Red Hot Horticulturalist Awarded £1000 Grant To Grow Business

April 24, 2009 - PRLog -- Bedfordshire is the chilli growing capital of the UK, so it was the ideal place for Joanna Plumb to start Edible Ornamentals. Based at Cherwood Nursery in Chawston, Joanna grows 40 varieties of chillies ranging from the mild Anaheim to the fiery Dorset Naga, one of the hottest varieties in the world. The hand picked chillies are the basic ingredients for a selection of mouth watering gourmet chilli sauces produced to Joanna’s own recipes in the on-site dedicated chilli kitchen.  Distributed through Waitrose in St Neots and farm shops and farmers markets in Bedfordshire and the Home Counties, Edible Ornamentals chilli sauces have proved a great success.

Joanna commented, “Customers from far and wide come to us for fresh chillies and young chilli plants as well as the sauces, but I want to build on our success.  My vision is for Cherwood Nursery to become Bedfordshire’s first ‘Pick Your Own Vegetable’ centre.  Families will be able to visit, borrow wellies and a wheelbarrow and revel in the experience of picking not only fresh chillies, but aubergines, peppers, courgettes, sweet corn and other vegetable delights straight from the plant. When vegetables are freshly picked they have so much extra flavour, and I want everybody to enjoy the experience.”

Local Business Link advisor, Diane Budd commented, “Joanna’s enthusiasm and total dedication has led to her success, but her dream of developing Cherwood into a “Pick Your Own Vegetable” centre is imaginative, and has huge potential. The grant from the Bedfordshire Growth Fund means she can now commission expertise to help with site design and marketing so her vision can become reality.  It will not only be an experience for visitors, but will mean further employment opportunities for Bedfordshire residents.”

Edible Ornamentals is a member of Tastes of Bedfordshire who support and promote local food and craft producers. With planting now in full swing, the extended range means the first crops will be ready for picking in June and the season will continue through to September.


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For further information about Edible Ornamentals Company visit  http://www.edibleornamentals.co.uk/html/about_us.html

For further information on Tastes of Bedfordshire  visit www.tastesofbedfordshire.co.uk

For Media information or additional quotes contact
Colin Caldicott, Ultimedia Public Relations    Tel: 01767 601470     E-mail: colin@ultimediapr.co.uk