Blessed with a cool bright breezy day, a dozen or so of us walked David's farm, admiring the walnut and hazelnut trees, of which there must have been ten different varieties - all tasted, although not yet quite ripe. David grows many of the trees for timber, as selling nuts is not commercially viable on this scale and he runs a joinery and furniture making business. He is also growing several acres of hazel coppice, which is very popular for use as bean poles.

The tour ended with tea in a marquee (set up for a family occasion), where we enjoyed delicious cakes, made partly with home grown walnut oil and home made walnut liqueur. The oil was pressed and bottled in France, by some family friends, and we were given a generously sized bottle to take home. It's important to use walnut oil quickly, as it can go rancid and this fresh oil is incomparable with any I have tasted previously - it's extremely good.

We then moved on to the Cotswolds Brewing Company, set up in a barn in Foscot near the village of Churchill, using equipment acquired second-hand from the USA. Unusually, perhaps, for a rural traditional brewery, the product is lager, quite complex in its flavour and comparable only with the best Continental lagers, rather than the standard product encountered in most British pubs. The unbounded enthusiasm of Richard, the brewer/director who explained the process to us made this visit absolutely fascinating.

We finished the evening in the Chequers Inn in Churchill, where David's family joined us. The pub was heaving, it being a Saturday night, however the food was great, the lager was local and the service was both personal and highly professional. A fitting end to a really interesting and enjoyable event. Thank you so much, David.

Photos by Ian Bird