Hallo,
Thankyou so much to everyone who has been asking after Olliepops- our soft as butter German Shepherd.In particular to Jo "extremely thoughtful" Edmondson who dropped off a little Good Luck card for him this morning.
We've just got him back from the vets after his first of 2 hip operations. He is currently whacked out on his duvet & stretched out upon the futon beside me as I type.
For anyone who sadly has a dog with dysplaxia it might be of interest that we're taking photos at each stage.We would sooooo have benfited from a pictoral resource on the internet to have referred to.Hopefully Ollie's recovery will go to plan & we can then post the process on line in due course for anyone who might need it.
At the moment he looks like Aslan after his skirmish on the Stone Table in the Lion the witch & the Wardrobe- poor chap.Never mind -his glorious locks will soon grow back.
Worky wise everything is very exciting.I attended a John Lewis supplier forum yesterday.It involved catching the train up to London & sending a whole bunch of items including table cloth, goody bags , tongs & plates etc up the day before by courier.I was relieved to find all the boxes had arrived in time. The invited suppliers then set up their stands & the numerous John Lewis managers came & chatted & tried the various products. I really enjoyed it & learnt lots from individual store managers.They are so into what they do & genuinely interested in listening to you explain how we make things ,what we feel about the environmental issues pertaining to food manufacture etc.
The snag was at the end of the day I dumbly realised I had an awful lot of stuff to carry home- everything that had been couriered needed a "lift" back to Dorsety via the tube. This was quite a challenge (yesterday was exceedingly sticky in the smoke) so I'm just glad I was liberal with my "Extra Sure" anti perspirant application during that morning's ablutions....things could have been a bit messy....
Charlotte, our gorgeous bakery manager & green crusader, is getting married in September & the excitment is beginning to build in our office...
We can't wait to see the dress. The first fitting was yesterday & it sounds very Va Va Vroom!Charlotte , Sara & I are venturing out to Street, a shopping mecca near Glastonbury this Saturday to talk weddings, drink lattes & indulge in all things girly & decadent-can't wait.
Today,after dropping Ollie off for his veterniary equivalent of 10 rounds with Mike Tyson, I visited Frome , Somerset. Catherine's Hill is chocablocca with vintage goodies from divine fabrics to genuine 1950s buttons & corsages. I loved Millie Moon & bought lots of handmade fabric corsages in Honeybuns's colours ready for us to wear at the BBC Good Food Show later on this year (any excuse for a spot of retail therapy!).I'd highly recommend Frome for a good, hardcore vintage rummage. There are loads of lush coffee shops too- with NO big chains there- tres refreshing....
I'll keep you posted on Ollie's progress. I interuppted this blog to take him out for a wee & he is hopping nicely & gingerly testing his poorly side out which is a good sign.
Wishing everyone a fabulous fun filled weekend,
Em xxxxxxxx

Hallo,
I hope everyone is nice & relaxed after a lovely weekend.Matt & I, together with our dear friend Andrew, are feeling virtuous after completing the gruelling Sturminster Newton Half Marathon yesterday.I'm delighted that I might just have done it in less than 2 hours- we haven't checked the results yet. I'm a VERY slow runner but I love just getting round the course- hence the under 2 hours target would be a great bonus for me.There were some awesomely fit people on the day- speeding past me uphills & chatting casually about completing the New York Marathon in 3 hours 30- & this was a lady with a good 10 years on me...ouch!
The race is brilliantly organised by the Dorset Doddler running club & Christine Willis is the superlatively industrious & cheerful Race Director.Honeybuns were chuffed to be sponsoring it again & it was cool to see people devouring their post race cakes....with blissed out expressions. Mind you after 13 miles of up & down dale I reckon we would have been happy with a Mr K*g's.
Animal wise-Ollie our wobbly hipped young German Shepherd is being operated on this Thursday- a lovely G/S expert vet has assured us that this will mean a pain free & bouncy future for Ollie- it was a no brainer in the end. It's still very daunting though & I'm feeling sick at the prospect of bringing him home on Thursday all trussed up & groggy from the op. In the long run it'll be brilliant for him & we chatted at length to our friends Catherine & Paul this weekend whose dog has had a similar thing done. Charlie has made a full recovery.We'll need to continue swimming in the secret lake & Ollie will need to have a canine lifejacket- all available on e Bay- can't wait to see him back to his waterrat ways.
Needless to say at the mo. Ollie is being spoilt rotten with extra titbits- his favourites are crispy salmon skins & new potatos- the dogs got taste....
Anyroad- this week workwise the bakery is at full tilt & we're trying very hard to get all overdue orders out. Things are quite stressful as we're just too busy really. Granted, this is way better than not enough work- but we'll be glad once new team members are settled in & will help rebalance production.
Wishing everone a cracking week.
Em xx

