Limited reopening at weekends

We are pleased to announce that we will be opening to the public at weekends. Our intention is to continue with weekend opening for the public over the summer.  Households can book a half hour audio guided walk around the farm to catch up with the animals and view the garden. 

Book Now

Given the current good news that the rate of infection in London appears to be coming down and following the most recent updates to guidance to the public and to business, we are thinking about how we can enable people to access the farm safely and beginning to open up services again.

We are doing this in a staged way, within the measures to limit the spread of Covid-19, initially with extremely limited numbers of people being on the farm at any one time.  Our regular volunteers are starting to return to the farm in small groups and for short sessions and we are working with partner organisations to enable local people with specific needs which the farm can meet to have some access.  We are also now able to open on a limited basis for members of our local community which, in the first instance, is on a booked basis for individual households.  For each of these groups of people and stages of opening there are many practical considerations that the farm needs to address to ensure everyone's safety, such as necessary PPE, use of shared equipment and spaces, break and rest facilities for staff and volunteers, people's individual vulnerabilities and the availability of staff to deliver support and services, with a significantly reduced income.

Therefore at the moment the farm remains closed to the public during the week with a reduced staff team to feed the animals, care for the garden and support volunteers and vulnerable people to access and engage with the farm.  The intention is that at the weekend the farm will open to enable people in our local community to visit on a booked basis.  To facilitate as many people as possible to visit the farm in a socially distanced manner, we are asking households to book and follow an audio guided walk around the farm lasting half an hour and to share out the limited slots available.    

Thank you so much to everyone for all their support at this difficult time.  We have been so grateful for the donations, messages of support and plant shop enthusiasm.  And even more thanks in advance for your patience, understanding and community spirit as we start to open up - we will need it perhaps more than ever.

Other news

Be Part of Photographer Joel's Project 'We Reap What We So'


Remember Joel's photos in the last edition of the newsletter? Help Joel the photographer build his project into a fundraiser for the Farm.   He is gathering some information about the Farm from everyone who enjoys the space to put together with his pictures in a printed record.  Complete his survey here

Recipes from the Farm Cafe

Since the Farm Cafe is closed at the moment we thought we'd start work on collecting some of our recipes for a Farm Cook Book. I know a lot of Farm friends and customers have been suggesting a Freightliners Cook Book for quite a while now. In the meantime, for those of you missing coming to eat at the farm, here are a couple of recipes you can try at home

Thai Spiced Pea and Asparagus Soup  Serves 4 to 6

2 onions 

Splash of sunflower oil

900g frozen peas

1 bunch asparagus with the fibrous bottom end of the stalk cut off

1 green chilli

1 clove garlic

1" cube fresh ginger peeled and grated

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp Thai seven spice powder

3 - 4 tsp stock powder or to taste 

Ground black pepper

Juice and zest of half a lime

A few stems of fresh coriander

20 or so mint leaves

Soy sauce ( can be omitted for a gluten free recipe)

Boiling water

1 tin coconut milk

150ml double cream (can be omitted for a dairy free recipe)

Dice and fry onions in the oil until soft and golden in a large saucepan. Add chopped garlic chilli and ginger fry for a few moments and add the dried spices. Add coconut milk, cream if using, ground pepper, stock powder, soy and coriander. Bring to the boil. You can boil double cream with impunity but single cream will split so if you would like to use single then add right at the end. Add frozen peas and enough boiling water to cover Bring back to the boil quickly and add asparagus, mint leaves, lime juice and zest. Cook for a few minutes only until the asparagus is just tender- overcooking will spoil the colour of the soup which should be a pleasingly vivid green. Take of the heat and blend in a liquidiser or with a stick blender and check the consistency - you may need to add a little more boiling water and the seasoning - it may need a little more stock or soy. You can omit or increase the amount of chilli and seven spice if you like a milder or spicier soup. Garnish with a splash double cream if using and any combination of chopped fresh mint,coriander and dill.

Fresh Carrot Chutney Serves 4-6

 5-8 carrots peeled and grated

2 onions sliced

Sunflower oil

1 tsp ground cumin

2tsp brown mustard seeds

1 1/2 tsp nigella seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

Black pepper to taste

Salt to taste

2 tsp white sugar

Chopped fresh coriander

Fry sliced onions in a little oil in a non stick pan slowly until golden brown. Add the cumin, mustard seed turmeric and nigella and fry for a few moments on a higher heat. Add grated carrot - it should be about 1 and a 1/2 cheese graterfuls and stir until the oil and spices are evenly distributed. Turn down the heat  and add  the salt 'pepper and sugar. Cook until the carrot starts to become soft and translucent which should take about 5 minutes. Sir occasionally to prevent the carrot from burning on the bottom of the pan. Take off the heat and add a small handful of chopped fresh coriander or to taste. Chill and keep in the fridge. Can be kept for three days. At the cafe we use it with falafel and hummus or as an accompaniment to curries. Add to yogurt for a quick dip for veg sticks and pitta bread or serve with mild crumbly cheese like Wensleydale or Caerphilly.   

