Y Ffarmers

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Y paratoi'n parhau heddiw ar gyfer y Wledd Ganoloesol sydd i'w chynnal yn y dafarn heno fel rhan o Gynhadledd Guto'r Glyn a Chymru'r Bymthegfed Ganrif. Tua 30 o'r cynadleddwyr yn dod i fwyta yma ar eu ffordd yn ol o Abaty Ystrad Fflur. Rhodri wedi bod yn pori mewn hen lyfrau coginio am wybodaeth ac ysbrydoliaeth. Wele gip olwg ar y fwydlen. Os am glywed mwy, mae sgwrs wnaeth Rhodri gyda Nia Roberts ar BBC Radio Cymru ar yr iPlayer tan fore Mawrth 19 Medi (y sgwrs tuag 20 munud i mewn i'r rhaglen).

Preparations continue today for the Medieval Feast which we're hosting tonight as part of the Guto'r Glyn and Fifteenth Century Wales conference. Around 30 f the delegates will be coming here to eat on their way back from Strata Florida Abbey. Rhodri's been poring over old cookery books for information and inspiration - and here's a sneak preview of the magnificent menu!

Ychydig ddyddiau'n unig sydd cyn Taith Tractos Llanfihangel 2012! Dyma'r datganiad  newyddion am y diwrnod mawr...

Pentref yn Paratoi i Groesawu 100 o Dractors

Mae un o bentrefi lleiaf Ceredigion yn paratoi i groesawu haid o dractorau y mis hwn.

Ddydd Sul 9 Medi, bydd Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn yn cynnal Taith Tractorau am y trydydd blwyddyn yn olynol - ac mae’r trefnwyr yn gobeithio denu mwy o gerbydau nag erioed o’r blaen.

“Daeth 73 o dractorau i’r daith gyntaf yn 2010 gan godi £10,000 i elusennau lleol. Llynedd, fe gawsom ni 99 tractor a chodi £8,000. Eleni, ryn ni’n mawr obeithio y daw dros 100 o dractorau atom ni ar gyfer y digwyddiad sydd wedi datblygu i fod yn ddiwrnod arbennig iawn yng nghalendar y gymuned wledig hon” meddai Gareth Davies o’r Gors sy’n trefnu’r daith ynghyd ag Os Thomas ac Andrew Williams o Lanfihangel

Bydd y tractorau’n dechrau cyrraedd y pentref tua 9 o’r gloch y bore ar gyfer paned a brechdan bacwn cyn cychwyn am 11 o’r gloch ar daith 28 milltir o hyd a fydd yn gyfle i weld rhai o olygfeydd prydferthaf yr ardal.

Bydd y fflid o dractorau yn mynd trwy pentrefi Pant y Crug, Capel Bangor, Goginan a Chnwch Coch – gyda hoe fach ar y ffordd am baned a chacen.

Mae disgwyl i’r cerbydau ddychwelyd i Lanfihangel erbyn 4 y pnawn i fwynhau mochyn rhost ac ocsiwn y tu allan i dafarn Y Ffarmers ar sgwar y pentref.

“Eleni, tro’r Ford New Hollands glas fydd yn cael y prif safle ar sgawr y pentref o flaen Eglwys Llanfiangel Church,” meddai un o’r trefnwyr Os Thomas.

“Y Massey Fergusons coch oedd yn cael parcio ar y sgawr yn 2012, gyda’r John Deeres gwyrdd a melyn yno yn 2011. Tro’r gleision yw hi nawr ond fe fydd croeso cynnes yma wrth gwrs i dractors o bob lliw a llun, yr hen a’r newydd.”

Caiff holl elw’r Daith Tractors ei roi tuat at waith yr Uned Endoscopi yn Ysbyty Bronglais sy’n cael ei chydnabod fel canolfan o ragoriaeth yng Nghymru.