Hallo,
It's soooo lovely here in Dorset at the moment. It feels like summer has at last decided to unfurl & treat us to golden sundrenched days & balmy, starry nights.
We managed to get our hay made from the front field on Thursday Night. Thanks Nick, without you it would have been a VERY long night loading the trailer in the dark.
I'm sure the economics of making a couple of hundred bales does not stack up (pardon the pun) at all, but it is very satisfying nonetheless. The smell of the drying hay came wafting in through our office windows...it really reminded me of being a kid and playing on a nearby farm in amongst the haybales.
In a weird way, despite it being hard work (the hay side of things) is was a welcome break from deskbound duties.It seems criminal sitting inside whilst the weather is so glorious.
Matt & I are keeping our fingers crossed that we do not sprain/pull/break any part of ourselves before the Sturminster Half Marathon next weekend.
We're notoriously unlucky when it comes to last minute injuries- training has gone well. The dogs have all taken it in turns to accompany us on our runs. There is a little flight pond half way round our 7 mile route- Pegg is straight in there for a swim & cool down.
Worky wise- we're still cracking on with getting all stock out to Sainsburys coffee shops. Team Honebuns have more than risen to the occassion & we all celebrated a job welldone yesterday by cooking a full on carvery in the Bee Shack- which we all ate together. For the meat eaters there was slow roasted pork, local beef & garlic studded chicken. For the veggies- an enormous cauliflower & brocoli cheese- using Denhay Cheddar. Plus every vegetable imaginable- a veritable feast.It's ace eating together- we do this once a month religiously & this was an extra special thank you for everyone's hard work. It was Honeybuns' busiest week ever & without our professional & delightful team it could have been...a bit fraught!
As it was everything went off on time & we can all recharge our batteries this weekend for another bumper week next week. It will have to be all hands on deck methinks to help with packing & meeting our deadlines. It's all good fun.
We're off swimming with Olliepops in the lake tomorrow- really hope the sun will still have his hat firmly on../the lake water is a little challenging when there is any kind of wind blowing.
Wishing you a fabulous weekend,
Em xxx

Ola!
Long time no blog.We've been working hard to follow our own advice- pack in as many happy times as possible this summer and maximise the good times.
Work has been quite frenetic so our evenings & weekends have been even more precious.Highlights include evening walks with the dogs down to Fiddleford Mill & seeing some amazing wildlife down there including a water vole & grass snakes sunbathing on the bankside.Ths weekend just gone was spent celebrating the lovely Char's hen night.We camped outside Corfe, Dorset and the highlight for me was racing around like loons by moonlight on Swanage beach. We regressed to our 12 year old alter egos & became highly competetive about our handstand competitions.I'm covered in bruises after being slam dunked onto the sand by the ferocious Kelly- great fun.
We've aquired a beautiful new dog named Benjamin. Technically we are "fostering" him on behalf of Somerset & Dorset Animal Rescue. I'm not too sure that he is going to be going anywhere in a hurry.....we all love him.
He's a little collie cross who has been beaten by the owner & has a suspicious looking scar on his forehead- like a cigarette burn.Ollie loves him & the pack all seem very laid back and chilled with the new "visitor" -stroke- permy new addition.
If anyone would like to help out with rehoming/ fostering please do contact Somerset & Dorset Animal Rescue on 01963 32279 and ask for Liz.
They help sooo many animals get back on their paws & into better situations.You can also help by donating old dog baskets, collars, cat & dog food & good bric a brac for fundraising car boot sales.
Honeybuns wise: we've been very busy with baking products for Sainsburys. This has involved a lot of overtime from our team & quite a lot of nail biting to see if we could step up the necessary gear to supply a big multiple. The proof of the pudding will be in the sales & we're keeping everything crossed right now.
Better pop off now. Busy week ahead.
Love to everyone & wishing you loads of all this smashing sunshine.
Em xx

