Lovely Birthday Dinner at Ristorante da Maria

Yep, another Birthday has passed by - way too rapidly but I've started another year once more.

It was such a lovely day with sunshine, warm weather and lots of LOVE.

Happy me at Ristorante da Maria, enjoying a romantic birthday dinner...

Wearing my silk Escada blouse with roses and woolen Escada cardigan with roses.

Husband Pieter enjoying his dinner... Lady Chef Maria is the BEST and her 5-course dinners are always special.
Apart from celebrating a blissful relationship!

This is me on my Birthday and yes, the Japanese Magnolias were opening up fast!

My Pieter against the picket fence as the best view was from the neighbor's garden as there's the sun early morning!

That is today, February 12, on Mom's 5th Birthday in Heaven...
Magnolia petals are falling off.

Lovely birthday weather! It was 24ºC or 75ºF and next day 27ºC or 80ºF and that's when we biked together in shorts for the first time.

With all the phone calls, video calls etc. etc. I had my breakfast kind of late... but happy with sunshine and with Pieter's red roses in a vase and some fresh camellias from our garden.

With a few supplements, I've made it so far... Eating healthy and drinking only coffee at breakfast time, with cocoa added. A mug of unsweetened soy milk from Trader Joe's, half an avocado, half a banana and a mandarin. Multi grain bread from Costco with cheese and crunchy almond butter without salt.

A lovely bouquet from a lady from our R.C. Church...

Wish I could pass on the fragrance of those lilies!

Lily buds have fully opened, but one at the top left. Pure PERFUME...

Hope you are also enjoying some sunshine in your life.

Sending you the very best for your area to enjoy!

SO Happy for Having Met Another WRITING Mushroom Wife in the U.K.

Both, my husband Pieter and I myself, have met thousands of mushroom people world wide.

At the Practical Mushroom Training College in Horst, The Netherlands we met thousands of students over the many years. Also short courses in German, English and in Dutch.

Pieter spoke at so many International Congresses and he did Seminars etc.

Both of us always have loved people, guess that is a MUST for doing such a job as we did; educating and training others for making a better living.

Mushroom Wife, by Joan Barton

September, 30 in 1988 during the MGA Conference in Cambridge, she wrote this message for both of us when I purchased her book.

She wrote about their second Farm Walk, in 1962...

In my previous post I did mention husband Pieter going to the U.K. in 1958 with his boss, Pieter Bels  and many other times followed.

It actually was Dr. Henriëtte Bels-Koning and her husband Pieter Bels... but that is not important.

Husband Pieter has been numerous times to the U.K. and he also went with his students there, after finishing their education at the Practical Mushroom Training College in Horst.

He either took his students to the U.K., to Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Belgium and Germany to a large mushroom farm.

Such Farm Visits always proved beneficial for both parties!

Exchanging experiences is a big win-win.

Mushroom Wife by Joan Barton is still available at Amazon, just click.

Shown in above photo are Nissen huts that were left behind on an abandoned WWII military airport.

Hugh Barton cleverly used them as mushroom houses. There was also plenty of concrete surface for creating a compost slab.

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It sure is a great book, also contains recipes. Have to read it once again - provided I 'EVER' find the time... 

Trying so hard to finish all the writings for husband Pieter to enjoy!

Praying that I will finish them in a timely manner, God willing.

Review by Geoff Ganney about 'Mushroom Wife' or 'Mushroom Mum' in The Mushroom Journal 1988-12  Best click this link for having a clear reading about this courageous lady that made motor cycles jump over hedges, de-clutching huge lorries (trucks) alongside unsuitable roads.

Also about the tragic year of 1956 where three of the children succumbed to polio...

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Winterpicking Parlour AD 1970

Hugh Barton who used Fish Boxes and Ammunition boxes...

Published by ISMS in 1990-6 The Mushroom Journal, too bad that they did cut off part on the left by scanning...

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Just came across this:

Slaugham Millennium Seating click link for source.

This gentleman, who meanwhile has passed away, did some research on the Barton mushroom farm, how it came about.

Hugh Barton was a demobbed airman during WWII and lived with his wife Joan in a war-time Nissen hut and set up trials for mushroom growing in another Nissen hut.

Their product was being sent to London restaurants for lucrative profits.

Husband Pieter has been to their Winterpick mushroom farm several times, in combination with MGA conferences and such.

HUGH JOSEPH BARTON - HORSHAM - MUSHROOM GROWER, born in February 1915...

JOAN MARY BARTON - HORSHAM - MUSHROOM GROWER born in May 1920...

Obituary of Hugh Barton uploaded by ISMS to 2004-12 The Mushroom Journal

Hugh certainly was one of a generation that showed pride and was high-spirited in everything he did.

