Just So Festival - anyone going?

[Malvapoeding]

I am trying persuade DH that we need to take our girls to a family festival this year - Camp Bestival is out due to other family commitments so we thought we might try Just So/

www.justsofestival.org.uk/

just wondering what the ground is like? do you think i need to take some rock pegs for the field camping?

Did not need rock pegs last year (it had rained though - not planning to take rock pegs this year either). Sleeping arrangements -just got one of these:

www.amazon.co.uk/VISION-KENWICK-CARP-FISHING-BEDCHAIR/dp/B002PD0G7M

Very comfy (and good value)but listed as unavailable at the moment I'm afraid.

The food on site was very tasty last year -not cheap but not mega expensive and lots of variety -great pizzas, thai ,crepes, pies, burgers, healthy options and more - going to take breakfast stuff and snacks (plus kettle and one hob stove). Though there is a speciality breakfast place(Dorset cereals?) I think.

I also think that Dorset cereals are providing free cereal this year too. There is a post about it on the JS forum (thread title is Breakfast).

Despite my name, we haven't bothered getting a KellyKettle. The 15cm off the ground seemed like a bit of faff - DH started talking about taking bricks. We've just taking a BBQ, col box with some bits in and some money for a few meals.

I can boil a little camp kettle on a BBQ can't I?

i am sure they will have coffee/tea at the breakfast stalls. i was wondering how to get 15cm off the ground and decided to plonk it on the bbq, and it will also be safer for the kids, i have ordered a storm kettle so we can make hot chocolate for the kids at bedtime as well. i have been stressing as i really need a cup of green tea first thing in the morning and it takes ages to get all four washed and dressed in the morning i will be going mad without a cup of tea. i am now worrying about a coolbox, we dont have one yet, usually we use a coolbag but its no good for taking bbq stuff for a few days. i really want an icey-tek because it says cold so long and is more compact but its so much money and i will worry about it getting taken while we are out.
i think you can put a kettle on the bbq, not sure if it will melt the handle if the kettle is smaller than the bbq grate. we have an old le creuset one i used for the twins bottles and now use for hot water bottles on the log burner in the winter. i was going to boil the kettle on my bucket bbq but we have a small webber one now as it has a bigger cooking area so think i might kill it.
i am getting a bit stressed about eating as i am now gluten free and have discovered how easily food is contaminated. i have just toasted gluten free bread in the toaster (which i just cleaned out) and now i dont feel well, there must have been a crumb somewhere!!. the longer i have been gluten free the worse i feel when i accidently have some. i think i will be eating rice cakes all weekend.
the kids are getting excited, i am getting stressed, and DH hasnt realised its just over two weeks away. i am also now looking for a roof box as i am not sure it will all fit in the car.

mel: use toastabags in your toaster to make gf toast. you can get them in lakeland (and other places probably) - you pop the bread in the bag, then the whole bag in the toaster, adn it comes out fine. also good for making toasties (make sure you keep your gf toastabags and your normal toastabags separate though!). they can be bunged in the dishwasher for a rinse out.

can you tolerate oats at all? they do have gluten in but some people can tolerate them. we have just taken oatmilk to put on cereal while at Camp Bestival, and it lasted fine out of the fridge/coolbox for the 4 days. dd1 cannot have it, so she had her cornflakes plain, but then she does at home anyway. Whole Earth cornflakes are cheap, available anywhere, and are gluten free (Kelloggs are not, as they use barley malt). hope that helps a little

thanks silverfrog, the toastbags are a fab idea and i will put some whole earth cornflakes on my shopping list, i have had a bit of a problem with dairy since being pregnant with the twins so i am not a big cereal fan, dont think i am intollerent it just makes me feel unwell sometimes, i have only just started having it in tea again. i used to have a bowl of branflakes every morning for about 20years before the twin pregnancy. i have been eating rice cakes for breakfast (and often lunch )

Mel, where did you get your storm kettle? I have a camping kettle. Will possibly need something to put on my hand to move it around though..hmmm...trial run needed really.

i bought it from e-bay, one of those sets with bag and cooking kit for £45. the range have some silicone oven mits for £2 i was going to take my oven gloves for the bbq but might get one of those instead so it can live with the camping stuff.
now i am looking at cobbs OMG i sooooo dont need one!!!!

We're going and I'm started to get excited and stressed!!

Just been camping for a week so as I've unpacked I've been sorting the huge amount of stuff into what we need for Just So and then putting the rest away.

Now need to get organised the other bits I need to take.

Let me get this straight. I need...
Buttons...precious ones for some kind of display
Crochet insects/flowers..for another display
Fancy dress...for the rumpus parade.

Have I missed anything? No doubt there'll still be the usual "mummy why didn't you bring the .....? But I'm trying!!

I'm trying to convince DH that we need to take the Phil and Ted's for kids (5 and almost 3) when they're tired and won't walk but he's not listening. What do you think?

i am thinking about the phil and teds for the twins who are 2.5y but i am sure it will only be used to carry waterproofs/drinks and food. it will end up being a burden when in the woods. i might leave it in the car if it will fit in with the camping gear and if i need it then i have it. it might be needed when it gets late and we go to the campfire, they might fall asleep but there will be so much going on my four might not sleep all weekend.
i think you need a toy if you want to make the film/cartoon? i need to have a good look on the website and make a list as well.

What age range is the film making for? I need to look at the website too. I had a glance and noted that we didn't need to book much and that was it.

