In the last few years of our time on the farm there was a certain amount of conflict, which I hope I managed to conceal in the blog.
There were two schools of thought – one being that the kitchen had been built to deliver educational sessions and promote healthy eating. This was a view shared by me, Julia, the funders and several other people.
Then there was the view that it existed as a plaything for the farmer and his sister to hold family parties and loss-making social activities.
I think we know who won.
Looking at it now, it seems our (short-lived) replacements did a lot of work and appear to have transformed it into a replica of a South American shanty, including corrugated iron, re-used wood and coffee sacks. You half expect Indiana Jones to stroll in.
Unfortunately, the kitchen, despite the extension,The End is not now a practical venue for teaching. It will, once they have staff again, be an interesting place to eat, but we will no longer be teaching a thousand kids a year to make pizza or scones.
Nor, I feel, will it host the bread group again.
The final photograph is a young Wren. There were five of them but this was the best I could do. They are so quick! It’s a cheerful way to end the post, and a reminder of all the broods the Wrens have reared round the centre in the last five years.
Wren at Screveton
It all looks rather sad and forlorn now. The wren photo is wonderful!
Yes, there’s an air of emptiness and decay about it, as if nature will soon take it back.
Hi Simon
A Very optimistic customer throughput expectation with three whole chairs.
Without swearing, ‘it doesn’t look very good’ and ‘is ‘
That was one of the best teaching kitchens I had been in for community events. It felt like a community. Well life marches on, and there is no reverse gear on that one 🙁
Och well
Marcus
I’m not sure where all the other furniture has gone, though some of it was only fit for the skip.
I’d love to see it in action if the menu lives up to the promise of the interior design, but I doubt it will.
We looked at some local village halls when we were trying to relocate, but they don’t have big enough ovens for a bread group.
The good news is that I’m making nettle quiche for a gathering on Friday. 🙂
Well, I like it.
Great shot of the wren. I think we gleaned from between the lines that all was not well with the farmer. If he’s losing income now, it serves him right
Thanks Derrick – I always find Wrens tricky. And yes, loss of income – best way to hit him. 🙂
I always feel sorry for farmers. They have such a terrible time. Only 42% of their income is subsidies and there’s all that wildlife they have to kill.
You forget the chemicals they have to spray and the footpaths they have to block. t’s not an easy job being a farmer. 🙂
Oh dear… I’ve missed out on my reading recently… are you back there? What happened to the ‘new people’? Why is there corrugated iron? So many questions… I need to read back I think.
No, we aren’t back – once bitten and all that. The new people dissolved their partnership after a couple of months and the remaining one carried on working for a bit longer but eventually pulled out. We were sorry to hear it, as the eviction wasn’t their fault. Corrugated iron is part of the new shabby chic interior. 😉
Shabby – certainly; chic – not so much!
🙂 I’m hazy on details of shabby chic, though I do tend towards the shabby end of the spectrum. 🙂
The photos didn’t load, which is perhaps no bad thing. Sounds like you are better away from the trying situation with the farmer – sad that children can’t learn there anymore but new avenues are out there, I’m sure.
Yes, time to move on. We’ve been skip diving and sawing up pallets today so we’re moving on.
Good to hear… no need for toxic situations in one’s life!
🙂
The phot
All caught up with you and Julia again now, Quercus! I am sorry about what happened to the care farm. It must be hard to see all the work you and others did undone.
Thanks. It’s taken six months but I think we’re in a position to file it under “learning” and move on. 🙂
Wrens are indeed cheer-making creatures, even though fierce.
Yes, there was some very aggressive chattering going on. 🙂
Not having a bread group is a severe loss to any community.
Yes, I miss them and the bread-based banter.