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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: petemac on April 03, 2006, 14:25:10

Title: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: petemac on April 03, 2006, 14:25:10
I am still waiting for my pre-chitted potatoes from Marshalls (Valor and Rocket)
I know we've had a cold march but they have informed me today that they will be picking them in Scotland on Thursday and will be dispatched on the weekend for a early next week delivery.

Is anyone else in the same position as me?

Sounds like a few porkies are being told.
Needless to say,I shall go elsewhere next time.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 03, 2006, 14:35:57
If they arrive ready to plant then I don't think you'll be much behind the rest of us.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: petemac on April 03, 2006, 14:46:57
yea,your right  grawrc.

Making a mountain out of etc etc .......That's me.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 03, 2006, 15:41:25
Still annoying though! :) I have the opposite problem - a utility room full of ready chitted potatoes and such horrid weather I can't plant them.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: petemac on April 03, 2006, 17:04:42
I shall go elsewhere from now on.
If they can't deliever on a certain corridor of a few days why should I use marshalls again?

Got nothing to do with "Supporting British"

For heavens sake.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 03, 2006, 18:36:06
Well I certainly don't order from abroad ... unless Tim means Scotland. LOL????
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 03, 2006, 18:52:55
Tim I'm sorry but I'm not following. Pete is male I am female??? His potatoes are coming from Scotland. Mmmm Don't actually know the origin of my asparagus. Good point. Perhaps I'll enquire  8)

See where you're getting at about the "non-British" thing now though. Personally I usually get Unwins or Suttons or Mr Fothergill or Organic Catalogue.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 03, 2006, 19:01:17
Me too! It's just a modest rant.

But, these days, who actually owns T&M, Suttons, or Thames Water, or your Railways??

As opposed to Simpson's, Real Seeds etc? Our local folk trying to make a living.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: Jockthebear. on April 03, 2006, 19:09:39
And don't forget Alan Romans- no nonsense, foil-packed seeds all at 50p. per packet! Yep, I don't need any encouragement to support people such as Romans, Simpsons, D.T.Brown, etc.- I only have to compare their prices with such as T&M, Suttons, and nowadays Fothergills.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 03, 2006, 19:09:58
True! And Marshalls?  Most of them just sell other people's seeds. But realseeds/vidaverde grow their own right here in the UK. Most of the seed potatoes come from Scotland I think.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: MattyJC on April 03, 2006, 20:41:53
Look on the bright side petemac, My seed potatoes were delivered a week before Christmas, via T&M it truly has been a nightmare keeping them safe until I can get them planted..which will be soon I hope!

Matt
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: cleo on April 03, 2006, 20:50:31
I`ve used Marshalls in the past and found them Ok-I dont anymore but only because I prefer others for my trade order and for my `fun` I like Simpsons, Plants of Distinction and Moles. Oh and Suffolk Herbs
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: amphibian on April 03, 2006, 21:03:34
What with frost, floods and drought I wonder if I'll ever get to eat a spud.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 04, 2006, 15:59:18
Well I planted my second earlies today (Kestrel) but still have loads cluttering the utility room.

ASparagus crowns arrived this morning: when I open the packet I'll try talking to them in a few different languages to check where they come from. ;) :P
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 04, 2006, 16:22:19
As you may have noticed, I was not a well person yesterday.
Blinding head & toothache - short fuse.
All better now - less one more tooth. Can't spare many more!!

Apologies, Pete, for an abrupt retort - now deleted.
What I meant to say was I have a 'thing' about multiples & monopolies. I try to support the 'little man'. Especially those few independent companies we still have in this country. And I was rising in defence of Marshalls - who have served us well for decades, backed by good tech support - forgetting, of course, that they too have just been swallowed  up!!

Hope that sorts me out?
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 04, 2006, 16:26:08
Sorry about the tooth Tim! Hope you feel better now. I've got a visit to the dentist planned myself for tomorrow but no pain attached. Just getting a new posh crown fitted (I hope).

Agree with all you say about supporting small companies rather than conglomerates. Who's taken over Marshalls?
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: cleo on April 04, 2006, 17:15:11
Hi Tim-hope you are feeling a bit better today.

(to all other members Tim`s bark is less than his bite-especially now he has lost another tooth-he had a go at me once ;D-but he is a thouroughly nice and knowledgable bloke-well we all knew that)

Sorry Tim-couldn`t resist having a kind tease.

Stephan
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 04, 2006, 17:30:59
grawc - Westland - with Unwins.

PS Please don't make me smile until I have had the new one in tomorrow.

And did you read recently of the woman whose NHS chap went private? £120 for an inspection. God help the poor!! We've already got the worst teeth in the world.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on April 04, 2006, 18:23:59
One reason for that is that our dentists used to be a complete disgrace. I used to have a phobia of them since none of them could manage to numb my teeth, not even the guy who overdosed me and made me ill, and I could feel everything they did. A couple of years ago I finally found a decent one, and haven't felt a thing since. I just hope they stay with the NHS!

Meanwhile, we have dentists working as cleaners and God knows what because the system doesn't give asylum seekers a chance to do the jobs they're qualified for!
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: real food on April 04, 2006, 19:46:32
Hi Jock,
I was speaking to Alan Romans at the Borders Potato Day last month, and was asking him how he could sell his seeds so cheap. He said that a large part of the cost of a packet of seeds bought from the usual suppliers, was to pay for producing and sending out those glossy brochures.
He only has an on-line catalogue, which cuts out all these costs.
His on-line descriptions of potato varieties, are the best that I have seen and well worth a visit to his site.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 04, 2006, 19:58:18
Like other 'small' enterprises - no glossy photos, but good value.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: kitty on April 04, 2006, 20:15:33
good grief!
thought i'd lorst me marbles for a moment there!couldnt understand what anyone was talking about...think i've just about pieced it together!
all due to your toothache then tim! ;)
well....hope the ol' mush is a bit better today!
i trust to luck where dentists are concerned-i've had 3 change from nhs to private and one dissapeared to scotland with a nervous breakdown(understandable as his nhs list was 8,000 patients)
just keep me fingers crossed and steer clear of toffees!
and i hope eveyone supports small businesses..as a small business person myself(5' 4") its only when the last of us dissapear that every one will say'ooooh!i miss them!)....
a little like dodos....... ;D
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: Jockthebear. on April 05, 2006, 08:27:31
Hi R.F.,
           Yes, and his wee booklet (£1.25) on potatoes is a good buy too. I hope his RANGE increases year by year.

           Tim, Grawc, et alia,  where do Tamar come in? I think they too are the kind of small people we like to support; AND a good range. Don't you think?

J.
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 05, 2006, 08:35:44
Anything from down West tastes good!
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: grawrc on April 05, 2006, 09:07:55
Not one I knew Jock but I like the look of their website though. Potatoes seem quite pricey?
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: Mrs Ava on April 05, 2006, 13:48:20
I am a new supporter of Alan Romans no frill seeds.  Ordered about a fivers worth...so 10 packets, 5 flowers, 5 veggies and I am pleased to say, 100% germination!  The cosmos came up like cress within 24 hours!
Title: Re: Trouble with Marshalls
Post by: tim on April 05, 2006, 17:19:40
Late deliveries? You can go to the other extreme - ours always arrive from the Organic Catalogue in December. Mixed blessing?