I think we're alls set kit-wise. We'll be taking the sling (SSC) for 2.5yr old DD but she hasn't been in it for ages so it might end up being something else to carry around.

Fancy dress - I am hoping there will be face painting (sure I read that...) and I'll take some fairy wings or something. DD does have a full on Peppa Pig fancy dress costume but I think that might be overkill (funny though).

Oh yes Mel I have been looking at Cobbs too but for next year I think...I haven't camped since I worked for Eurocamp when I was a student and ,whilst I loved it, DD might change my perspective (and being 7 months pregnant!).

tried the storm kettle out last night, it worked well but is alot smaller than i imagined. does boil enough for a couple of large cups of tea which is what we wanted it for, took ages to boil an egg though, i cant see us doing that while we are camping, i am sure i saw a utube of someone cooking sausages on it, so i might try that out. DH had fun with it, its a total boys toy. it would make a great xmas or fathers day pressie for someone who goes fishing/hiking/walking.

sooo excited, just driven 200miles to pick up our roofbox, its lovely, now all i need is a coolbox

myself, DH 6 yr old DD and 4 yr old DS are coming across the water from Belfast for the festival and three of us are incredibly excited, DH ... not so much!!! we are field camping ( sadly missed out on the glades by the time I had managed to convince other half to come)!!! anybody else on here field camping? would love a friendly name/face to share a cuppa/ large glass wine with when we have the tent up and sorted! we are bring our cadac mini chef which is fab for kettles and has a hot plate- griddle on it for the necessary fry up!! praying for a break in the rain too so that DH doesn't start the weeken off in a foul mood!

oh kellykettle, forgot to ask, when did you courier for eurocamp, I was a canvas courier one year and eurocamp the next between school and over various Uni holidays! can't beat that kind of camping!!!

we are field camping, you will not be able to miss us, four children aged 6y, 5y and 2.5y (last two are boy/girl twins), two girls two boys, both girls with ginger hair. we will have a bell tent with tent wing and bunting. i am sure it will be alot quiter on the other side of the field from us though . i will have a grumpy husband. and will probably be putting the tent up on my own while he takes the kids to play in the woods/play area.
oh and kellykettle we managed to boil the le creuset kettle on the bbq without melting it, it actually boiled really quickly.

mel!!! hello, we are pretty noisy too and I will probably be putting up the humongous tent on my own too, whilst my grumpy pants strips somewhere and grumbles about the fact that we are camping at all! I will have loads of bunting, fairy lights and a flag with a pink Dora star on it!!! totally minting but dd is insisting it comes!!! look forward to inhaling a winebox when the tent is fully/ partially up!

I meant to write... DH strops, not strips, although that would be highly amusing!!!

i have a couple of rainbow flags, and DS1 has just mended the fairy lights so we might have them as well. i have my fingers crossed that the field across from the camping field is the car park so we will have not far to go. i am actually happy about being in the camping field, we are allowed tarps and porches and will be closer to the cars and washing up area, some of the glades are really far away from the toilets as well. i am also worried about camping under trees.

Afternoon!

I have no fancy dress, no bunting, no fairy lights...

We are glade camping though it's our first year so nothing to compare it to. You aren't allowed Gazebos though which has disappointed DH. I suspect he'll change his opinion once he's had to put our tent up single handed while his pregnant wife and toddler watch from the grass

I repped in summer 2000 and almost signed a contract to go back in 2001 but got a training contract in my chosen profession so stayed in the UK instead.

I worked on a site in Spain (degree linked to languages). Looking back it was a brilliant summer but I was out of my depth with some of the things that happened - DV, a death, extra marital affair, theft - only one of these was linked to EC but as one of two Spanish speaking reps on site, I got roped into all kinds. I drank a lot

I'm packing for JS tomorrow. I'm working away for the rest of the week and don't fancy a mad dash to get ready on Friday.

We're in the field too. Have got fancy dress for DD, no fairy lights and no flag :( Have got some face paints though!!
We are packing a luggable loo as we were driven mad by incessant toilet trips whilst camping the other week. Our almost 3 DD refuses to go for a wee unless she is desparate.

the car has just gone off to get new tyres, then i can fit the roofbox and then we will find out if it will all fit in now deciding if i should order coissants or take my own. DH has been playing with the storm kettle, anyone for rubbery boiled eggs? at lest it makes a good

and the fairy lights have broken again

Won't fairy lights just attract moths?

I haven't even got batteries for our torch yet.

I think I am making croissants to take, I didn't think £9 for croissants that probably only DH will eat was worth it. I'd rather spend on something else.

I'm going to take some alcohol-free beer I think although non-bottled and palatable is hard to come by.

Oh the toilet thing, yes, we'll have to take something too. DD will wear a nappy at night just to be on the safe side although she is now dry at night and never asks for the loo she may still pee-the-sleeping-bag. But I don't want to have to get us all up if I want to go to the toilet at night (which I will being 30 weeks pg). I am far too scared to go on my own.

Oh god, does this mean the handful of neighbours I have in the glade will hear me pee at night? May leave the alcohol-free beer at home actually...

I am soooo excited, 3 more sleeps!

We will be on the field in an outsell Montana 6 with fairy lights, so just like 50% of the field then I have nearly 3 yo DD and a 5 mo DS. We went camping when he was 3 mo so I'm happy about camping, I am however a little nervous about how much to take as haven't been to a family festival before ... Am contemplating having all lunches and evening meals out and just taking small stove for tea/ coffee, is that gonna cost a fortune? Do they sell cartons of milk?