The sun of spring quickly helps us forget about the winter.
Spring ushers in the transformation of the farm, with the last of the winter crops being exchanged for ploughed fields ready for the new season. With a new polytunnel recently erected, John will be looking to build upon the successes of the previous two seasons. We will be taking on a full-time seasonal worker for six months, as well as some part-time seasonal support to help John with managing the field operation this year. Our Spring into Action event - led by Hatty, John and Ian - was great again, and it’s a lovely way to share this year’s growing plan with all the volunteers.Community Farmer Days
Another great thing about spring is that our Community Farmer Days start again. Three years ago, the first Community Farmer Day I went to (planting courgettes in early May if my memory serves me correctly) was attended by six people. This year, our first Community Farmer Day on 22 April is already booked out with 40 plus people, and spaces for future days are already vanishing fast. I do not think words do justice to the wonderful experience of a day’s communal farming with Ian, our Community Farmer. If you can make one of the available dates sign up quick. Come and connect with the land where your food is grown and feel free to bring your family and friends. Lunch is provided and the fun and merriment are also free of charge!Wildlife events
Community Farmer Days are not the only exciting events happening at the farm this spring. We also have a whole host of wildlife events from a foraging workshop with Martin Bailey (13 May) to bird watching (14 May) and even a morning of moth identification with Higgy, the founder of North Somerset Nature Net (24 June)! We’ve got lots more in the pipeline too so keep your eyes on our events page!Strategic plan
With every year that passes by, the farm does go from strength to strength. During my three years here, thanks to everyone’s hard work from the board to staff and volunteers, we have begun to move from a position of constantly being on the back foot, to approaching a new financial year on the front foot. As a new business and a farming operation, it was never going to be an easy first few years, but the idea that a concept like The Community Farm can viably exist in the long term is beginning to seem more and more like a reality. It is, however, important to not get complacent and to keep striving for improvements in everything we do. We hope that you will continue to see improvements in the delivery of our vegetable boxes; we will continue to build our relationship with Better Food, and we hope that 2017 will see more people on our land than ever before. Please take look at our new strategic plan (currently in draft form) which outlines our aspirations for volunteers, nature and the future of farming at The Community Farm.Ped Asgarian
Managing Director
