November 2025
Irnham Estate update from Sir Jamie Benton Jones
The Autumn menu in the Griffin Inn was launched last week (7th October) this seems to be going down well with our clients.
The sloe gin competition will be judged in the pub at the start of the New Year. I suggest that those wanting to enter should make a start now. The Griffin Inn Sloe gin winner gets a mention and a free dinner for two, with a complimentary bottle of house wine. We will also be keeping the bottles and selling their brew in the pub.
The weddings are going well for 2025, we have only two more left for the year and then we can relax!
The farm is hedge trimming now making everything tidy ready for winter.
The land has been drilled as the conditions are perfect with next year's crops.
The Estate are felling trees and thinning Corby Pasture Wood to create space so that the remaining ones can grow into the new space created.
The deer rut has begun so you will hear the bucks roaring, this is to establish their territories and of course, fighting over the ladies.
The Harvest festival lunch in the wedding venue is arranged for Sunday 19 October with a better turnout than last year. Currently about 73 people are attending so Tom Bagge is being kept very busy sourcing venison and cooking up a stew!
Photos to follow in Decembers Link.
Volunteers wanted 
I just wanted to let people know that Belvoir Castle are still looking for volunteers to help in the gardens at Belvoir Castle.
I have been volunteering for about 4 months now after visiting their gardening event and talking to several volunteers who were asking for help. I personally find it lovely to be able to spend time in the gardens, talking with the other volunteers and collecting tips about the plants and what to do throughout the year.
As volunteers we also get to go to areas where the public don't get to see. As the public can arrive at 10am we get to talk to other interested gardeners. Often, they ask what is that called? and I'm afraid I must admit to not being sure some of the time. I do have a laugh with them when I suggest cheekily "isn't there an App"
At present the volunteers are required on a Monday morning between 10am till 1pm. If Mondays don't work for you then there is availability to help on Thursdays as well.
All volunteers are paid for their travel expenses and are supplied with uniform and tools, but I like to use my own snips for dead heading and my own gloves.
I have been told that you receive a pass which gives family incentives in the shop and to enter the castle grounds.
So, to give you an idea of the things we do it can range from dead heading the roses to weeding and even picking fruit for the Duchess. We have been asked to accept excess apples and pears to take home recently, otherwise they would have gone to waste.
Lots of volunteers come from the Grantham and Nottingham areas but as we are only 21 miles from the Castle, I don't find it that far at all to get there.
If anyone is interested, then please contact the head gardener Andy on his mobile : 07713 029828 and please say Liz posted this notice in our local village link magazine. Images of some fruit gifted to the volunteers.
Thank you Liz