Farm life in lockdown and the return of the Onesies

Farm life in lockdown
and the return of the Onesies

Easter Bonnet Parade 2020

It's May and the Farm is looking beautiful, with flowers everywhere.  The animals are well and longing to see you all again (they are missing their entertainment).  Don't forget to look at our Flower blog on the website which is keeping up to date with the latest blooms on the farm.  Flowers from early April are newly up and late April blooms are coming soon.

Both the social distancing requirements and the financial impact of Covid-19 have meant that the farm is currently running on an absolute minimum staff team.  Half of the staff have been put on furlough leaving only two people each day to complete essential animal care, gardening and site maintenance.  With a reduced staff team and without our regular volunteers, who do so much to help run the farm and gardens, even getting through the basics turns out to be a lot to keep on top of, and we are all getting used to the fact that other things have to be done as and when there is space. 

It is such a strange thing to be so few in number on the farm which is all about bringing people together and sharing experiences with our community -school groups, visitors and volunteers would usually be filling the entire farm with people at this time of year.  We hope that this time will come again but we know that it is going to be very different for a long while even when people are able to get out more.  In the mean time the remaining farm staff are doing all they can to enable everyone to have a little bit of countryside (in the city) at home.

Thank you for all your support

We are so grateful for your contributions in support of the farm - every donation and every supportive comment helps the farm to keep going, reaching out and looking after the animals and the gardens.  To date, this month, we have received over £2,000 through our local giving page and a further £1500 through the post.  We cannot tell you how much we appreciate this and that you are thinking of us.    At the moment your donations are literally keeping the farm able to pay the bills and keep going each month.

The 2.6 Challenge

The Farm has joined the 2.6 Challenge launched on Sunday 26th  April – what should  have been the date of the 40th London Marathon.  Starting last Sunday, people from across the UK are asked to dream up an activity based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise or donate to Save the UK’s Charities via twopointsixchallenge.co.uk

The idea is that you help to raise funds for a charity you know and love to help them through this difficult time when fundraising events and enterprises like shops and cafes had to close and cancel.  Come up with a challenge you can do safely.  This could be something as simple as pledging to run 2.6 miles as your daily exercise to doing 26 minutes of yoga, or juggling for 26 minutes (or maybe just 2.6 minutes) non-stop. Check out the ‘how to  get involved’ page of the website for more ideas and inspiration. Then take up the challenge and donate, participate and pass it on.  The 2.6 Challenge is open to anyone of any age – the only requirement is that the activity must follow the Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing. 

To support the farm through your challenge use the buttons below to set up a fundraising page or donate through the partner fundraising platforms.  Participating charities will also receive a share of direct donations to the 2.6 challenge fund based on the ratio of money raised by each participating charity through both fundraising platforms as part of the challenge.

Join the challenge with Justgiving

Join the challenge with Virgin Money Giving

Cows and Pigs (and goats)
do the 2.6 Challenge

So on the 26th Liz, Nic and the animals kicked off the farm 2.6 challenge with a series of challenges on the farm all in Cow and Pig Onesies (people only).
1. Find 26 Minibeasts
2. Pick 2.6kg of garden leaves. (Turns out this was the hardest)
3. Complete 26 lengths of the field
4. Bag 26 bags of manure
5. Complete 26 straw bale step ups

They completed them all check out our facebook, instagram and twitter profiles for the evidence and if you can click the button to donate and support their efforts. Thanks for the donations so far amazing response!

Support the farm team in their 2.6 Challenge donate here

And following the #TwoPointSixChallenge guidance they pass on the challenge to you in Cows and Pigs do the 2.6 Challenge. 

Tag! Your it!  We challenge you!
2.6, 26 or 260 of anything within the social distancing and safe excercise regulations and if you can do it dressed as a cow or pig all the better

Whether or not you are able to fundraise or donate yourself at the moment (we know lots of people are struggling) join in, have some fun and share your 2.6 efforts using #Cows&Pigs2.6Challenge and #TwoPointSixChallenge to help save the UK's charities and keep people who can donating.

