Our monthly blog keeping you updated on all the goings on at Horsenden Farm. Written by Emma Robertson, friend of the farm and partner of the Brewer.
The current drought looks set to deepen, the grass around us is yellowing and the trees are throwing off their leaves in protest at the excess heat. We sadly have had a series of fires in the meadows and at the summit of the hill and are indebted to the prompt, efficient response from the local Fire Brigade. There has also been considerable monitoring by vigilant members of the public, our volunteer community, and the Ealing Ranger teams to ensure that fires are caught and extinguished quickly.
In view of the increased sensitivity of local wilder spaces and parks, please do not cook, BBQ, or use camping stoves or kettles on the hill or in surrounding areas at this time. Take vapes and cigarette butts home (you can buy portable ashtrays and containers for this purpose), be aware of sweet wrappers, crisp packets, your glasses/sunglasses and jewellery too because shiny surfaces can magnify and cause sparks. If you are a walker or someone who enjoys exploring the paths and open spaces of the area, please help by picking up litter (particularly bottles and glass) if you can. Ring 999 if you come across a fire.
A huge amount of effort is going into the watering sessions that are keeping planting around the farm looking so special. Watering systems across the site are being adapted for resilience, especially in the veg and flower growing areas. Drip lines are a really efficient way of keeping plants hydrated and can be used in domestic settings even during hosepipe bans (double check with your water provider). With pressure reducers and timer settings they make it much easier to keep on top of watering crops here on the farm and use much less than a hosepipe and/or watering cans. Even better, many of the drip line systems on the farm are connected to rainwater collection and storage to make better use of all the resources that are available to us.
Earlier this month the volunteer teams said goodbye to Frank and Miriam, who have moved back to the Netherlands. Frank’s amazing scything skills will be missed on the farm but we are grateful that he shared his experience and knowledge with our scything team, helping to ensure that the activity can be continued in his absence. There was also a volunteer clothes swap evening, where an astonishing abundance of unwanted clothes and shoes were perused and enthusiastically rehomed.
The extended dry weather has been a good opportunity to focus on ponds. The conservation teams have been doing clearance work around three of our precious ponds in preparation for improving habitats and increasing wildlife, including the creation of a completely new pond in the school garden area. The hope is that this will capture and contain some of the water that causes the playground to become so muddy for some periods of the winter. We were delighted to work with a team from local companies, Clearspring and Mr Organic on the school garden pond, they had a great day of team building while giving back to their local environment. If you’re interested in bringing a team from your company for a day at the farm, check out our Corporate Volunteering options.
Bill the Beekeeper has also been enjoying the opportunity to dip into his beehives whenever he has the time and energy rather than planning around potential rain showers and temperature changes. This means that honey can be harvested in smaller amounts and frames returned to the bees really quickly, so that they can clean and refill them. The nectar flow from the blackberries began really early this year and the bees seem to have been finding plenty to forage ever since. The brewery are looking forward to working on a new batch of the Veri Special, which uses the honey from Bill as well as other generous local Beeks.
Other members of the conservation team have been working on improving the drainage swales in the Oak Woods, with the help of a terrific corporate group who were full of enthusiasm. The idea is to retain as much water higher on the hill to benefit plants, trees and wildlife during drought periods and reduce flooding in Autumn and Winter. Heavy rain storms can cause erosion and impact soil so diverting at least some of that water away from paths and slowing it down to provide more time for the earth to absorb as much of it as possible is really desirable.
July has been quiet in the Woodland Workshop but it won’t be for long as preparation is underway for another pole lathe course with Ali Asadi on 22nd August. There are only a few places left, so book fast if you are curious! Russell is also expanding his network and looking to bring new courses to the hill in September; brush making and possibly Scandinavian style heddle loom making could be on the cards so do watch this space for more information.
Milly Mills will also be hosting an opportunity to get creative at the farm, in her Tetra Pak carton Relief Print workshop on Sunday 16th August. Milly will teach you how to create beautiful prints using your rubbish! The workshop is aimed at complete beginners who just want to have a go at printing and promises to be great fun. There is a morning and an afternoon session available, do check it out.
The long grass cuts are underway across Ealing Parks and during the week you might be able to see or hear the heavy machinery used by the Parks teams to mow, turn, or bale grass from the meadows, cut the hedges back, and prune some of the trees that have been most affected by the dry weather and decided to shed entire branches rather than just leaves. The blackberry crop is bumper this year and picking has been a favourite (and slightly competitive) activity of some of the volunteers. The conserve and jam teams are preparing for the sticky work of turning the bags, tubs and containers of juicy fruit into something less perishable and easier to keep in a cupboard. The apple harvest is also beginning so that stirring steaming pots of syrupy goodness can be interspersed with interludes of cutting, crushing and pressing…
Perivale’s Veri Pale has been on tap at the Ealing Comedy festival in Walpole Park and for the duration of the jazz and blues music festivals too. The veg gardens on the farm are exploding with courgettes and summer squash, which have already been used for several Wednesday volunteer lunches. Mike has been pondering the prospect of using patty pan summer squash in a beer and doesn’t seem enthusiastic… And as a team we have been contemplating the word Glut and discussing some of the consequences of abundance. I would quite like to hear your thoughts, so if you have an artwork, a photograph, a poem, a piece of writing, or any form of creative expression that relates to the word Glut, please do let me know!
Coming up in August…
- There will be a Horsenden stall at the Boston Manor Farmers Market on Saturday 8th August. There is a Beer Festival in the same location in Boston Manor Walled Garden on August 29th and 30th. Live music and some of the best local street food make this a really great opportunity to celebrate the end of the month.
- The Friends of Horsenden will have a table to promote the farm and the volunteering activities that are organised from here at the Greenford Town Community Day at Northolt Rugby Club on Saturday 15th of August. Please do come along and say hello!
- If you haven’t visited the farm shop yet this season, we’d love to see you up at the farm on a Saturday morning to enjoy the very best of what’s growing at Horsenden. 10am – 12.30pm
- Milly Mills’ Tetra Pak carton Relief Print workshop will be on Sunday 16th August. Learn how to print using your rubbish! Find out more and book places here: Morning session – Afternoon session.
- Find out more about pole lathe turning with Ali Asadi on August 22nd and book a place here.
- Horsenden Loaf opening hours: Fridays 11-7 when you can buy a burger to go with your beer! Saturday/Sundays 10-6 with pizza available between 12 and 6pm.
- Horsenden Farm Flowers will be available for purchase on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from the flower shack next to the Loaf’s counter.
- Perivale Brewery opening hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday 12-8pm.
- Acoustic Jam will be Saturday August 8th, Disco is hosting his Extraordinary Quiz on Sunday August 9th, there will be a Games Night with Kirk on Friday August 14th, and we will conclude the month with the usual Open Mic Sessions on Saturday 29th August.
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