Volunteering in the garden

NIR HALFON

May to June is quite an intense time of the year in the garden. There is an adrenaline rush when every week one crop is being planted and another crop is beginning to be harvested. At the same time, the soil is warm, the days are long and dry, and all the crops need to be maintained. There is no end to watering and weeding. A feeling of momentum begins to build as we approach the height of the growing season. 

Usually, we have a crew of volunteers in the garden. They include college and university students, volunteers, and young fifteen-year-old students from Waldorf schools in Europe doing their work experience. Over the years a lot of volunteers have made their way through the farm. We have had seasons of Italian volunteers, who loved to talk of food and wine. Seasons where they were mainly Dutch, French, German or international visitors from outside the EU. Obviously, this year things are different. For a start, none of them came. We had four German volunteers who came to the farm just before Covid-19. Slowly, as they left, volunteers from here in the UK came in their place. So, as of June, for the first time in the history of volunteering at Plaw Hatch, Plumtree house has only UK residents. We love having the transient community of volunteers whatever their nationality is and look forward to when our international community can visit again. They give to the farm so much more than just work.

Simultaneously, we have had many offers from local people to help and volunteer in the garden. So far, due to the virus, we have kept the garden and farm team as a unit and minimised our interaction with visitors. Certain projects have been done by volunteers; we had a great response to onion planting and a group of neighbours got the job done in a week (which is a record time!) As the season progresses and the restrictions are easing up, there is plenty to get involved in! We will appreciate your help particularly with harvesting and processing soft fruit and weeding and hoeing the crops in the fields.

To maintain a safe working environment, there are set times for people to come and volunteer. Slots are:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9:30 till 12:00.

There is a limit of 6 people per slot. We will still maintain distance and separation from the farm and garden staff as much as possible. If you are interested in helping in the garden please text Nir on 07815035262 or email using the contact form below with your name and the date and time you could come. This will be confirmed with you.