a distance of 2 miles and will take you on grassy paths with one short climb. There is an estimated calorie of burn 250.

Click on the link to purchase a PDF Map:Walk: 2 Countryside books

Pop into the pub before you set of ask to see if we have any maps available for you to borrow on your walk as we are always happy to help!

Alfresco dining, beer garden

While you enjoy a quiet drink or a light bite your children can keep themselves entertained for hours on the swings and slide.

Children's play area

Some of the villagers have requested a corner of the field to keep chickens and we thought it would be a great idea. The scheme will be starting shortly so watch this space for news of when the eggs will be on the menu! The lambs in the same field are also going to be appearing on the menu very shortly, we’re currently putting together our Mothering Sunday menu and we hope to feature our home grown ‘Tarrant Monkton’ leg of lamb studded with garlic & rosemary!

Tarrant Rawston, Dorset Beef

Whilst we’re on the subject of Sunday lunch, we would like to let you know the beef we are using this month are from our own herd at Tarrant Rawston. It will be featuring on the menu in a few guises namely our famous crispy beef & chilli mayo starter and of course as roast beef with a Yorkshire pudding.

Rest assured, all the local produce coming from the field isn’t affecting the peace and tranquility enjoyed by our guest chalets which do back on to the field.

Take a look at our: Stables Restaurant A La Carte Menu and our Traditional Fayre Light Bites Menu and see what takes your fancy!