It has been a wonderfully busy and impactful period since June. Via our Weaving Farms, Land, People & Planet project(WFLPP), we have delivered 10 school sessions at our Blyth Valley Farm venues and at Wakelyns agroforestry farm. Alongside this, a further 7 sessions have focused on connecting diverse urban communities with rural farms and market gardens, as part of our collaborative work with Barleybird CIC on the Diverse Communities, Diverse Crops project.
The feedback on this community-focused, Landscape Connection work, is that it not only shares knowledge and skill, but builds relationships between communities and continues to highlight the importance of cultural exchange, with one participant sharing: “This work is so important, it’s really special what you are doing – bringing together these very different communities. We really need much more of this, to help to break down those barriers. It has been such a special day.”
A real highlight of our WFLPP project was the session with Wenhaston Primary School at Wakelyns. Working alongside the brilliant Contemporary Hempery and Willow Phoenix, pupils explored innovative short-chain material and food systems right at the source. It was a powerful moment, celebrating that we have enabled local school children to connect with the vanguard of agroforestry. One child commented ‘I learnt today, that trees and plants can talk to each other with their roots!”
Our sessions this side of the school holidays have all taken place at the fantastic Broad Oak Farm so far. Pupils from Bramfield House School, who provide education for boys with special educational needs, got stuck into exploring the top 3 grains grown globally and the issues around the lack of diverse grains within our food system. They explored the journey of food by milling their own flour and making dough. The sensory experience of seeing, smelling, and feeling the difference between their own wholemeal flour and a standard white packet flour was a memorable lesson. A teacher from the Bramfield visit had this to say about the impact on the pupils: “The activities were a hit and pitched at the right level. Boys learnt new information and were able to put it to use practically…The energy used to grind the wheat into flour was amazing as was seeing them put so much effort into the task. They loved being able to run free in the woods …They were able to recognise themselves how calming it was to be outside in nature and on a working farm…”
Pupils from Kelsale Primary took a slightly different journey, looking into the history of farming to understand how we arrived at today. During this activity, it was wonderful to see pupils make the connection between a picture they were shown and the vital role of women working on the land during WW2. The session then focused on deep sensory connection to the present landscape through mindful drawing in the meadows with Kasia. Their teacher noted the value of the experience, simply stating: “We enjoy these farm trips, they are great, it’s great for the kids to be learning outside.”
The focus on the future was front and centre for pupils from Ilketshall Primary. Every pupil was keen to be hands-on, getting their hands in the soil as they worked together to plant a new tree in the meadow with Fe. The experience brought home the importance of trees for cleaning our atmosphere and cooling our land—a fact felt directly when the group moved from the heat of the fields into the cool of the woods. It was no surprise that many acorns went home in pockets, ready for planting! As one pupil proudly stated, “I learnt how to plant a tree properly”—a hopeful act that nurtures the next generation.
And we’re not slowing down! With more school sessions planned in the coming weeks, we are also incredibly excited about our upcoming autumn events. We’ve got community meals, in school sharing sessions and school events designed to celebrate the importance of diversity in our food systems.
Away from the on-the-ground delivery of our sessions for our WFLPP project, the Connecting Constable & Gainsborough Country Landscape Recovery project continues to build momentum. The cornerstone of this work is collaboration, and a major focus in September was our first landscape table event.
The day brought together around 40 individuals, including farmers, researchers, curators, NGOs, and conservation groups. It was about creatively holding space for the exchange and co-creation of ideas that support both people and nature. The feedback was incredibly affirming, with one farmer telling us “What a remarkable group of people you have brought together… the day has been so well thought out and just brilliant… just amazing, thank you so, so much for organising.”
Building on the energy from this fantastic event, our team is now developing the detailed engagement plan that will serve as a roadmap for the next phase of this ambitious and vital work.
