Field Notes: 6th - 12th May 2024
May 15, 2024
Our favourite view!
Welcome back to Field Notes. Each week we will be bringing you news from FarmED: from what’s happening in the fields and hedgerows, to updates from the farm to fork Cafe and the conference barn: a space where people from all walks of life meet to find out more about regenerative agriculture. Come with us on a one-of-a-kind journey as we ride the natural highs and lows of farming life.
Field Record: What's been happening on the 107 acres of Honeydale Farm?
Summer has arrived all of a sudden at Honeydale Farm and we’ve been soaking up the glorious sunshine. Our crops are shooting up from the earth, our wildflowers are blooming and the cows are lazing happily in the sun. Everything is turning green and there’s a sense of real joy in the air.
Events Recap: What’s on at FarmED?
Lunchtime Talk - The Chippy Larder
Guests left feeling inspired, with many people asking how they could get involved, and others asking how they could set up their own similar project in their own area.
Farm & Food Literature Festival
Saturday marked our annual Farm and Food Literature Festival, and it’s safe to say it was a resounding success! It was a full-on day with a total of nine speakers, with authors travelling from as far as Devon, Newcastle, the Lake District, and the Orkney Islands. We had a great turnout of around 90 guests, a fantastic buffet served by our wonderful kitchen and Cafe team, and plenty of sunshine, too.
Jane Cooper, author of The Lost Flock, was a stand-out, telling the story of how she moved to one of Scotland’s wildest islands to follow her passion for knitting. She became the sole guardian of a remarkable breed of sheep known as Orkney Boreray, one of the few surviving heritage sheep in northern Europe. She spoke of her newfound connection to the Scottish landscape, the importance of preserving heritage breeds and, of course, her love of wool.
Sophie Yeo, first-time author of Nature’s Ghost, followed, taking us on a journey through forgotten lands. She read a passage from her book, which describes landscapes from ancient forests rising after the Ice Age to the eagle-haunted skies of the Dark Ages. It was a true testament to the power of storytelling.
Helen Rebanks wrapped up the day with her debut, The Farmer’s Wife. In conversation with FarmED’s wonderful storyteller, Fiona Mountain, Helen shared just what it means to be a mother. From juggling farm-life to supporting her husband and caring for the children, Helen’s book makes us aware of just how important the role of motherhood is. Her story resonated with many members of the audience, who commented how refreshing it was to feel seen. She’s recently received praise from award winning author, Kate Mosse, who commended her book for being “true, unflinching, powerful, lyrical”. We couldn’t agree more.
Book signings, interesting conversations and delicious food!
Did you miss out on tickets to the Lit Fest? Don’t worry. There’s plenty more exciting events coming up. This Saturday we’re hosting a group of actors and playwrights from Chipping Norton Theatre for an immersive farm walk - grab tickets here. The Theatre is also putting on two plays in June, Lark Rise and Barn Dance, two beautiful tales of rural life.
This week has been full of treasures down in the kitchen garden, from nesting baby birds to new plant growth and lessons from an entomologist.
The sun has been beating down and the growers’ tans are already beginning to show - it feels as though we’ve transitioned from winter to summer overnight. Early in the week, the team kept busy digging furrows with the two wheel tractor, ready for planting potatoes. This was no mean feat in the 23 degree heat! Volunteers then helped to plant these potato sets on Thursday, as well as celeriac, peppers and tomatoes in the polytunnels.
Amongst the regular volunteers, we also welcomed two new faces to the garden this week. One of these was Kirsty, who is currently studying Agriculture at Hartpury University. She’ll be volunteering for us three days a week over the summer holidays, in the hopes to learn more about crop production and organic growing. FarmED’s new Public Engagement Coordinator, Alex (also our new resident entomologist!), joined us for a day of planting in the sunshine. Within half an hour he spotted two types of bumblebees (cuckoo bumblebee and buff tailed bumble bee), a leaf beetle, a dance fly, a carrion beetle, and a parasitic wasp. We have lots to learn from him and it was brilliant to see our plot through his eyes.
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