Veg box waiting list.

At the moment, Bosavern Community Farm supplies fifteen local customers with regular organic veg-boxes (weekly or fortnightly), but in June, when more of our crops come into harvest (new potatoes, broad beans, peas etc...) we will be able to supply more boxes. Our boxes come in three sizes:-
1) Small, at £5, containing on average five different vegetables/fruits/herbs.
2) Standard, at £8, containing on average eight different vegetables/fruits/herbs.
3) Large, at £12, containing larger quantities of the above.
Most of the produce is grown here on the community farm, but occasionally we import veg from other local growers (both organic and non-organic). Boxes are ready and available for collection from 6pm on Fridays.

A sample veg-box from last year.

Veg-boxes lined up awaiting collection.

If you would like add your name to our waiting list for a veg-box, please send an email to hughdtaylor@hotmail.co.uk or phone us on (01736) 788454.

Earthing up potatoes.

At the same time as somebody was stealing our hard-earned takings, a team of seven volunteers were earthing up the potatoes in our new maincrop field, proving once again that many hands make light work.

Earthing up the potatoes.

The tired but happy team having completed the task.

Piggy bank theft.

Sometime in the late morning of Thursday 17th May, our piggy bank was stolen from the farm gate stall, along with its contents of approximately £7. The facts that we are a not-for-profit charity, a community farm run largely by volunteers, and currently struggling for survival, makes this even more upsetting. The honesty-box worked well for eighteen months (although we were always around £5 down at the end of every week), but, like most other honesty-boxes in the area, we have had to replace it with a more secure but less friendly alternative. The piggy bank itself was painted and donated to us by a volunteer.

Maincrop field update.

Our new maincrop field is progressing nicely on target. We have planted/sown all the potatoes, onions, leeks, swedes and parsnips, have begun successional sowings of turnips and carrots, and have plenty of trays of cabbage seedlings coming along ready for planting out.

Clive planting potatoes.

The field was prepared by tractor, and Clive returned to plant 33 sacks of potatoes too, saving our backs and allowing us to concentrate on preparing the market garden field (last year we planted all the potatoes by hand, taking three weeks). The potatoes have now sprouted, and we have begun earthing them up.

Potato plants starting to poke out, two weeks ago.

Starting to earth up the spuds yesterday, with Christine, Jim and Morgane.

We spent a lot of last week transplanting leek seedlings from the new polytunnel to the maincrop field, and special thanks go to Jim, Melanie, John and Ryan for their help with another quite daunting task. Thanks to Dylan as well for helping with the swede sowing on Saturday! The onion sets have sprouted well too.

Onion sets sprouting at the top of the field.

The maincrop field is where we are growing larger scale organic vegetables. Work also progresses down in the market garden field, where we grow smaller scale crops such as shallots, purple sprouting broccoli, jerusalem artichokes, brussels sprouts, red onions, radishes, kohl rabi, broad beans, peas etc...

Community Share Offer Extension.

The share offer has so far raised over £10,000 to help save the farm from being sold off (as reported on BBC Radio Cornwall last week). Due to international interest we have extended the share offer period by two months, with the new deadline being August 14th. All the details and forms needed for applying for shares, including for international purchases, can be found on www.bcfshares.org.uk.

John and Ryan.

Thanks also to John and Ryan, from Georgia, USA, for their week of helping on the farm. We wish you all the best on the rest of your travels.

John and Ryan transplanting leeks from the new polytunnel to the new maincrop field.

Melanie.

Many thanks to Melanie, who left on Saturday after three weeks wwoofing here on the community farm. Good luck on the Lizard Peninsula!

Annual gathering.

Yesterday, Monday 7th May, we held our latest Annual Gathering here on the farm, to celebrate all we have achieved so far, and as another excuse to eat lots of cake - but mainly a good chance to catch up with friends old and new.

How many people can you fit in the farmhouse kitchen?

After the first round of tea and cake we braved the inclement Cornish weather to play rounders, only once needing to take shelter in the cow-shed for a game of egg-box skittles. Back to the rounders, and those waiting to bat were happy that Tim wheeled out his brazier-in-a-pram to keep them warm. And after rounders it was time for more tea and cake, this time with a sing-song around the kitchen table, while the younger members of the community engaged in running water-fights in the farmyard. Another lovely time down on the farm!

Jumble and produce sale.

Our next fund raising event will be a jumble sale at St Just Primary School on Friday 11th May, 3 till 4pm, with refreshments and a stall of farm produce too.

10,000th hit!

Sometime over the past week this blog had its 10,000th hit!

New pig.

Thanks to Anna for our new piggy bank!

Beltane.

Curious happenings in Standing Stone Field were the order of the evening on Monday, as St. Just's 24th Maypole Dance took place on the farm. It was good to have everyone back, as 40 people braved awful weather to come out, and were pleasantly surprised by a beautiful dry evening. This year we were joined by an "oss" and attendant dancers....

Oss!

The oss with attendant dancers.

Leaping the fire.

Sunset as seen from the maypole.

Fingers crossed everybody that Bosavern Community Farm is able to host the 25th maypole dance too.

Anna.

Many thanks to Anna from Wolverhampton, who left today after three weeks volunteering on the farm. Thanks for all your hard work, and good cooking, and all the best for your next wwoofing experience - in Sweden.

Anna (left) and Melanie weeding cabbages between April showers.

Anna (left) and Melanie potting-on squashes and courgettes in the farm office during April showers!