A picture's worth a thousand words

Over the winter months we were pleased to have photographer, Joel Davies, a recent graduate of Central Saint Martins, UAL, join us to document the life of the farm in pictures. As a finalist of the Sony World Photography Awards, he alongside two other students gained a grant to create a series of images looking at greenification within an urban environment. Joel chose to focus on the farm and its community.

His photograph series 'We Reap What We Sow' features in the Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition which is online over the next few weeks

This is a great way of showing Freightliners to the world! Thank you Joel and hopefully the exhibition will return to its usual home at Somerset House later in the year. Joel's Farm photographs and other projects can be seen on his site here.

And finally some of the places locally offering support if you or someone you know is struggling

You can contact organisations directly or call the  We are Islington helpline on 020 7527 8222. You can also email weareislington@islington.gov.uk

Ringcross community centre food bank

Open Mondays to Fridays 12:00 to 16:00 just drop past home deliveries to those who cannot leave their homes: 02077002498
Hilldrop community centre food and essential items collection
For more information please contact elaine@hilldrop.org.uk or call 020 7607 9453 and leave a message
Brickworks Community Centre
Open Mondays-Fridays 9-3pm food packages, free internet, free books 020 7263 1067 email: admin@hanleycrouch.org.uk
St Lukes Community Centre
Information Helpline 020 7549 8181 from 9am-3pm Monday-Friday. Support, food packages and hot meals

Easter past and present

A lot of us remember very happy Easter Monday Fun Days at the Farm.  Sometimes it poured with rain and sometimes it was perfect summer weather.  But people came and enjoyed the activities - the Easter Egg Hunt, the Easter Bonnet Parade, the Tombola, the Face Painting, the Cafe heaving with people, the trees laden with blossom, and most of all the animals! 

Fond Memories of Fun on the Farm

Here are a few pictures of fundays on the farm with some inspiration for your Easter Bonnets.  And a reminder to have a go at our virtual egg hunt.

Easter Bonnets

We hope that you will be making Easter Bonnets even if you can't parade round the Farm this year, and we'd love you to share them with us so we can share with you and there will be prizes for those who have been judged the best!.

Here's some suggestions for how to make  bonnets:

Freightliners New You-Tube Channel Freightliners City Farm https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGwjPm_p4x87kp3jhASNGpw

New videos 

Making paper flowers https://youtu.be/3M1ItKJeY3s 

Make an Easter bonnet https://youtu.be/X5fqbSrQfZM 

Decorating a bonnet https://youtu.be/GojQtOq_NOA 

Recycled bonnet https://youtu.be/AwXcVqHfjWk 

Please send / post Easter Bonnet pics / videos for the parade through twitter, facebook, instagram using #FreightsBonnetParade or by email to administration@freightlinersfarm.org.uk 

We will put clips and photos together to create a montage parade and share.  Let us know if you do not want your picture shared you can still send it to us.

Please share with your friends and relations and remember 

• We're looking for innovation, imagination and fun not specialist materials. 

• Any hat shape goes so crowns, caps and even top hats if you can manage it as well as bonnets all welcome.

• Adults join in the kids will love it but you will too!!!

Every entry wins a Freightliner's Farm Bonnet Parade Certificate which you can bring to the farm to claim a small prize when we're able to open again.

Virtual Egg Hunt

We've come up with an idea for a virtual egg hunt.  On Monday morning at 11am we will post a video with a day in the life tour of the Farm.  As staff show you some of their daily activities watch out and count how many hidden eggs you can find.  We'll give you more instructions on how to vary the game for different ages and you can post your answers to our facebook group or email them in.  Everyone who enters will be awarded an Egg Hunter Certificate for their efforts.

Easter Monday Fun

Checkout our Youtube Channel Freightliners City Farm for ideas for your bonnet and join the parade on Monday.
Look out for hidden eggs on our virtual Farm Easter Egg Hunt

 

Finally, thank you so much for all your encouraging messages and those of you who have made donations, we are very, very grateful.

Remember you can get in touch with us by email to administration@freightlinersfarm.org.uk at anytime.

Take care of yourselves and each other.  

From All at Freightliners 
 

And very finally here is a pig in the field, we missed them last time and the others were still being too nosy to catch them on camera.

Five Ways to Help

 Like many others who have been affected by the unprecedented impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the farm faces significant challenges. We need to

• maintain the farm, care for the animals and garden without our volunteers and a significantly reduced staff team to help reduce the transmission of Covid-19 and survive on a much reduced income,

• find and establish ways of enabling people to continue to benefit from access to the farm whilst practicing social distancing

•  raise sufficient funds to deal with a significant loss of expected income. We would be hugely grateful for any support you can give.