Ola!
I hope everyone had a delicious weekend.Matt & I are in a litle bit of a self induced zombie like state his afternoon. There was a time when 2 festivals on consecutive weekends would have been "keine problem". Not now- we're shattered & creaking back into gear very slowly.I'm blaming some of this infirmity on the two very challenging runs across country that we managed to do on Saturday & Sunday. The runs are intended to offset the damage done by the real ale & cool box stylie G&Ts...Instead I think the exercise has simply accelerated our decline. If anyone nows St Martha's Hill just outside Guildford town Centre you'll know it's quite gruelling. We highly recommend it though- the views are phenomenal & if you're training for a running race the terrain is quite testing.
Guildford Festival is lovely. I always seem to spy really inspiring things there. Last year I saw a very pretty pastel coloured version of the Union Jack.Some one had it fluttering above their cute as a button Cath Kidston tent. We now feature such a flag on our cake packaging denoting that we proudly handmake our cakes in Dorset.
This year I saw some wonderful T Shirts emblazoned with the legend: "Sex Drugs & Sausage Rolls.." I'm not sure I can incorporate this sentiment into the Honeybuns brand but it'll definitely influence the theme of Matt's 40th Birthday party next Spring!
Guilfest is a lot less crusty & Hippy than Glastonbury- there seem to be a lot more -"one day festival Goers" at Guildford- it's great for people watching.We spied anything ranging from the long legged "posh yoof" in Jack Wills gear to the Ravey Daveys in Ben Sherman down at the Dance Tent area. You also have lots of "easy listeners" in folding chairs who have all of their camping accroutrements spread befoe them- stove, thermos & the Guardian plus supplements.We fitted into the latter category but without any of the gear.
At home-Poor Ollie Chops- it was not good news on the hip X rays- in fact awful news. At 7 months he already has arthritic damage & severe malformation of the hip sockets & ends of the femurs. I'm going to research what I can on the internet. The German Shepherd Rescue lady has suggested a lightweight buggy for him. If he can have a happy life we'll do pretty much anything for him. I think the trick is to remain positive at all times & realistic. He is soooo happy & so much fun at the moment- we just need to closely monitor him & figure out the best options forward.I can visulaise running with him with him in a nice lightweight racing cart type thing. Thank you to everyone who has asked after him.
We'll chart his progress on the new Honeybuns website- it'll be going live in September.
We'll also pop our wildlife news on there. Our bakery & old farm buildings are now surrounded by our now full on nature reserve. We've got resident badgers, a fox, loads of rabbits & lots of varied species of birds. The mean average of species spotted over the past summer months is 23.We're delighted & the whole team have gotten behind this bird spotting project.The next BeeGreen project at Honeybuns is to build a poly tunnel. Each team member can have their own plot to grow veggies & we can propagate wildlife flowers/ grasses & shrubs to then plant out in the ~Spring next year.
All good fun.
Cakewise: we're having fun re working our carrot cake- it was little bit too out there & experimental - sometimes you can't get everything spot on first time round.This is going to be relaunchd shortly.
Mail order & our beautiful enamel tins are live in September. Our mission at the moment is to maximise the summer, have lots of fun & then get our heads down for the crazy work stint from September to Christmas.
Speak next week.
Mucios love,
Em xx

Hallo,
Thank you to everyone who visited our "boutique" little cafe at Glasto this year. Thanks also to the Honeybuns Team for all their hard work in running the Bee Shack Cafe on tour....to perfection! Thanks to: Rosie, Mal & Rak, Andrew, Nick & Ted (whose v. winsome photo will be featuring on www.honeybuns).It was so much for working with everyone...and dancing behind the counter after one too many sherberts...will we ver grow up?
We've made lot of new pals this year & met with lots of old Honeybuns faithfuls. The festival looked really beautiful bathed in sunshine this year- at last!- people could stretch out on the grass and soak up the rays & the atmosphere without being encased head to foot in nylon garments from the House of Millets!
Music wise- we were spoilt rotten between old time classics- Neil Diamond & Leonard Cohen to funky- Alabama 3 & naturally...the awesome Amy Winehouse.If you haven't been before, it really is a wonderful world away from normal worries. Where else could you see a magnificent 6 foot plus tall transgender gentleman? belting out Rhianna's "Umbrella" in a replica New York City discotheque circa 1979..? Or see a "fairy" resplendent in wing and very little else speeding along on an old Chopper push bike?
It is soooo lush to be home though.Clean cosy bed, "porcelain" toilet, the absence of banging soundtracks 24/7.
Having said that, Matt & I are pootling off to Guldford Festival this weekend - it's a lovley event- this year it's Madness & Blondie for old skool sounds & a really interesting looking theatre tent.It'll be a lot less full on than last week though & we need to then re settle into civilan life when we return for lots of travelling around for work and DIY projects.
This current week we are having Ollie (our delightful if wilful young GS) X rayed for suspected hip displaxia. We REALLY hope he'll be OK but will need to take it on the chin if there are problems. He's so young- just 7 months it is such a shame- but worse things happen at sea. We'll need to read up on what to do to strengthen his little back legs.
I think that's it for now- not much about food or cakes in this one. I think we're just loving the summer to its full potential at the mo.
See you soon, wishing you lots of beautiful summer days to come.
Em xx

