Summer 2022 South West Biodynamic Group Newsletter
- Jun 20, 2022
- 8 min read
Sonnet
by John Clare
I love to see the summer beaming forth
And white wool sack clouds sailing to the north
I love to see the wild flowers come again
And mares blobs stain with gold the meadow drain
And water lilies whiten on the floods
Where reed clumps rustle like a wind shook wood
Where from her hiding place the Moor Hen pushes
And seeks her flag nest floating in bull rushes
I like the willow leaning halfway o’er
The Clear deep lake to stand upon its shore
I love the hay grass when the flower head swings
To summer winds and insects happy wings
That sport about the meadows the bright day
Diary dates
See below for more details
Sunday 25th June 2022, 2pm
Making nettle Preparation at Half Moon Field, Nr Rattery,
Picking and Study Days at Landscove House, Landscove, Ashburton.
Thurs 30th June 2022
Chamomile. Arrive 9.30 am. Picking and study 10-12.
Sat 16th July 2022
Arrive 9.30 Yarrow Picking and study 10-12
Mon August 22nd 2022
Arrive 9.30 Preparations in general Arrive 9.30, pick and study 10-12
From the Editor
This edition has been produced from Taiwan where I am visiting family. Someone suggested I research Biodynamics in the country while here, but the only mention I can find is a farm who includes it in the ‘regenerative’ farming regime. Unfortunately the translation app on Facebook is not very good, so I cannot find out more. I make no apologies for the number of pictures, rather than words in this edition. Farmers and growers are too busy at this time of year to write, but they do have news etc and I have provided email and website addresses.
The theme of this newsletter is Preparations. The Group held a Spring gathering where preparations were made and dug up. A small group has started to meet, concentrating on the making of prepartions in all its aspects.
The group’s preparations have been moved from their old store at Velwell Orchard and are now stored at White’s Farm, Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh. See rest of the newsletter for more details.
SWBD Group Organisiation
We are losing the services of our Secretary, Ros Bourne. She and her husband are moving to Scotland at the end of June. (Assuming house sale goes to plan). Despite this Ros has offered to pick the newsletter up from the printer and distribute it while I am away. Thank you so much for all you have done.
Kit Buckley and Christine Walton have offered to help with future newsletter distribution. However, we need someone who is able to update the website and to keep the membership lists up to date. Any offers, gratefully received.
Please contact me, Diana White at dianawhite35@hotmail.com
The stored preparations have moved!
The group’s preparations used to be stored at Velwell Orchard. They have now moved to White’s Farm, Lower Dear, Buckfastleigh. If you need any preps, please contact Mark, at mgordine@yahoo.co.uk
More about Preparations
On 25th May a small group met who are willing to take on the holding, sourcing and making of the preparations for the local growers and to liase with the main farms locally.
They already have supported Mark Gordine and Jeremy Weiss to move the preparations store to White’s Farm. The group also want to support White’s Farm with their distribution. It is also envisioned that the making of the prepa will be at Whites Farm, at seasonal intervals. There will be picking at study days at Landscove House, Landscove, Ashburton which will be on days that are best for dealing with the particular plant. See Diary Dates on front page. Recently we have been buying the sheaths for the preparations from the BDA, but members are going to contact farmers to see if there are other ways of sourcing them.
If you are interested in helping in any way or want to come to one of the pick and study days and need directions etc, please contact Rosalyn Maynard at rosalynjmaynard@gmail.com or Selby at selby@crookedpath.co.uk
Spring Gathering at Cholwell Farm
On Saturday 23rd April several members met to prepare the silica and yarrow preparations at Cholwell Farm, Dartington. We also dug up other preparations buried in the Autumn.
Stag bladders soaking before being filled with yarrow
Completed bladder tied tightly and being put in a protective ‘cage’ before being hung in a tree to get the summer sun.
Ground silica being mixed with water and put in cow horn, ready to be buried.
The nettle and dandelion preparations after being dug up.
The ‘being prepared’ and the ‘already prepared’ preparations.
Of course there were plenty of refreshment breaks.
Richard Thornton Smith, a BD inspector joined us and after lunch gave a talk, the figure of St George and others similar figures in myth and legend, tracing the origins much further back than the 4th century AD.
Thank to Ros Maynard for organising, Tom Petherick for providing the venue, and to Selby McCreery for the photographs.
News from Velwell Orchard
Velwell Orchard Community volunteer days are currently running every Wednesday from 8.30 am through till 3.30pm.
We have been receiving an amazing amount of support from a small ream of supporters and helpers; it never ceases to amaze me how much we get done in a day and looking round at all the smiling faces during lunch and tea breaks brings us all meaning.
The word that springs to mind to describe Velwell is ‘transformation’. Everywhere you look you see the evidence for it, both personal, cultural and natural. The landscape on which we evolve is changing. Children are growing, Spring is turning to summer and out hopes, dreams and expectations evolve with these changing landscapes.
My experiences growing in the garden this year have reflected my own need for personal growth and had been an opportunity to explore the therapeutic and transformative power of the the connection with nature. Living in the woods and witnessing the moments of beauty like hundreds of glow worms illuminating the nights, finding nesting birds and seeing countless insects and bees is truly something to be grateful for.
We will continue to run the volunteer Wednesdays throughout the summer. In July we will have fruit ready to pick and if anyone had any interest in picking their own, please contact us.
We still need your support and help. If you are interested in the project and would like to help out, please contact me at thenaturalworld.c@gmail.com Jacob Cook.
