Hwyl fawr a phob lwc William!

Today, 30th April, was a big day for us at the Bean Store.⁣
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William Hudson, one of Hodmedod’s three founders, is off to Wales to join a farm business on the Gower (they’re called @gowergranary – do give them a follow). This was his last day on the Hodmedod payroll. We had a little celebration to see him off, gave him some Welsh whisky and enjoyed delicious cakes - one made with fava bean flour by the superb Earsham Street Café, the other by our own Sam with wheat milled here at the Bean Store.
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William’s been here since the beginning. Before the beginning in fact, working with Nick and Josiah on the original Norwich Resilient Food project that led to Hodmedod and latterly, as Agricultural Director, managing our relationships with farmers and helping us develop new crops.⁣
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As is the way with small, very practical food businesses (oh to be a brand manager!) there’s always lots to do at the Bean Store. We’ve literally built things as we’ve needed them – from desks and offices to bag fillers and kitchens. William’s skills with hammer, spanner and welder and his ability to operate any bit of machinery he finds himself in front of has been a massive boon.⁣
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As well as being a friend, farmer and engineer he’s also been our entertainer in chief, inventing special games for parties (most recently getting us all to be cover crop species in a field) and telling extraordinary stories, that generally turn out to be true. And he made sure we’re all addicted to coffee and kept us supplied with cakes and pastries.
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But the one thing William has never been able to do at Hodmedod is farm. We work with farmers very closely, we trial crops here at the Bean Store and elsewhere, but (sadly) we don’t have a farm ourselves. William is a farmer to his core, so while we hope he’ll miss us we know that he’s following his heart and that he needs to be back on the land planning crops, sowing, tending and then harvesting them.⁣
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Though he’ll be sorely missed day-to-day, we know he’ll be supporting us from Wales – not least by growing crops for Hodmedod. And we’ve all got a fantastic new holiday destination.
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Pob lwc William, come and see us soon. (Before we come to you!)

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