“Mae nifer o bobl leol wedi elwa o waith yr Uned Endoscopi ym Mronglais ac roeddem am ddangos ein gwerthfawrogiad trwy ddewis yr uned fel ein prif elusen eleni,” meddai Andrew Williams.

“Mae un o uwch nyrsus yr uned, Grace Evans, yn byw yn lleol ac mae hi a’i phartner Dyfrig wedi bod yn gefnogol iawn i Daith Tractors Llanfihangel ers i ni ddechrau cynllunio’r digwyddiad cyntaf nol yn 2009.”

Bydd pob tractor yn gorfod talu £10 er mwyn bod yn rhan o’r daith ac mae raffl hefyd yn cael ei chynnal i godi arian gyda llu o wobrau ar gael, gan gynnwys gwobr gyntaf o £100 gan Ella Agri, ail wobr o £50 gan Gwili Jones a thrydedd gwobr o £25 gan Riverside Saw Mills.

Only a few days until Llanfihangel y Creuddyn's 2012 Tractor Run - here's the news release about the big day...

Ton of Tractors Expected in Tiny Village

One of the smallest villages in Ceredigion is gearing up to welcome a huge turnout of tractors later this month.

On Sunday 9 September, Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn will host its third annual fundraising Tractor Run - and the organisers are hoping to set a new attendance record.

“Our first Tractor Run in 2010 attracted 73 tractors and raised £10,000 for local charities. Last year, a total of 99 tractors took part raising £8,000 for local charities and this year, we’re hopeful that more than 100 drivers will bring their tractors to what has become a very special day for this rural community,” said Gareth Davies (Pencraig) who organises the Tractor Run along with Os Thomas and Andrew Williams from Llanfihangel.

Tractors will begin arriving in the village from 9am for bacon rolls and coffee before setting off at 11am on a 28-mile trip around some of the area’s prettiest countryside.

The convoy will pass through the villages of Pant y Crug, Capel Bangor, Goginan and Cnwch Coch – with a pit-stop for tea and cakes along the way.

The vehicles will return to Llanfihangel by 4pm for a hog roast outside Y Ffarmers pub on the village square, followed by a short auction of items donated by well-wishers.

“This year, the blue Ford New Hollands will take pride of place on the square in front of Llanfihangel Church,” said organiser Os Thomas. “It was the red Massey Fergusons who were in the square in 2010, with the green and yellow John Deeres in 2011. Now it’s the blues but there will of course be a very warm welcome for tractors of all colours and all ages, old and new.”

All funds raised by the Tractor Run will be donated to the Endoscopy Unit at Ysbyty Bronglais Hospital which has been recognised as a centre of excellence in Wales.

“A lot of local people have benefited from the work of the Endoscopy Unit at Bronglais and we wanted to show our appreciation by selecting the unit as the beneficiary of this year’s Tractor Run,” said Andrew Williams. “One of the senior nurses from the Endoscopy Unit, Grace Evans, lives locally and both she and her partner Dyfrig have been strong supporters of the Tractor Run since we began planning the first event back in 2009.”

Entry to the Tractor Run costs £10 per vehicle. A raffle will also be held to raise money with a range of goodies up for grabs including a first prize of £100 donated by Ella Agri, a second prize of £50 donated by Gwili Jones and a third prize of £25 donated by Riverside Saw Mills.

Fyth ers i ni fwyta yn Katz's Deli yn Efrog Newydd yn 2009, mae Rhodri wedi bod eisiau gwneud Hot Salt Beef ei hun. Mae 'di arbrofi gyda sawl techneg a rysait gwahanol. Ac wedi dyfal doncio, wele'r garreg yn torri... Ar y fwydlen felly yr wythnos hon am y tro cyntaf, mae brechdan Cig Eidion Hallt Poeth gyda Picalili Cartref a Cornichons. Tafell o'r taleithiau yn Llanfihangel.