Courses at Velwell
I am running various scything courses at Velwell over the summer, including for beginners and improvers. Once Autumn arrives there will be hedge laying and biochar making courses. You can find out more at ProperEdges.com/courses.
I have also established an Ki Aikido Clubs in Buckfastleigh. Ki Aikido is a fun, engaging challenging way to study the unification of mind and body through self-defence exercises. You can find out the details about classes and times at https://setsudo-ki-aikido.org. Classes are suitable for beginners. Jeremy Weiss.
News from Whites Farm
Whites Farm, Lower Dear, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 0LS
Volunteer days are on Fridays. If you are interested in coming, email Mark at mgordine@yahoo.co.uk or deniselaurenj@gmail.com to get on the mailing list. Newcomers are very welcome and jobs for all strengths and abilities. Lunch is provided.
News from the Apricot Centre
Apricot Centre, Huxham Cross Farm
Huxham Cross Farm have started their volunteer days again. These are held on the first Monday of the month. Email rachelphilips@apricotcentreco.uk or call on 07540445851.
Also See their Facebook Page and website apricotcentre.co.uk
Another Preparation workshop
SUNDAY 24TH JUNE at Half Moon Field at 2pm. All Welcome.
Frankie Van der Stok will be showing how the nettle preparation is made and talking about its properties.
Directions to Half Moon Field
From Dartington mini roundabout take the A385 past the shop and garage, After about a mile, there is a sign to the right to Glendale Farm, the next entrance on the right is to Half Moon field. You can see a building and hard standing for parking. If you go past it, you can turn round at Tigley Cross.
If coming from the A38, take the Marley Head turning to South Brent but go in the direction of Dartington on the A385. After 21/2 miles you go past Tigley Cross. Then a wooded area on bends and two white houses on the left. We are the second field entrance on the left after these houses. Call Carol on 07900 666 074.
Summer Recipe
Gooseberry and Elderflower Fool
from The Biodynamic Cookbook by Wendy Cook
Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients
1 lb / 450g gooseberries
4oz / 110g caster sugar
1 packet Vege-gel
3/4 pt / 400 ml double cream for whipping
2 heads of eldeflowers
1/4 pt /150 ml water
Method
Top and tail gooseberries and cook in the water and sugar for 5-8 minutes, until tender but not too mushy.
Strain off the liquid (you should have about 1/2 pt of pureed fruit.
Dissolve the Vege-gel in the strained liquid and return to the fruit pulp.
Divide the mixture into two bowls.
Whip the cream until soft peaks form (not too stiff). Add half the puree. Sprinkle elderflowers into both bowls, then spoon in alternative layers into 4-6 sundae glasses, making an interesting contrast.
Finish off with some whipped cream and elderflowers.
Hands
Some more of the pictures of working together to make the prepartions
Biodynamic Produce for Sale
Hemp and other Tinctures available (all home made)
The CBD tincture was made by Nick Read from the hemp grown at Dartington and is the only UK organically grown CBD.
Please see his web site for costs and purchasing information. http://www.englishhemp.co.uk
Other tinctures currently available:
Stinging nettle (adrenal system booster)
Self heal and yarrow (general healer)
Turkey tail (used for centuries to boost the immune system)
White willow bark (natural pain killer)
Hawthorn (heart healer)
St John’s Wort (menopause)
These are available in 10ml samples.
All the plant materials are gown or foraged on Nick’s land and harvested by hand at the optimum time to extract the best out of the plants used.
A review by Sean Ferris, a medical dowser in Totnes, says ‘Nick’s CBD tincture dowses at a particularly high level near to 99%.
GREENLIFE SHOP, TOTNES 01803 866738
Some Demeter products, Biodynamically grown vegetables in season and Seed Cooperative organic open pollinated seeds.
TEIGN GREENS,OXEN PARK FARM, LOWER ASHTON, EXETER EX6 7QW
– in conversion to BD. Contact Tim Dickens for availability of produce. www.teigngreens.co.uk
VEGETABLES FROM HUXHAMS CROSS FARM
We deliver weekly vegetable bags or boxes. The boxes contain Huxhams Cross Farm own produce as well as several small BD and organic growers who will be providing vegetables at certain times of the year . We can add eggs, flour fruit and water. You can order online at www.apricotcentre.co.uk
Hapstead Farm Meat
All produce from animals that are managed according to high welfare, organic, biodynamic regenerative farming principles. Contact Tobias Goulden about what is available. - Email: tobiasgoulden@yahoo.co.uk
FRUIT JUICE CORDIALS for SALE
Contact Derek Lapworth on 01364 644010
BD Fruit with organic apple juice
South West Biodynamic Group
The South Devon Biodynamic Group’s purpose is to inform those interested in BD methods of gardening and farming of what is happening in the area. As a member you receive
A quarterly newsletters and seasonal gatherings where we make the biodynamic preparations. These are then made available to members free of charge.
A library of Biodynamic books kept at The Apricot Centre.
We charge an annual subscription of £15 per person and £20 for a couple. We offer a concession of £10 a year if needed.
Sort Code 20-60-88 Acc. No. 13509680 South West Biodynamic Group
Preparations are available from Whites Farm,Lower Dean, Buckfastleigh. TQ11 0LS contact mgordine@yahoo.co.uk
If you wish to join, please contact Diana White (Treasurer) at dianawhite35@hotmail.com or phone 01803 473551 or 07747 398 839
Comments