Storms and chickens

[Guest]

I've been toying with an idea I've had since I made those boxes of goodies for the mums on mothers' day and since visitng that new farmers' market 5 minutes drive from me on Saturday. I have an idea of what I want to make and sell and was wondering how to go about it.

 

I thought I'd start out maybe with a stall at our local farmers' market. I did a bit of googling and found this site http://www.moneymagpie.com/article/cake-making-and-decorating-jams which says...

 

"The law says that all food businesses must register their kitchens with their local authority unless they operate on a "casual and limited" basis only; so if you’re simply selling once in a blue moon at a car boot sale or market then you don’t need to worry."

 

Now, if I decide to go ahead (and I need to do a lot more research and costings etc) but I would only want to do it on a casual basis to start with so according to this site, I don't have to go thru any red tape, which sounds too good to be true really.

 

Does anyone know if this is correct?

 

I suspect you might say to contact my local council but just wondered if anyone knew for sure.

[BeckyBoo]

Hi, I'm looking into selling at our local indoor market which is every Thursday (although I'd probably only go once a month) and I've been told by the other women who sell there that all I need is a hygene certificate. You can do them on line for £25 and it's supposed to be really easy. I think what you've found out must be right, otherwise all those women from the WI would have to register their kitchens

 

Good luck, it's exciting isn't it? We already sell a few bits to friends in the pub, I've already got standing orders for picallili, eggs, lemon curd, in fact people seem really eager to buy homemade free range / organic stuff!

 

Mrs Bertie

[Guest]

i'm going to pm you mrs b

[Snowy]

Sounds like a great idea - good luck you two!

[missuscluck]

Can someone post the link for this on line food hygene certificate for £25.00 please.

We already sell our honey from the doorstep and from the market garden in the village but I have often tought of selling jam and chutney on the doorstep along with the honey but was a bit worried about the dreaded H and S. I need to check out if we have a nearby farmers market as I dont know of one. That would be a good outlet if we have a good honey season.

Is there an on line info service for this??

[BeckyBoo]

Hi there, this is the one I've been looking at (altho will have to wait a week or two as I'm STILL broke)

 

http://www.food-hygiene-certificate.co.uk/

 

It's approved and meets all legal requirements apparently.

In fact it's £25 plus VAT but thereabouts

 

Good luck - on the subject of bees, I've got a smallish garden and small children, is keeping bees a problem from the "flapping your arms round like a mad thing trying to get them away from the barbecue food" point of view? I mean mum had a wasps nest in her loft and they were a pain, my neighbours had TWO, one at the front and one at the back and they couldn't be left as they got everywhere. Does that rule out bee keeping, should you only do it if you've got a biggish garden?

 

Mrs Bertie

[missuscluck]

Thanks for that Mrs B!

I will check that one out.

 

As to the bees. They do need a 'flight path' as it were, clear to access the hive. You find that you will have a flurry of activity around the hive on busy days of a few metres and they tend to follow a direct route in so you may find a regular flight path in the open space to the hive emerges.

Also thay are obviously out to do a job so they will be all over the place finding pollen and will make a nusance of themselves aroud cooking if you have windows open.

 

If you have kids I would be inclined to say that it would be ok if you have a long garden where you can site them away from the house or a corner where no one goes particularly. We have even discussed putting them on the garage roof, but have never persued that idea!

 

People do keep bees in very small urban back gardens so its not impossible, but I guess they dont have kids running about.

We dont keep ours in the back garden. We live up the road form a market garden and they are only too happy to have the hives there as it does the veg wonders. They also sell our honey for us. We were cheeky and went and asked if they would consider it and they said yes please!!

 

It is quite an indepth hobby. Take a look at some books and try the B.B.K.A. web site.

http://www.britishbee.org.uk/

Great for info on bees. A bit like this site. If you want to ask a question, someone will answer. You may have a local bee club near to you. Again if you ask on this site someone will direct you.

Good luck

[TheGirlsMum]

I think there is a limit on the amount of time you can use a domestic kitchen for producing jams etc. to sell without having your kitchen inspected by, I think Trading Standards or some other H&S bod. I have a feeling its only something like 5 hours use of the kitchen per annum. so not very long. I'll have a look on the WI site and see if I can find anything.

[missuscluck]

ummm, thats interesting. If you find out more on this please would you let us know.

[chrisnrob]

There's some information on the WI site - thought it concentrates more on handling and labelling than kitchens...

 

http://www.thewi.org.uk/documents/download.aspx?nodeid=6506

 

Rob

[TheGirlsMum]

I had a quick look through and coudn't find anything but I think it might have been a article in one of the Smallholding magazines I ead but just when it was is anybodies guess.