Friends of the Earth visit and an update for the end of March

So happy to entertain the local FOE group onto the plot. Friday being a great day (again) and needing interest from all groups and individuals I realise the wonderful influence such a project may have. Getting the word out that there is a better way to look at this world is really rewarding and there is so little any one, single, individual can do on their own.

With summer moving in straight from last autumn with little winter nor spring the high temperatures mean all manner of bees and insects are active. As part of the pollinator survey we would hope to identify them all a little better this year. My bee-keeping course at Bromley BKA helps in so many ways as it is an inspiring experience.

Aphids have been active too. Bit weird to see them in March. That would explain the mass of ladybirds that have been about for weeks now.

The membership flyer is now on hold until a better format is thought-through. Getting the right message across is a necessary part of the strategy as it could easily lose impact and worse still be misunderstood. The line we are moving towards is one of action (eat, buy, donate and join) rather than simply awareness of fresh veg. Saying that I am constantly reminded of the education element of Community Supported Agriculture and, for me, the way this comes back to 're-education' as so many people of older generations have been sucked up by consumerism into the 'safe' and comfortable world of supermarkets and out of town mega centres. This is clearly a bit of false confidence as the horse meat scandal exhibits.

I've had a chance to set-up a few Flowforms which really makes the place alive. I look forward to our first water workshop perhaps later this year.

For anyone who may not know Flowforms are a stunning way to add vortex movement to liquids. This has oxygenating benefits but is has wider scope for general water quality and improving the 'life-giving' capacity of water. They are used in Bio-dynamics for stirring 'Preparations' and may have wider applications, some I hope to explore with hens, the carbon cooler and more.

Potatoes are going in, roughly 500 metres (that is 4 100 metre rows and 2 other beds of 30 metres). Enough to feed about 40 boxes a week by my calculation.

This week will be the last of the Broccoli which has been a fab crop. Shame to have to compost the last two crates but as it is a trial crop it had to be picked with or without people to eat it.

On that we may be able to start a regular local stall each Saturday down at Alyesford. It'll be whatever is in season plus a few of the old tools to fund-raise.

As a prompt please do check out the crowd fund for the network. Community Supported Agriculture needs you! As a start to forming a nation wide strategy the Soil Association have started a fund and are asking for any pledge to get it off the ground. www.buzzbnk.org/CSANetwork is the way to find out more.

or go direct to www.communitysupportedagriculture.org.uk/

the fund has been opened by

Community Supported Agriculture Network UKSouth Plaza, Marlborough Street
Bristol, Avon
BS1 3NX, UNITED KINGDOM

contact Rachel Harries
csanetworkuk@gmail.com
0117 987 4601

Also two courses for keen market gardeners and sustainability. More will follow.