Field Notes: 2nd - 8th December 2024

Dec 13, 2024

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?

Merry Christmas from the goats! 

As we near mid-December, the farm has reached a peaceful stillness. When you step outside, the air is cool and crisp and the field margins are lined with stark trees, their bare branches stretching up into the winter sky. Only evergreens remain with their colour of summer, while most of the deciduous trees have shed their leaves.

This week, we were treated to the mesmerising sight of a wake of Red Kites circling over one of our fields. For over 10 minutes, they swooped and soared, scanning for prey to take home to their nests. It was a stunning sight and we couldn’t draw our eyes away as we watched them take over the sky. 

The recent frosty mornings have added a real sense of magic to the farm. There’s nothing quite like the sight of fog hanging low over the valley - a scene straight out of a winter postcard.

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

Christmas has arrived in the Cafe.

Christmas is in full swing in the Cafe! We were lucky enough to welcome back our house band, D’accord, on Monday, filling every table and getting everyone to join in for Christmas classics like ‘‘Let It Snow…’,‘Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire’ and ‘White Christmas’. 

The kitchen team have been busy the past couple of weeks creating festive treats, and the Cafe has been filled with the delicious scent of Christmas cooking. From homemade mince pies to spiced biscuit Christmas trees, there’s plenty of delicious treats on the counter so please do pop down and indulge in a delight (or two)!

The Christmas elves have been busy putting up decorations and the farm has transformed into a winter wonderland. Twinkling trees can be found in every room, stars and wreaths are hanging down from the ceiling, and poinsettias bring colour to every table. The fire is roaring and we couldn’t think of a better place to cosy up with a warming mince pie.

Events Recap: What’s on at FarmED?

Book Club

We welcomed our lovely book club group back to the library last week for the last meeting of the year, along with special guest, Patrick Neale from Jaffe & Neale bookshop. Patrick had recommended the book, ‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers, and joined us to tell us why he loved the book so much. We nestled down next to the Christmas tree and discussed our thoughts over hot chocolates and steaming coffees.

The consensus was that ‘The Overstory’, while not a breezy read at over 700 pages, proved to be time well worth spent. Its sections - Roots, Trunk, Crown and Seeds - mirror the wisdom and resilience of trees, their beauty and ageless presence and what we can learn from them.

At our next book club meeting, we’ll be discussing ‘Ultra Processed People’ by Chris Van Tulleken. Please visit our Facebook Page or contact fiona@farm-ed.co.uk for more info if you fancy joining!

Sustainable Wreath Making Workshop

Last week, talented local florist, Lauren Macadie, led a fantastic Wreath Making Workshop here on the farm. Guests arrived to hot cups of coffee and mince pies, before learning to craft willow frames using locally sourced materials. One of the fields here on the farm was originally called Withy Slade, referencing the willow trees that would have grown near the water. Guests were then taken on a farm walk to forage for wintry greens, seedheads and berries to decorate their wreaths, before tucking into a delicious seasonal lunch from the Cafe. 

It was a lovely, festive-filled day and everyone left with beautiful wreaths in tow and the skills to willow weave and decorate wreaths well into the future. You can use the willow frame for spring, summer or autumn foliage too!

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

Volunteers all the way from Dublin!

Things are winding down for Christmas in the kitchen garden, and with two storms over the last couple of weeks, we’ve been busy prepping and battening down the hatches. Last Friday, we spent the afternoon closing up the polytunnels and weighing down the caterpillar tunnels with sandbags in an attempt to keep the 90 mph wind from doing any damage. Sadly, despite our efforts, some damage occurred to one of our tunnels (the metal poles had been bent to the shape of the wind!), leaving us with repairs to tackle in the coming weeks.

We had visitors all the way from Dublin for our harvest day last Friday. They helped us to harvest lettuce, kale and celeriac for our veg boxes, alongside a group of our regular volunteers. It was a chilly morning but we warmed up with hot tea and plenty of chatter in the packing shed.

We’ve had a few frosty mornings in the last couple of weeks and the scenery down in the plot has been beautiful. Last Thursday, we arrived to frost-tipped cabbages and kale. Time spent mulching our agroforestry trees kept us toasty until the freezing fog lifted and the sun came out. We also harvested an impressive 370 leeks! They smell amazing at this time of year - always a sure sign of healthy soil.

The warm weather a couple of weekends ago has tricked our tulips into thinking spring had come early, so we carefully tucked them under a woodchip mulch to keep them protected over the winter. They’ll now hide until they are ready to bloom in spring. 

Looking to join our veg box scheme in the new year? Contact Emma on The Kitchen Garden People website to get yourself on the waiting list…