His Army days no doubt taught him that iron discipline and endurance, which served him throughout life. 

They have six children and for sure several grandchildren, which can all be very proud of both their parents and grandparents!

Very fond memories, more so for husband Pieter since he knew them for decades.

Thanks for your visit!

Related link:

Husband Pieter's Fond Relationship with Mushroom Growers in  the U.K. | previous post about Pieter's very first visit to a Mushroom Farm in England

Husband Pieter's Fond Relationship with Mushroom Growers in the U.K.

The very first mushroom farm that husband Pieter J.C. Vedder visited in the U.K. was the one from Peter Stanley-Evans. Together with his boss, Pieter Bels they did so in 1958, probably in combination with the Mushroom Fair. 

Peter Stanley-Evans grew mushrooms in metal military bunk beds, 2 high in greenhouses.

He also grew chrysanthemums.

This was the 1st real excursion with board members of the Mushroom Experiment Station and the Practical Training Center for Mushroom Growing.
Husband Pieter's 1st Dutch Publication was not yet out at that time but he'd lectured at several International Congresses and wrote articles for Mushroom Magazines.

Husband Pieter is to the left, 2nd row standing. His boss, Pieter Bels is also in the 2nd row to the right and his wife Henriëtte Bels-Koning is to his left.

This was in front of a restaurant in the UK.
During one of husband Pieter's visits, Pieter Bels was talking with Peter Stanley-Evans Sr. and Pieter was discussing with Stanley-Evans Jr.
Pieter overheard Stanley-Evans Sr. say: 'Yeah, yeah, we have to realize that is the next generation...'
Sadly we learned that his (only ?) son had died rather young...

It was also this friend Peter Stanley-Evans, who invited husband Pieter with his entire group to his home for a formal Tea.
Mrs. Evans and her daughter-in-law had made the beautiful decorated little cakes themselves!
To view more photos from this excursion go here: de Champignon - cultuur 1958 - 6  via ISMS just click it.

Below this post you find the link about the beautiful Tanner Krolle Attaché, Pieter got gifted from Peter Stanley-Evans...

Very interesting old black-and-white movie from 1958 to get an idea about how it was back then: Mushroom Farm Aka Airman At Home, Mushroom Fair 1958 This was not in bunk beds but small wooden trays.
Click the link above in pink, it is 2:39 min.

Picture from David Stanley-Evans from The Mushroom Journal 1978-11

Peter Stanley–Evans was the 1986 recipient of the Sinden Award.

His lecture was published in the Mushroom Journal February 1987 issue ←click ISMS link.

1989-6 The Mushroom Journal published a nice Profile story about Peter Stanley-Evans, written by Charles Spencer. Click the link to the ISMS pdf

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On October 9, 1990 David Stanley-Evans died...

1990-10 The Mushroom Journal click ISMS link

Published to the ISMS upload from 1990-12 The Mushroom Journal click link

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Fidlers Hall is mentioning the history of the mushroom farm. We don't know yet if Beth Stanley-Evans is maybe the daughter-in-law from said deceased son.
Just today, I got a very kind reply from a person managing the Fidlers Hall website and I will pass on the link to this post once it will get published this evening!
That way, Beth Stanley-Evans will get to read it...

Burwood House mentions the garden of Fidlers Hall, which belonged to her parents-in-law. Was that Peter Stanley-Evans?

In The Mushroom Journal 1978-5 is a very interesting article about them:

One of the World's Most Outstanding Mushroom Farms just click link.

It looks like on February 14, 2000, this very special and long-time mushroom friend left this earth.

2000-8 The Muhroom Journal 

Both of us did give a seminar for International Spawn Laboratory (in 1998 being absorbed by Sylvan) for their growers/customers.
That was held at Tewkesbury Park for two days in 1994.
We still have Peter Davies letter thanking the organizer.

To quote just a few lines:
"This is just a brief note to thank you very much for a tremendous two days at Tewkesbury last week. Your hospitality was most generous and of course in Pieter Vedder you had one of the most respected names in the mushroom world.
His talks were both very interesting and stimulating — certainly food for thought when we return to our own farms..."

On February 10, 2008 published in the BBC NEWS | UK | England | Sussex | Struggling mushroom farm to close

The very MGA Mushroom Grower's Association in the U.K. also has dissolved...
Also the British monthly magazine 'THE MUSHROOM JOURNAL' is no longer.
Husband Pieter wrote several articles for them over the years.

Thanks for your visit!

Related link:
{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend} | previous post about the beautiful Tanner Krolle Attaché Pieter got gifted from Peter Stanley-Evans...