Merry Christmas.

Bosavern Community Farm would like to wish everybody a very merry Christmas, and a happy and prosperous new year 2013. We would particularly like to thank all our volunteers, wwoofers, supporters, shareholders, fellow producers, and customers for all their hard work and support throughout 2012, and we look forward to working with you in 2013.

Volunteers with our finished Christmas tree in St Just Methodist church.

Coppicing workshop.

Today we held our annual coppicing workshop, led by Greg Humphries. The Wild Penwith Volunteers were in attendance as usual, and with the farm's volunteers and wwoofers this made 14 people. After Greg had given a tool talk and coppicing demonstration, we got down to the practical task of coppicing the third and final line of willow on the south side of the Market Garden Field. We began this task in November 2012, and now it's complete! Three lines of willow brought back into rotation, and withies transplanted to surround one and a half of the farm's fields as windbreaks.

Coppicing the third and final line of willow.

Greg showing us how it's done.

Removing the coppiced willow for processing (snedding).

The coppiced willow is being processed into fire-wood, bean-poles, pea-sticks, weaving pieces, and withies for planting as windbreaks around next year's Maincrop Field (where the chickens currently are).
Many thanks to everyone who came along today.

Last farmer's market before Christmas.

The last market before Christmas will be the St Just Food and Craft Market in the Old Town Hall this coming Saturday, 22nd December, from 09:30 till 12:30. We will have our usual stall selling eggs and veg from the farm, so please come and support us there.

Last day of freedom.

Our 41 Norfolk Black turkeys spent their last day in the open air today. Tomorrow they will be kept inside, and not fed, so they are ready for slaughter first thing Wednesday morning. This year's turkeys have been better behaved than last year's, even though there's twice as many of them. The following photos show them enjoying their field for the last time.

Turkey collection.

Just a reminder to all our turkey customers this year, that your turkeys will be ready for collection from the farm on Wednesday 19th December, anytime in the afternoon or evening. Please bring some money or a cheque with you to pay the remainder - we won't know the exact price of your bird until then. Many thanks, and see you then.

Coppicing workshop next Tuesday.

Tuesday 18th December will see our annual coppicing workshop held here on the farm, again led by Greg Humphries and the Wild Penwith Volunteers. The workshop will commence at 10am, and if it's anything like last winter it will continue until dusk. Please come along and learn how to coppice, and help us in the task - bring a packed lunch, wellies, and waterproof clothing.

Rainwater harvesting from a chicken shed roof.

After talking about it for two years or more, we eventually had enough spare time and the relevant parts to install a rainwater harvesting system onto one of our chicken sheds. Not only does this save water and money (we are mains metered), but it saves us time in the morning - no fiddling around with a hosepipe, the water is right there at the shed already. Not surprisingly the butt filled up straight away and is almost overflowing already (the rain wet us to the skin during installation)!

Rainwater harvesting system on chicken shed one.