ABOUT US
Our story begins...
La Maraive Vinery, La Rue De La Maraive, Vale, GY3 5BE.
Our story at La Maraive Vinery begins in February 2015 when a price of £56,000.00 was agreed in principle for the freehold purchase from Mr & Mrs B M Ogier of the old, abandoned vinery. Acting for us, was Mr James Fox of Mourant Ozannes, Solicitors, who completed an excellent piece of work in March 2015 with both vendor and seller delighted.
The vinery was purchased because of its location and the buildings on it, being in a quiet location at the back of the beach in La Fontenelle Bay. With the enigmatically named Banque au Muton lying between the high and low water marks, where with little imagination in ancient times sheep grazed the much-prized seaweed. On what for us is the most beautiful coast of the island, much frequented by walkers many with their four-legged friends, bird watchers, fishermen, joggers exercising and runners with serious intent of a personal best.
We sought Public indemnity insurance through the good office of Islands Insurance. Insurers stipulated conditions of access and signage, we suppose very understandable in this day and age.
We contacted the Cadastre, who were very helpful, to establish who our new neighbours were so that we could introduce ourselves. There were two, one we remain on excellent terms with, the second in the UK there has been no reply. The Cadastre provided an aerial photograph which shocked us, “wow look at that” for we had only seen it from the ground! A sobering thought needing a stiff drink!
Over a few months we scratched or heads, rolled our eyes considering what to do with the land! It’s not big so growing an intensive crop would not be possible, we sought an extensive crop, the first was the growing of Garlic. A visit to the Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight operated by Mr. Colin Boswell was arranged in October 2015.
We told Colin of our ambition, who welcomed us with warmth and openness, showing us many aspects of his business. He is passionate about all “things” Garlic, from searching out its origins in the East of Europe to advising about the history and growing of Garlic in all its forms. The Garlic farm is now a medium-sized very successful business and great visitor attraction on the Isle of Wight. Below is a link to their business which I find inspiring.
That visit made us realise that the land required is more than we had at the Maraive site. Another sobering thought requiring another stiff drink!
We held the property dear in our thoughts, but life got in the way of any progress at La Maraive. However, those thoughts took us in to considering the production of saffron on our small vinery.
In October 2019 we contacted Mr & Mrs Brian & Margaret Eyres who own and operate a saffron production business called Cornish Saffron Company, in Cornwall. Despite being welcomed by Margaret and Brian we ran out of time and could not make a visit planned for November that year.
Let’s see what we can create and where it takes us with saffron!
Then it was the dratted Covid-19 that rose up with a worldwide pandemic, enough said; for us our ambition to pursue the growing of saffron were curtailed during 2020 & 2021. Except, that some progress was made on site be removing one of the four old glasshouses.
In 2022 at the end of the Covid-19 era after considerable deliberation and soul searching with more investigative energy expended, we decided to grow the world-renowned spice of saffron at La Maraive.
We had concluded a small niche business could be successfully developed utilising a production model of a top-quality product, returning a high sales value, creating employment opportunities all in keeping with the scale of the land. As far as we can determine there are no commercial Saffron growers on Guernsey, thus this endeavour would produce a new business sector to complement the island economy.
A second glass house was removed; leaving two glasshouses from yesteryear for future consideration depending on the success of the growing regime and land use.
The packing shed was refurbished ready for processing the saffron stamen. As it turned out this refurbishment got us into “hot water” with the authorities, for someone complained to the Planning Service from whom we received a letter dated 24 March 2023 requesting we to put forward our plans for growing saffron and advised that the refurbishment constituted a departure from planning law and we were requested to submit a retrospective planning application for the packing shed and new hard standing which we did in due course.
The use of the land for growing saffron was confirmed legitimate and subsequently our retrospective planning application was approved on 3 October. What could have been a troublesome, even fractious, process was handled very professionally by the ladies and gentlemen of the Planning Service to their considerable credit.
Whilst there had been a water and electricity supply to the site, there are no such services currently. In August 2023 we enquired of the Vale Commons Council of the process of gaining these services through an underground service trench to the site from the Le Lande roadway. A meeting was arranged on site with the Council members who advised the route over the common land that they would accept; they could not have been more helpful.
Preliminary discussions have taken place with Guernsey Water and Guernsey Electricity who have been most helpful.
An application for a new underground service trench was submitted to the Planning Service in November 2023. They requested an ecology report of the area which was commissioned from Mr Jamie Hooper of Environment Guernsey in February 2024.
In March our first order was placed with ROCO of Holland for 1000 bulbs of Crocus Salvtus for startup evaluation. https://rocosaffron.com/
The bulbs are to be delivered in August 2024 and will be immediately planted in raised beds. The first raised bed is planned to be constructed from scaffolding materials in April this year to a unique design with the order for the construction materials placed in March. The raised bed will allow the growing of the bulbs under close supervision and ease the harvesting of the flowers in October or November in a mixture of 50% universal potting compost, 20% organic compost and 30% course sharp sand. We are of the opinion that this growing medium will obviate any contaminants and pathogens that may be in the ground producing best quality saffron. The rest will depend upon the right royal Guernsey sunshine, the more the better!
On the 15 March the materials for the raised beds were delivered to Channel Seaways, Poole for onward shipment to Guernsey on the following Tuesday. Tom Wilson who owns Monty’s Services collected them on the 25 March and held over in his yard the materials for delivery to La Maraive Vinery later.
The 25 March was a big day for the project as the Ecological Report regarding the service trench was issued by Jamie Hooper of Environmental Guernsey and submitted to the Guernsey Planning Service for their consideration on the 26 March. We eagerly awaited comment from the service and hope the report is the final piece of work for them to make a positive decision regarding our application for an underground water and electricity supply. You can imagine our excitement when on the 11 April we were notified full consent had been granted subject to environmental and ornithological conditions.
We are now busy bringing together partners to assist in the delivery of the underground trench and planning to commence operations in August of this year, following the bird breeding season and before the ground becomes wet.
In July we shall build the raised beds and source the growing medium ready to plant the bulbs in August; a month that is going to be very busy, tiring and exciting at the same time!
...continue our story via our Blog page.
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