Hallo,
Thanks everyone for reading despite my woeful lack of new "blog- a- logs" recently.We've all been very busy little bees here at Honeybuns.
Focus has been on our blossoming eco work, our new mail order service & securing new & exciting contracts.
Eco work first- Our BeeGreen project has now been running for 18 months & we are delighted with the results. Basically, we've been loved up with all things wildlifey & natural. Recycling of all waste materials plus composting is in full swing. All proceeds from the Bee shack are now fed straight back into our BeeGreen fund & spent on:
Bird boxes, wildlife cameras, bat boxes & tree planting. Wowzers! I just don't know how we get it all done- well I do really- it's down to supa doopa star Charlotte- our bakery manager & green ambassador.
All will be revealed about BeeGreen on our brand new website- launching this September.We'll have photos & more live webcams to relay what we do in between baking heavenly batches of cakes. Graham, one of our packers, also does RSPB surveys & he very kindly did one for us- he counted 22 species of bird including a song thrush- now on the endangered list.We were thrilled to see so many feathered visitors making their home with us. We can hear the second brood of Starlings VERY clearly in our office- their nest is tucked up in a nest box under the office eaves.
We also have swallows nesting everywhere this year- in the DIY stable & in all the barns behind the bakery.The trees we planted in the Spring are coming on beautifully & the wilow wildlife screens are galloping ahead- we have the perfect wet clay earth for it here in Holwell.
To Mail order- our little enamel tins are picture perfect. They've cost an arm & a leg to get made but they are sooooo worth it & will be perfect gifts for Christmas. The samples are due back to us in 10days time.
The idea is anyone will be able to buy the tins plus their chosen 12 MINIs cakes to go inside from www.honeybuns.co.uk.We'll be donating a % to our very own BeeGreen project- carrying on all the eco work we've been doing.
On new contracts- I'm to London next week for 3 different presentations. My life is quite a Mr BunBury mix of very rural living one minute- mucking out the ponies to then trying to look smart & heading off to the smoke! One of the presentations is modelled on a Dragon's Den format- I'm quite nervous actually. My pal Catherine is going to spruce me up with the old fake bake, eyebrow threading & moustache removal so hopefully I'll be half decent....
Anyroad- hope you are all well, happy & healthy.
Love & Best Wishes especially to Ted, Paul,Aud & anyone else who is poorly/having a coolywobble at the mo.
Em xx

Hallo!
What a lovely month May is! Lush, verdant countryside, our fat ponies looking very contented, the garden & meadows as attractive & "come hither" as they'll ever be...spot on!
I can see what Rachel Johnson, author & sis of Boris, sees in this glorious county of Dorset.
I loved Rachel's "Notting Hell" novel & was blown away when I opened the sequel- Shire Hell" to read about ....little old Honeybuns!It was our award winning Almond Moon that featured- I think it was page 20.Crumbs- still can't quite get over it (sorry for blowing our trumpet- not sth we'd usually do).
Thank you very much Rachel!!!
I'm madly buying up all copies for friends & family. It's such a thrill to have had a mention in a proper book- extreeeeemely exciterous!
We've been out & about at various shows this weekend plus some gorgeous get togethers with old pals (always my favourite social scenario)It has been a healthy mixture of show work, meeting customers & so on plus tootling around the Dorset country side to visit all the Dorset Art Weeks venues- for more info do pls visit the Dorset Art Weeks website. So far we've resisted buying anything but I fear not for long...there is some gorgeous stuff to buy from ceramics to lush dush tapestries & bold modern pics of Jersey cows!
Yesterday we spent time meeting some new aquaintances- all thanks to our pal Jo- you are sooo generous in introducing peeps. Thank you to EM too for all your help at Leckford- sth lovely & decadent is on its way.
Workwise- hmmmmmm....not sure what to report right now. We're receving some fabulous help from an amazing company at the mo with a view to launching a brand new range...it's well exciting. Can't really say much more except tht we feel privildged to be working with one of the best foodie companies in the kingdom! We'e very flattered that they even knew who we were!
Animals wise- all VERY happy. Bee- our fatty- bum -bum pony had mild laminitis but is fully recovered & on a v. strict diet.
Ollie th GS pup is well....a big bouncy GS pup- he wants to play constantly.
Better go now. Wishing everyone a deliciously sunny week.
Em xx

