Field Notes: 22nd - 28th October 2024

Nov 01, 2024

Field Record: What’s been happening on the 107 acres of Honeydale Farm?

Autumn has arrived gently this year, easing us in with mild days warm enough to wear a t-shirt. October marked the time for drilling and preparing our fields for next year’s crop. On October 5th, Ian sowed two rotation fields: one with heritage wheat undersown with clover, the other a mix of wheat, rye and clover. Our control plot was drilled with conventional wheat by our neighbours, Bruern Farm. 

The clocks went back on the 26th, and, as the nights draw closer, nature reminds us to wind down and prepare for the winter ahead. Just like the trees are shedding their leaves, it's time for us to do the same.

We’ve been noticing lots of birds flying over the farm over the past couple of weeks, as they find their homes for the winter. Although they’re not as vibrant as in spring, they’re more active now, with food harder to come by. The bare branches strip away their hiding spots making them more visible. They’ve been eating the sunflower seeds down in the kitchen garden, as well as the skeletal seed heads all around the farm and we’ve been lucky enough to spot great-spotted and green woodpeckers, tits, finches, dunnocks and sparrows. 

Cafe Catch-Up: What’s new in the Cafe?

In the cafe this week, we’ve been preparing for halloween with our FarmED pumpkin competition! Each pumpkin, lovingly carved by the FarmED team, is on display as you enter the Cafe. The votes revealed that Ethan and Phoebe's pumpkins were the winners!

On the menu this week are hearty dishes that warm the soul: a comforting potato, cavolo nero and green split pea soup, a melty tomato, mozzarella and basil calzone, and a tomato, pepper and lentil curry with spiced potatoes and cavolo nero. Our salads feature roasted squash and feta, beetroot, fennel and green lentils, and hearty roasted veggies with winter greens. 

We also celebrated Gareth's birthday—our amazing FarmED cook! We gathered over lunch, with the perfect company - a delicious apple cake crafted by our talented baker, Aga. 

Events Recap: What’s on at FarmED?

The Archers Unseen 

Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of hosting the official book launch for The Archers Unseen: A Secret History of Ambridge. As Britain’s most beloved and longest-running soap, The Archers has been a staple of British life since its first broadcast in 1951. We welcomed 50 guests for drinks and nibbles, and the fairy lights went on as it began to get dark outside…

The highlight of the night was a fascinating discussion with Julie, the book’s author, alongside The Archers Editor Jeremy Howe and Sybil Ruscoe, Farming and Countryside Advisor. They shared insights into the making of the show - stories from behind the scenes that truly brought the history of Ambridge to life.

It was a wonderful evening filled with delicious food and plenty of laughter. To top it off, Julie stayed to sign copies of her book, making sure each guest had a keepsake from the night.

For our next literary event, we’re excited to be welcoming Caroline Quentin, one of Britain's best-loved actresses and comedians, to the farm to talk all things gardening. She’s celebrating the release of her bestselling book, Drawn to the Garden, where she shares everything from personal stories of her life, favourite recipes and practical tips. Her own garden in Devon has come to teach her that gardening, just like life, is a series of happy accidents, unplanned successes, and baffling and frustrating failures.

Book your tickets on our website here.

Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership 

We closed the Cafe on Monday for a team away day, hosting 80 members of the Oxfordshire Local Nature Partnership for a day of activities, talks, folk songs and good food. Folk singer Sam Lee opened the day with a beautiful ceremony song, and we feel lucky to have witnessed it. It set the tone for the day as the group discussed plans for the future and how the partnership can continue to make a difference in the surrounding area. We served them a delicious buffet lunch as well as cakes and pastries throughout the day.

Want to come to FarmED for an away day? Details of how to book can be found on our website here.

Garden Treasures: What’s been happening down in the kitchen garden?

Our well-loved wheelbarrow ready for Monday’s harvest

On Monday, The Kitchen Garden People were lucky enough to have a visit from one of their youngest volunteers. Louis, age 11, came to help with the big Monday harvest for local restaurants and FarmED Cafe. He also put his muscles (and DIY skills) to the test, helping to construct the last of the squash storage, before labelling sacks of stored potatoes into varieties and helping to harvest apples and pears from the orchard (Swan’s Egg and St Remy). 

A container full of winter veggies! (Left to Right: Dan, Ethan, Eddie)

The storage container is brimming with stored veg. Squash is piled up to the ceiling, and sacks laden with potatoes and onions are stacked up high. The dehumidifiers are doing a good job of keeping everything fresh and dry.

On Thursday, the team harvested the first of the autumn carrots in the sunshine - the usual 11-o-clock break was made all the better by Aga’s delicious focaccia. This marked the first big root harvest of the year - a sure sign that it must be autumn. It’s also the first week of harvesting celeriac, radish, and leeks - which were seeded in February and planted in May. It always feels like an occasion to celebrate when the first leeks come out of the ground. We’re already dreaming of recipes to come…

Now we’re moving into the colder part of the year, our weekly salad shares have moved from purely lettuce to a mix of rocket, mizuna and mustard leaves. 

It’s the last leg of the great tunnel switch over, and slowly and steadily we are preparing for the leaner months to come.