Thank you to everyone who came to the farm for a wonderful PitchShift weekend two weeks ago. It was hot - encapsulated by this photo from when we sheltered under the trees for our nature bathe.
One of my other favourite photos from the weekend is from late on Saturday night. All was quiet and everyone had gone to bed, except perhaps Gareth who had set up the sound and lights in and around the barn as well as uplighting my favourite triple-trunked ash tree.
Gareth and Anna are the organisers of Menagerie, the farm's mini festival which takes place for the second year at Pitchcott from July 14-16. While PitchShift is a smaller and more intimate affair, Menagerie is on a larger scale while also offering a similarly close connection with both people and nature.
It's a great time to come and see the farm. I will be doing a talk, walk and tour, sharing some insights of my learning from the land. One of the things I keep coming back to is the balance between allowing nature to diversify and thrive, while bringing people to the farm to experience all the benefits that this biodiversity provides. Menagerie is certainly an opportunity to do that. The festival has a family focus with plenty of fun for adults too. There will be lots to explore among the fields by day, while music, bands and djs will bring the barn alive by night.
All the details are on the Menagerie website including a form for you to register for tickets. Come for a camping weekend, or just for the day (Saturday only), and for any questions drop Gareth a line via the link above.
See you in July! Tony
