Squash harvest 2021

Last week, before the weather was forecast to turn (which it has done!), we got out into our squash patch to harvest them all and lay them out in the Propagation Station for their skins to cure ready for storing and selling. This year we grew 900kg, our second-best year ever, and they are now available in the farm shop (and veg boxes and Sennen Market) priced at £2 per kilo, no matter what variety they are. This year we have Crown Prince, Blue Ballet, Jack-Be-Little, Jack-O-Lantern, Turk's Turban, and Uchiki Kuri squash, all of them are good eaters rather than empty carvers.

Thank you to all our harvesters!!

New hens

Yesterday we introduced 100 new point-of-lay Colombian Blacktail hens into our flock, and they are settling in well, even laying a handful of eggs already.

Community Group Award

Bosavern Community Farm is delighted to have been chosen by St. Just Town Council to receive this year's Community Group Award:-

"in recognition of your work in the community, for your achievements in working with local people with health issues, and helping people get into work, and for their [your] stepping up during the early stages of the pandemic to deliver fresh food to local people".

We would like to dedicate this award to all the people who have made positive contributions to the farm over the past twelve years, whose help and support have laid the foundations to make our work possible, and to all the people who are currently helping us to do everything we do for the community.

Many thanks to the council for voting for the farm, and we look forward to receiving this award on Feast Sunday (31st October).

St. Just Ordinalia 2021

Many congratulations to the Ordinalia team this year who put on an extraordinary show for two weeks in September, and performed come rain or shine, mist or fog. Bosavern Community Farm was proud to help by allowing a group of set builders to camp for free in one of the fields, for several weeks, and provide them with power, water, and their own compost toilet. Many thanks for allowing us to come and see the shows, they were unforgettable.

Ten years plus one birthday celebration

Our eagerly anticipated 10th birthday celebration had to be postponed due to Covid, and was eventually held more than one year later, on 10th October 2021. It was the best and busiest open day we've ever had, with hundreds of people enjoying the sunshine and having a magical day out on the farm, whilst showing their support for the project and appreciation for all the vital work we have carried out during the pandemic and subequent lockdowns.

Participants on the Bosavern Training and Work Experience course serving food in the Cow Shed Cafe.

Lawrence the Newmill potter with his wares for sale in the farmyard.

Kate with one of the children's craft projects, a pop-up mini-garden.

Lawrence demonstrating how to throw a pot on his wheel.

Two spoon carvers in the farmyard.

Will and Holly pressing and bobbing apples.

The Shindig Cloggers playing and dancing in the yard, as one of three of the musical performances.

The Raffidy Dumitz band.

And the Penzance Guizers morris-dancing side.

As well as all the above there were trips to collect eggs from the chickens led by Warren, a talk about regenerative agriculture from Holly, the screening our latest film by Florence, two raffles, welly wanging, a tug-of-war, and a tour of the polytunnels and market garden by Hugh - it was a very busy day!

Many many thanks to everybody who put time and effort into organising the day, for performing on the day, bringing their stalls along, providing or serving food, and for coming along to support your farm.

Recent veg boxes

We are now moving from summer crops (tomatoes etc...) to winter crops (leeks etc...) and the contents of our veg boxes reflect that. Yesterday's 90 boxes contained a selection from - Swiss chard, peppers, leeks, beetroot, kohl rabi (from a local organic farm), lemon verbena, red onions, potatoes, cucumber, and spring greens. Recent boxes have also contained brown onions, tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans, French beans, rainbow chard, kale, carrots and ring-of-fire chillies.

Rainbow chard in the market garden.

Participants of the Work Experience and Training scheme dressing leeks in the farmyard.

Veg boxes packed and ready to go.

Our veg boxes cost £7 for a small box (6 or 7 items), £11 for a standard box (9 to 11 items), £2 for half a dozen free-range non-GM-feed eggs, £1.50 home delivery, with optional breads, milk and yoghurt.

James, Jack, Belem and Angie

Since the last blog entry one month ago (busy times!) another four WWOOF volunteers have come to the ends of their residences here on the community farm, and as always we are very grateful for their help, and wish them well as they move on.

Angie, Jack and Belem, sowing winter salads in the Propagation Station, surrounded by onions in storage.

Belem and James mucking out one of the chicken sheds, a weekly Wednesday task (volunteers always welcome!).

Jack picking runner beans in the market garden.