Ever since we ate at Katz's Deli on New York's East side in 2009, Rhodri has wanted to make his own hot salt beef. He's experimented with different techniques and recipes - and has finally cracked the perfect one! So on the menu at Y Ffarmers for the very first time we have this week Homecured Hot Salt Beef Sandwiches with Homemade Thousand Island Dressing, Homemade Piccalilli and Mini Gherkins. A slice of the States in Llanfihangel.

Ryn ni'n chwilio am chef ychwanegol i ddechrau ym mis Gorffennaf. Naill ai gogydd profiadol neu rywun i weithio dan hyfforddiant gyda Rhodri. Y peth pwysicaf yw bod y sawl sy'n cael y swydd ddiddordeb mewn coginio bwyd ffres gan ddefnyddio cynnyrch lleol tymorol (mae popeth bron yn cael ei baratoi'n ffres yma, gan gynnwys bara, catwad a.a.). Mae cegin Y Ffarmers yn gallu bod yn brysur ond mae'n lle reit gyfeillgar i weithio - heb y gweiddi na'r rhegu yna sydd i'w weld ar raglenni teledu! Ryn ni'n ceisio bod yn gyflogwyr teg a hyblyg, ac mae rota'r gegin yn golygu bod pob cogydd yn cael un penwythnos rhydd ymhob tri. Yr oriau gwaith arferol fyddai 4 diwrnod yr wythnos, 10 awr y dydd. Cyflog yn unol â phrofiad. Bydd hysbyseb yn y Cambrian News wythnos nesa (Mercher 20 Mehefin 2012) ond os oes diddordeb, mae Rhodri'n hapus i gael sgwrs anffurfiol ar y ffon 01974 271275.

We're looking for an extra chef to join our kitchen team in July 2012. Either an experienced chef or a trainee to work with Rhodri.  Probably the most important thing for us is to find someone who enjoys cooking fresh food using local seasonal produce (almost everything is prepared from scratch here including bread, chutneys etc).  The kitchen at Y Ffarmers can get very busy but it's a friendly place to work - with none of that swearing and shouting which seems to characterise tv programmes! As employers, we try to be fair and flexible, and the kitchen rota gives each chef one free weekend in every three. Usual hours of work would be 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. Pay rates will depend on experience. There'll be an advert in next week's Cambrian News (Wed 20 June 2012) but Rhodri's more than happy to have an informal chat on the phone 01974 261275.

(Scroll down for English-language)

Dydd Llun o'r diwedd. Ein diwrnod bant cyntaf ers pythefnos. Ac ydy, mae wedi bod yn brysur - Penwythnos y Pasg yn gyntaf ac yna Priodas Sian a Tim Dydd Sadwrn 14 Ebrill. Y ddau wedi priodi yn Eglwys Llanfihangel cyn ymlwybro gyda'u gwesteion ar draws sgwar y pentref i gael bwyd yn Y Ffarmers. Golygfa gwerth ei gweld.

Neithiwr (Nos Sul 15 Ebrill), cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn y dafarn i roi gywbodaeth i bobl am ffilm newydd o’r enw Delight sy’n cael ei saethu yng nghyffuniau Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn ym mis Awst gan Gareth Jones a Fiona Howe o’r Hen Swyddfa Bost. Dadlennwyd mai'r actores Ffrengig  Jeanne Balibar fydd yn chwarae'r brif rhan.  Bydd rhannau hefyd i sawl actor lleol ac mae yna alw am  eraill sy’n fodlon ymddangos ar y sgrin fel 'extras'. Mae Gareth a Fiona yn awyddus i glywed gan unrywun allai gynnig  llety yn lleol i'r criw a’r cast - ac mae yna ddigon o gyfleon i wirfoddolwyr sydd am fod yn rhan o'r cynhyrchiad. Nid ffilm ag iddi gyllideb Hollywood yw hon ond y gobaith yw y bydd hi'n teithio i nifer o wyliau ffilm rhyngwladol fel Sarajevo a Cannes, ac yn cael eu dangos mewn sinemau ar draws Prydain.  Scenario Films yw enw'r cwmni cynhyrchu.

