Garden Fortnight, April

Saturday, 13th April, 2024 09:00
Saturday, 27th April, 2024 14:00

The Kitchen Garden

The beautiful walled kitchen garden is a central part of the life of Chisholme. Throughout the year a succession of vegetables and fruit is produced for the Chisholme Kitchen. The Journey from earth to plant to kitchen to food on the table, is an essential part of the education at Chisholme, and given respect at each stage. The (nearly) organic garden is a place of beauty and birdsong and hard work and enjoyment, and students and volunteers are invited participate in this. There will be volunteer weeks and fortnights throughout the spring and summer.

The task in hand this April

During this fortnight we hope to prepare and plant much of the garden with this year’s crops. We’ll start by digging over and cleaning the ground and incorporating compost and manure, then planting main crops of potatoes and onions, crops which will be lifted in the late summer/autumn and provide the kitchen with a good supply throughout the autumn and winter. We’ll sow broad beans and peas for summer crops and root veg like parsnips and beetroot.

In the polytunnels we’ll already be harvesting some early leaf veg and we’ll be sowing a seed bed for all the year’s brassicas – cabbage and cauliflowers, kale and sprouts. And we’ll be preparing the ground for summer crops of tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, and peppers. So there’s lots to do!! Some heavier work, some lighter – but by the end of the fortnight the garden should be well away for the year ahead.

Do come and join us – the weather will be lovely and the birds will be singing.

During these volunteer weeks you will be invited to join in the full life of Chisholme. There is a daily programme of meditation, meals, work periods and study sessions during the week to which everybody is invited. On these volunteer weeks, work periods will focus on the Kitchen Garden, but work in the house, kitchen or forestry is also an option.

We ask for a small contribution towards the basic cost of your stay on a pay-as-you-can basis with the suggestion of £15 per night (£10 for students).

You may also pay-it-forward to benefit those needing support in order to come to Chisholme.

For more information and to book your stay please email Sarah at secretary@chisholme.org or give us a call on +44 (0)1450 880 215