This project encourages and supports community in relearning how to work, rest and play together, co-operatively with nature, for the great good.
Orchard Barn Environmental Education Community Interest Company (OBee CIC) Registration Number 6379982 - Wildfire Designs 2007 - Photographs by Richard Smithson
A Day in the Life of a Volunteer
‘I consider myself an ad-hoc ‘resident volunteer’ at Orchard Barn. I live some distance away and when I visit I stay for a number of days, sleeping in my van and living the rhythms of the orchard.
A typical day starts with a chat over tea and porridge to discuss the day ahead. As a volunteer it is not just about working in the orchard, although this is obviously a large part of the day. There are many domestic activities that need to be fulfilled and this, for me, is what gives the whole experience a sense of community and a type of meditation. A typical example, the simple yet essential tasks of, chopping or sawing wood for cooking and warmth and collecting water (there is no mains water supply this makes you very aware of how precious it is and how little to use). I enjoy being consciously and actively involved in these every day activities, creating a rhythm which is simple yet very fulfilling.
The evenings are my favourite part of the day. There is nothing more satisfying, than sitting outdoors, chatting around the fire, preparing and cooking dinner, or just gazing at the flames.’
Justine Humphrey (from the Chilterns) Winter 2008/9
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