Our first day off in a fortnight. And it's been rather a busy fortnight too. Easter Weekend followed by Sian & Tim's wedding the following Saturday 14 April. They got married in Llanfihangel Church before strolling in spring sunshine across the village square for a feast at Y Ffarmers. A striking scene, straight from the movies...

...which brings me neatly to the public meeting held in the pub last night to let poeple know about a new film being shot in Llanfihangel in August by Gareth Jones and Fiona Howe of the Old Post Office. Called Delight, the film will feature French actress Jeanne Balibar as a traumatised war photographer who comes to rural Wales. Several local actors will also be performing and there'll be an opportunity for others to appear as 'extras'. Gareth and Fiona are also looking for accommodation locally for cast and crew, as well as volunteer production assistants - so get in touch if you want to join in. Their production company is called Scenario Films. It's a low-budget production but it could be high-profile, with a proposed launch at the Sarajevo Film Festival.

Mae sioe fel yn cael ei chynnal yn y dafarn heno gan Gymdeithas Gwenynwyr Cymraeg Ceredigion sy'n cwrdd yn y Ffarmers bob mis. Lluniau a fideo bach o'r broses beirniadu ar Facebook.

Ceredigion's Welsh Beekeepers Society are holding their annual Honey Show in the pub tonight. They meet at Y Ffarmers once a month and hold their show every November. It's quite a competitive evening! Some pictures and a short video of the judging process on Facebook.

Os mai diffiniad blog yw dyddiadur arlein, mae'r un yma'n amlwg yn fethiant... ymddiheuriadau am y bylchau (dwi'n well am ddiweddaru Facebook a Twitter cofiwch). Beth bynnag, lle dyn ni arni? Wel, mae Mis Medi/Hydref wedi bod yn dda am y rhesymau canlynol:

8 Medi 2011: Y Ffarmers yn y Good Food Guide 2012

16 Hydref: Y Ffarmers yn cael sylw yn yr Observer Food Monthly Awards am Ginio Dydd Sul

20 Hydref: Y Ffarmers yn ennill Arian yng Ngwobrau Gwir Flas Cymru

Ar hyn o bryd, mae Rhodri wrthi'n paratoi ryseitiau ar gyfer ei ymddangosiad cyntaf ar sianel siopa deledu! Mae'n mynd i fod ar QVC Dydd Mawrth 8 Tachwedd rhwng 1 a 2 y prynhawn yn gwerthu cig oen Mynyddoedd y Cambria. Bydd Rhodri'n cael sylw hefyd yn Western Mail Ddydd Sadwrn 5 Tachwedd - erthygl amdano fe fel chef ynghyd a dwy o'i ryseitiau - Cawl Sgwash Canu Menyn a Phastai Cig Gwedder Dyffryn Ystwyth.

If the definition of a blog is an online diary, then this one is a disappointment if not a downright failure (althought I should point out that I'm slightly better at updating our Facebook and Twitter pages).  Anyway, back to what's been happening.  Well, September & October were good months for us for the following reasons:

8 Sept 2011: Y Ffarmers appeared in  The Good Food Guide 2012

16 October 2011: Y Ffarmers was runner-up in the Observer Food Monthly Awards for Best Sunday Lunch

20 October 2011: Y Ffarmers picked up Silver in the True Tast Wales Awards

As I write, Rhodri's busy finalising recipes and running orders for his first appearance on a tv shopping channel! He's going to be cooking live on QVC at 1pm Tuesday 8 November as part of a drive to promote and sell Cambrian Mountains Lamb. Rhodri will also be featured in the Western Mail on Saturday 5 November 2011 - an article about his life as a chef as well as two of his recipes - Butternut Squash Soup and Ystwyth Valley Mutton Pie.

