A Day on the Farm

Dorchester Churches Ecology Group spent a hardworking day helping out at our local Community Farm. We cut back the brambles, did some weeding - and moved a shed! 

The Ecology group has members from most of the town's churches and we take action together - as well as raising environmental and climate issues in our own churches.

We engage with our local MP and council over relevant issues and arrange work sessions and visits. 

On our day at the Community Farm, we met the regular volunteers and learned more about the farm; which is on land owned and lent to Transition Town Dorchester by the Duchy of Cornwall. It has an enormous polytunnel for growing vegetables and herbs, an orchard, geese and hens, a pond and several colonies of bees.

Local residents are welcome to help and to share in the produce, some of which goes to the local food bank.

A recent development is that a partnership with the mental health charity MIND has been forged, who bring volunteers to tend their own area of the farm.

The farm shows what can be achieved when local people, landowners and wider organisations pool their ideas and work together so that all can benefit.

It is also a great example of wellbeing creating community!

See transitiontowndorchester.org for more information on the community farm or contact me, Val Potter, chair@ibexsouthcoast.org.uk, for ideas on a church based ecology group.