Is your oven grungier than Kurt Cobain's dirty laundry? You could always clean it yourself - after all, oven cleaning products are reasonably inexpensive, and given that professional oven cleaners don't work for free, you'll save a fair bit of cash by leaving the phone on the hook and getting your own hands dirty instead.

Still, we've cleaned our share of cookers, and we're well aware of how tedious and unpleasant it is. A few minutes of seemingly ineffectual scrubbing can make you want to...well, put your head in an oven, and so we won't blame you if you decide to give up, pour a glass of wine, and call in the pros.

If that's the route you want to take, here are three top oven cleaning companies who operate in and around South Wales:

The Clean Oven Co
www.thecleanovenco.com
@TheCleanOvenCo 

These guys conduct a "22 point inspection" of your cooker upon arrival, so they certainly can't be accused of carelessness! The Clean Oven Co use eco-friendly cleaning agents and a stainless steel bath to clean your oven; unlike the other two businesses on this list (whom we'll meet momentarily), TCOC are exclusively an oven cleaning enterprise, so you can be sure that they know their stuff!

Mrs Bucket
www.mrs-bucket.co.uk
@MrsBucket1

If you click over to Mrs Bucket's website, the first thing you'll notice is a photo of Mrs Bucket herself with Prime Minister David Cameron. That's right - this business has been so successful that its owner has represented Wales at Downing Street! How's that for credentials? There are Mrs Bucket offices in both Cardiff and Swansea, so the whole of South Wales is pretty much covered there. We love the sly Keeping Up Appearances reference in the company logo (note the acute accent).

MSL Maintenance
www.mslmaintenance.co.uk
@mslmaintenance

Oven cleaning is just one of the many, many services that MSL provide - these Cardiffian cleaners are dedicated to transforming whole buildings, so your dirty oven should be a walk in Bute Park for them. They've been going since 2005; goodness knows how many ovens they've cleaned in the nine years since then.

Today on Tuesday 20th of May it is National Pick Strawberries Day - and Cooker Spare Parts are encouraging you to get involved. Strawberries are one of the nation's most loved summer fruits and they often find themselves in breakfasts, yoghurts, ice creams, desserts and even the occasional salad! They are extremely versatile and can add a delicious and sweet twist to many recipes, which is why picking your own is so much fun.

Using strawberries in your cooking is a delicious, healthy and sweet way to encourage both children and adults to eat fruit and get their 5 a day, and with a number of great pick your own fruit farms dotted all over the UK picking the fruit can be a great family activity! Wales is home to some fantastic local farms where you can pick your own fresh produce, but here are some of our favourite South Wales farms. 

Photo by Janine (flickr)

1. Hendrewennol 

Hendrewennol is a Pick Your Own (PYO) soft fruit farm located in Bonvilston, Cowbridge which is located in South Wales. Having been a PYO fruit farm since 1978, Hendrewennol is now an established farm full of activities and will guarantee a great day out. You can pick a variety of fruit including raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, red, white and blackcurrants, tayberries and blackberries. They also have a range of PYO vegetables, including broad and runner beans, beetroot, courgettes, onions and garlic. There's a fantastic shop and coffee area, a plant nursery and a children's play area too.

2. Gelynis Farm 

Gelynis Farm is roughly a 10 minute drive from the centre of Cardiff in Morganstown, and as well as boasting a gorgeous and traditional B&B, they have a fantastic PYO Fruit farm too! As well as a cafe, camping facilities and horse livery and stables for rent, Gelynis farm also offers pony rides for children for just £3 per child, ensuring your children will have a magical day once they've picked their fruit! The PYO facilities depend on the season of the fruit, but throughout the year you can expect to see gooseberries, currants, raspberries, blackberries and silvanberries! There are a number of lovely pubs located nearby so you can make a real day out of picking your own fruit at Gelynis Farm. 

3. Berry Hill Fruit Farm

Berry Hill Fruit Farm is a gorgeous little farm and garden centre which can be found in the village of Coedkernew, between Cardiff and Newport. As well as a wonderful PYO fruit and vegetable farm, they also have a well-stocked farm shop and a garden centre for you to enjoy. Their PYO season starts from June and ends in October, and you can pick a wide variety of 15 varieties of apples, 5 varieties of plums, 3 varieties of pears and some gooseberries too! 

Picking your own fruit is a great family activity which gets you out in the sunshine and is the perfect way to spend the day in the coming summer months. You can then head over to the food section of our blog and peruse our yummy recipes to see if we can provide you with any cooking inspiration for using these delicious fruits! In honour of National Pick Strawberries Day, plan to do something different this summer and visit one of these lovely farms to pick your own fruit.