Hallo,
Gosh where has this week gone!? Our feet don't seem to have touched the ground.We're full tilt on preparing for the launch of our brand new online mail order- it's launching in September & we're very excited.It's a whole new world for us & several web 2.0 courses later,it feels like we've been to the university of web design.I'm sure we'll make some clangers- the occassion when I fogot to pop "Honeybuns" onto one of our cake board designs springs to mind....But we'll have fun along the way. It's great to have a new project & a firm deadline to work too. Everything needs to be underway before we go on our annual pilgrimage to Glastonbury....we need to factor in the "return to normality adjustment period"- the unpalatable truth is that as we get older the longer it takes us to recover ...hence all serious work will need to get done now.
Charlotte -uber baker & I trotted up to London town yesterday for a food expo- very funny. I met the most charming husband of our old & only adversary in the food world (well our only known adversary)- a certain "Honey...." Bakery. No prizes for why she annoyed me so much- it's all in the name. Any road, it's not attractive to be bitter....(but my goodness me- I'm so tempted to spread bile & vitriol).Instead, our energy is focused on all of our fabulous new projects.I do allow a cheeky chuckle to myself at how "Honey...." is also the name of a herbal cigarette brand- tee hee. Disingenuous & unkind acts have such a habit of biting you on the bum, n'est pas?
Speaking to the lovely Sue Fudge of Fudges Bakery on the way up to the show (the food world is sooo tiny!) we agreed that competition is vital for keeping you on your toes & giving you that essential hunger to improve.We might get annoyed from time to time when ideas (or names) are blatantly copied, but ultimately you have to accept it as a weird form of flattery, have a good vent to your pals about it & crack on.
Aside from this strange encounter, we saw lots of old pals from the food world & then went to the glorious John Lewis Food Hall on Oxford Street...I love it in there. Everything is beautifully displayed & the staff are really clued up- the training is superb at JLP- speaking from experience. I used to work in the china & glass dept. in Peter Jones in my student days!
It's a hectic schmectic few day ahead of us now. Today we're interviewing for a new baker & arranging meetings in London & up country. We're then off to the superb Waitrose summer food festival at Leckford- highly recommended.My pal from school Emma B is coming down to stay tomorrow - can't wait to see you Em- then we're meeting a big boy cake company MD at some mutal friends on Monday...will be really interesting to see if we might be able to work together in some way.I'll keep you posted!
Em x

Hi & happy weekend!
We've had a little bit of a topsy turvy week last week-with lots of prices going up, namely ingredients & fuel we're feeling the pinch busiess wise.
We've had to cut back on investment & batten down the hatches.We're quietly confident that by becoming a little bit leaner we'll be able to get through this patch of turbulence.Our friends in the food world are reporting similar experiences...there's a general nervousness which reflets what is happening globally.
I'm so grateful to our Matt who keeps an eagle eye on all things financial.He never lets us become complacent & is always working hard each day to purchase suppplies wisely.He is c
ompletely
On the sales side of hings we've had a weird mix of really strong weeks with the odd really quiet one- again it's nothing out of the ordinary- but the slight unpredictability is keeping me well on my toes!
What we try to remember every day is how lucky we really are & to keep things in perspective- especially with all the awful natural disasters happening around the world. It is just work after all.
On non worky things - we've ben spending lots of quality time with the canines- taking them across the fields, going swimming at Lulworth Cove & indulging in extremely silly squeaky toys for Ollie- a Mallard & a Canada goose.We've had some funny looks as he struts his stuff with cuddly, sqeaky toy hanging limply from his ferocious looking jaws!
Better go now,
Have a lovely weekend,
Em x