Mae Dydd Mercher wastad yn ddiwrnod prysur yn y gegin. Ni ar gau Ddydd Llun a'r bar yn unig sydd ar agor Nos Fawrth felly Dydd Mercher yw'r diwrnod cyntaf yr wythnos o ran gweini bwyd. Rhodri a Becky wrthi fel lladd nadredd yn cael popeth yn barod ar gyfer heno. Fuon ni yn Cross Hands ddoe ar gyfer sioe arlwyo flynyddol Castell Howell. Lle da i fynd am ysbrydoliaeth - a samplau am ddim (ond dim mwy o fagiau cotwm plis - maen nhw'n fwy niferus yn ty ni bellach nag oedd bagiau plastig gynt). Y sesiwn orau oedd Dosbarth Meistr gyda David Edwards. Difyr clywed bod Cynthia a David Jennings sy'n gwneud caws Preseli ar ffermdy Pant Mawr yn Sir Benfro yn arfer byw yn Libya a'u bod wedi cael cais gan Gaddafi i godi llaethdy yng nghanol yr anialwch! Gaethon ni flasu 10 o gawsiau gwahanol yn ystod y sesiwn a'n hoff un heb os oedd Cenarth Aur. Caws arbennig iawn ac un sy'n aml ar ein bwrdd caws yn y dafarn.

Wednesday's always a busy day in the kitchen. We're closed on a Monday and bar only on a Tuesday so Wednesday's the day the chefs are back in harness (figuratively speaking of course). Went to Cross Hands yesterday for Castell Howell's annual catering exhibition. Picked up lots of tasters and freebies (including more cotton bags - they're becoming more ubiquitous than plastic bags). Best session was the Welsh Cheese Masterclass led by David Edwards. One fascinating titbit was that Cynthia and David Jennings who make Preseli Cheese at Pant Mawr farmhouse in Pembrokeshire used to live in Libya where they were asked by Colonel Gaddafi to set up a dairy in the middle of the desert! We were given 10 different cheeses to sample and our favourite (which we often have on our cheeseboard in the pub) was Golden Cenarth. A gorgeous cheese. 

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus! Mae'n ddiwrnod hyfryd o wanwyn yma'n Llanfihangel. Yr haul yn gwenu a'r awyr yn las. Ond mae na hen ddywediad wrth gwrs am dywydd fis Mawrth - in like a lion, out like a lamb. Mae'r mis yn sicr wedi dechrau'n fwyn. Gobeithio na ddaw rhuo ymhen ychydig wythnosau. Beth bynnag, mae'r cennin pedr yn dechrau blaguro tu fas i'r dafarn a dyn ni wedi prynu mwy o gennin pedr i addurno'r tu mewn yn barod ar gyfer heno. Bois y Fro yn diddanu gyda detholiad o hen alawon Cymreig tra fydd Elen Pencwm yn tynnu ambell i goes yn ogystal ag yn gosod her limerig. Cawn weld pwy fydd yn fuddugol. Rhodri'n brysur yn y gegin yn paratoi cawl gyda Phwdin Bara Brith a Chwstard Penderyn i ddlyn. Mam sy'n gwneud y Bara Brith - ac ydy, mae gyda'r gorau yng Nghymru. Edrych ymlaen!

Happy St David's Day! A beautiful spring day here in Llanfihangel. The sun's shining, the sky's a brilliant blue but what's that old adage about March weather - in like a lion, out like a lamb... This one's in like a lamb. Hopefully, there won't be a lion later on. Anyway, the daffodils in the window boxes are starting to bloom and we've bought more bunches of bright yellow daffs to decorate inside the pub ready for tonight. Bois y Fro (a fab five-part harmony group) will be singing a selection of traditional Welsh songs while Elen Pencwm will be making us all laugh - as well as setting a limerick challenge. Rhodri's busy preparing Welsh cawl in the kitchen, followed by Bara Brith Pudding and Penderyn Custard. My mother Jane made the Bara Brith - and yes, it is the best Bara Brith in Wales. Looking forward!