Field Notes: 28th October - 4th November 2024

Nov 07, 2024

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

“November comes, and November goes. With the last red berries and the first white snows... and earth sinks to rest until next spring,” - Clyde Watson

In the past week, the landscape on the farm seems to have transformed overnight, with spider webs glistening across fields and buildings in the morning dew - a delicate, ghostly sight. 

Last week, we welcomed the arrival of November and the passing of Samhain. The ancient pagan festival of Samhain (31st October-1st October) is one of the four “fire festivals” that are connected to the ancient farming year, later becoming known as ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ (Halloween) and ‘All Souls Day’ (1st November). 

Samhain traditionally marked the beginning of winter and was a time to honour ancestors. Places were laid at the table during the Samhain feast so that those recently passed could be with their families and friends. Bonfires were lit on the hilltops in each community/village, and special crosses were made and placed above the door to protect the home from bad luck for the coming year.

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

Our delicious pumpkin and squash soup 

We have some exciting news from the Cafe this week…it’s officially Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Aga, our talented baker, has created a syrup using ingredients grown on the farm. Why not pop down and give it a try? It’s truly autumn in a cup. 

The menu this week has been filled with hearty, comforting flavours: a delicious carrot, kale, butter bean and tomato soup; a Crown Prince squash, sage and miso tart; slow roasted venison with a creamy potato and celeriac mash; and a warming roasted squash and sage soup topped with pumpkin seeds. 

We’re also excited to welcome Kelly, our new Kitchen Assistant, to the FarmED team! Kelly has a background as a chef, and will be working alongside Gareth to bring fresh ideas to the kitchen and helping to create delicious, seasonal dishes with our farm produce. 

Events Recap: What’s on at FarmED?

Apple Day

“The apple and the orchard are symbols of hope. They demonstrate how we can have our trees, bees, bats, butterflies, birds and badgers whilst growing good fruit to eat and drink” - Sue Clifford

Christine and Henry pressing apples into cider!

Our Apple Day felt like a wonderful celebration of autumn, as we welcomed a friendly group of 15, both from nearby villages and as far afield as Germany! A delicious apple cake kicked off the celebrations and Christine, co-founder of the Kitchen Garden People and our resident apple expert, shared her knowledge on all things apples. She delved into the rich history of apple varieties, grafting, and the art of apple identification. She also took the group into the heritage orchard, where everyone learnt the proper technique for picking and were given a beginner’s lesson in pruning. 

Alex also led a group of kids on an orchard treasure hunt, which ended with 11-year-old Sam taking home the prize! 

Back at the farm, Christine showed us how to turn windfall apples into fresh juice and cider, starting off a batch that will slowly ferment until it’s ready to enjoy next year. 

Everyone went home with a supply of Ashmead's Kernel, Lane's Prince Albert, and Bramley cookers. 

Hemp Lunchtime Talk

Last Wednesday, we were joined by James Norman, tenant farmer on the Hardwick Estate, and Sophia, co-founder of Hempen Organic, for a brilliant talk on all things hemp. They shared their journeys in hemp farming and the trials and tribulations they’ve faced on the way, from gaining to losing a hemp licence!

They ended by sharing their hopes for the future of growing organic hemp in the UK and everyone was treated to a delicious lunch in our farm to fork Cafe. 

Find out what Lunchtime Talks are coming up by clicking here. 

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

Look at those mammoth cabbages! 

November is the time of year for tidying, and, if you’re a gardener yourself, you, like us, will be storing away tools, coiling hoses, and making sure drip lines are tucked out of reach from nibbling mice who are already eyeing warm places to nest. It’s a kind of resetting, and there’s a satisfaction in knowing things are tidied and cared for, ready for winter. 

Life below the soil, however, never stops to rest, with tulip and daffodil bulbs nestled down, gathering strength to bring spring colour when the world thaws again. 

Thursday, our volunteer morning, was wrapped in thick fog that blanketed the farm until nearly midday, lifting only briefly before returning at sunset. Our volunteers were hard at work mulching the agroforestry area at the top of the farm with woodchip and bringing in a first harvest of beetroot—a great veg for winter storage.

This week, we also planted spring garlic and gathered the last apples from the orchard: heritage varieties like Edes Magnum, London Pippin, and Cornish Aromatic.

In the polytunnels, our jungle of tomato plants have now been replaced by salads like claytonia, and mizuna. Broad beans have also now been planted, ready to grow slowly and steadily through the winter. And in the kitchen, our mammoth cabbages have been put to good use, transformed into batches of fresh sauerkraut by the Cafe team.