Last weekend, The Community Farm was abuzz with music, food and fun, as Valley Fest arrived on our fields.
Ever since The Community Farm was just an idea, one of our main motivations has been to get people on the land. We want to revive the connection between food, the place it is grown, those who grow it and those who eat it. This connection helps us to appreciate the true cost of the food we eat – the use of precious resources like water and fuel, and the often huge impact on the soil and local wildlife.It is with this in mind that Community Farm board member, Luke Hassel, (who owns the land on which we farm) came up with Valley Fest. A music festival might not seem the obvious choice for encouraging people to eat well and respect our planet, but Valley Fest is different. It is an event with ethical farming at its heart, blending great music and entertainment with top-notch local and organic food, and beautiful farm surroundings. For us it is an opportunity to reach out to new audiences who may not otherwise visit the farm.
On the main Lake Stage acts like Craig Charles and Stereo MCs got the party going, while giant tipis came alive with music after dark. On Chew Stage, there were cookery demos from some of the best chefs in the South West. Josh Eggleton (The Pony and Trap) and Phil Haughton (Better Food Company, and Community Farm board member) cooked up a storm with The Community Farm’s organic produce.
The Run Wild area provided a place for children to let off steam, with activities including wildlife hunts, cookery sessions and campfire fun. The Community Farm’s education partner, Earthwise, led children to Pick, Cook and Eat their way around the farm, learning about the food they eat and fashioning a feast with their freshly picked produce. Martin from Go Foraging, showed festival-goers all the wonderful treats to be found foraging in the farm’s bountiful hedgerows.
The Community Farm’s stall looked a picture with brand-new display materials and an exquisite display of organic and locally sourced fruit and vegetables.
Despite promising forecasts, typical festival weather rolled in over Chew Lake on Saturday and, like our yurt and poly tunnel in storms gone by, the gazebo sheltering us met a sorry demise. But as UK farmers we’re made of stern stuff – a little bit of weather won’t defeat us! So with a few creative repairs we were back in action, meeting some wonderful people and promoting our organic boxes and volunteering opportunities.
It was lovely to see so many smiling faces enjoying the farm and to welcome more people to get on our land.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped us get the farm ready for Valley Fest and helped out over the weekend.
