Chugg

Heidi was responsible for running the business, Sepp for the muscle power to carry out the orders. We won't here go in to details of womens uncanny knack of making stupid suggestions to men who know exactly how to solve all technical problems ..... AND proving to be right.

Most of the things I learnt about machines and agriculture were from Sepp BUT Heidi had a number of simple rules which made life much easier. One of these golden rules is that when craftsmen touch foot on your property, you make sure their basic wordly needs are taken care of - food and drink. This lesson has served us well over the years.

This afternoon while at the front of the garden trying to clear weeds to plant some bulbs, a Unimog with trailer and a truck with lifting platform drove up to the house. They were from the Ottobeuren landscape gardeners Tshugg who have been visiting us most years on behalf of the electricity company to make sure no trees are endangering the power lines. Brother Anton was here a few weeks ago to have a look and noted the trees that needed pruning. Today Alexander arrived to see if the field was at long last dry enough to drive on. Being very sensitive to the horses needs, he first walked over the field to make sure he wouldn't ruin their mud rolling playground. Thanks to last weeks wind, the surface was just dry enough.

Angie came out to see what was going on and immediately used Heidi's golden rule.

Now one doesn't provide the refreshments when they are finished - if they have done a lousy job you are rewarding this. Get them to know you will look after them, if they look after you. On a longer job lasting a week or more, you can use this tactic very effectively, even if the "cost" is greater. When they realise they don't need to fill their thermos and plastic sandwich box or drive over to a cold windswept snack caravan for lunch, they will keep you happy. And if they get a beer at the end of the days work......

So Angie returned to the kitchen to prepare the afternoon coffee and cake (two different sorts per person). Luckily had some left over from yesterday. By the time I collected the tray and had taken it over to them, the first tree was done. Short break for the food and drink and then the second tree was quickly done.

Now in our case, we don't have to pay for the work, the electricity company pay them. So one could say, why reward them at all? Well there are two ways to do the job and I'm sure they didn't need to do what they did - loaded all the small branches and twigs on their trailer and all the useable firewood had been cut in to 1 meter long logs and stacked in a neat pile on the side of the field. They even attached the lift truck to the back of the trailer and thus ensured it got out of the field without skidding and damaging the ground and even drove very slowly down the drive so as not to throw loads of mud on the drive. That for a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. Value for money I think. Couldn't offer a beer as they had to use the dry weather to get to another job before it got dark.

The origin of the name Tschugg is as good as impossible to find. There is a parish in Switzerland of that name but I think it may originate from Eastern Europe. The English name Chugg is no doubt also related, Seems there are quite a few in the South West notably Devon. Tschugg is unusual in Germany, 48 in the national telephone book, the majority down here in the south.

I can highly recommend the Tschugg brothers. Their main work is of course garden design and landscaping, they do this contract work in the December/January time to keep themselves and the apprentices busy.