A strange spring time

Some updates from a very quiet farmyard

Whilst the staff try to adjust as best we can to the strange world we are in at the moment and keep themselves and everyone in the farm community as safe as possible daily life and tasks on the farm go on. It is spring time and the recent dry sunny days meant the paddocks were finally dry enough for the animals to get out and enjoy the very lush spring grant.

First days of field life

Betony, Gwendolyn, and Gretel wonder if its time to come in after a day out bouncing and butting. It’s hard work and must be time for tea. Olivia and Bramble are not far behind but Buttercup is enjoying bossing those pesky Bagot Goats around too much to bother,. Poor Gurtrude will have to wait until she is allowed to head for the gate.

And the sheep loving it too

Chocolate, Skittles, Toffee, Rolo, Runts and Floss the Portland Sheep tuck into some tasty grass. Its always worth a check if the human has anything yummy though.

Mathilda 'Grazing on a Sunny Afternoon'

Mathilda can’t move that fast with her arthritis but wow can she get through a paddock of grass quick.

The animals are out in the paddocks most dry days between 11.30am and 3pm so you can give them a shout to say hi if your passing by whilst having a stretch and getting some air. Please remember to keep the 2m distances from anyone else on the street and make space for others to pass if you stop for a quick chat (with the animals).

When the animals are fed, watered and mucked out it has been all hands to the garden to make sure we take advantage of everyone’s hard work early on sowing the early crops so the beds are beginning to fill up. We are continuing the potager planting style that was so popular in the front garden so the veg garden will be an attractive as well as productive space to share with everyone. Whilst everyone is playing their part in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 we will do our best to share the changing gardens online so do keep in touch here through twitter, facebook, instagram and our mailing list our flower blog to keep up to date with the plants as they come into bloom.

Rocket, Peas, Asparagus and Chervil

Vegetable garden is going potager (well that was the plan lets see what we can manage) . These seeds were planted by Peter and volunteers in February and germinated in the heated greenhouse ready to plant out early and get a good crop.

Lettuce Bed

Lettuce, mustard leaf, parsley planted out 1st April, under cloche over night but now hoping there won’t be another heavy frost.

Sweet peas and watercress

Sweet peas on a bamboo and farm cut hazel frame with a watercress border. Fingers very crossed that the frost will keep away while the baby plants get settled in.

The orchard trees are beginning to bloom after the winter pruning and we are putting the hazel, hornbean and fruit wood poles and sticks to use in the garden.

Pleached Pear Trees

The pear trees are in bloom and the buds are showing on apple, quince and plum.

Pruning the orchard

Last of the trees pruned and harvested wood is gathered in the field.

Team pruning - nothing wasted

Pruning trees, harvesting logs and poles and chipping the prunings for chicken and rabbit runs and paths around the paddocks.

And finally some familiar faces want to say they can reach you at home to say hello so keep safe and keep up with their antics here.

Meow from Baghera

Purr from Molly

Grunts from Poppy Wilfred and Owen

Squeeks from the guinea pigs

And introducing Nala

Well that is what we’re calling her for the mo. Who is staying from Coram Fields.

Temporary Farm Closure from 20th March 2020 in Response to Covid-19

Over the past few weeks we have been closely following the advice of the government, adapting our working practices and taking measures as part of the collective effort to reduce the transmission of coronavirus (Covid-19). Our priority is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, volunteers and visitors, as well as to ensure the farm is in a position to continue to provide local people especially those who are vulnerable with access to the important benefits of spending time outdoors and having access to nature, animals and green space for years to come.  
 
Following the most recent updates to government guidance we have taken the difficult decision to close the farm temporarily to visitors from this evening Friday 20th March initially for two weeks.  We have also closed regular sessions and are limiting volunteering (if you are a volunteer and have not received full information about this please contact us for details).

We know how important the Farm is to our community and we will keep our decision to temporarily close and limit activities under review.  We will be guided by any new advice from the government and our desire to be part of the public effort to help protect people from Covid-19 and its impact on physical and mental health.
 
Temporary closure will enable us to provide for the health and wellbeing of our staff and volunteers, maintain animal care standards and plan new ways to connect with vulnerable members of the farm community – whose projects can no longer take place at the Farm for their safety.
 
 Like many others who have been affected by this unprecedented event, this is a very challenging time for us. We rely on income from the café and our other social enterprise activities, fundraising events and service delivery to fund the work that we do with our community, to feed and care for our animals and to maintain the upkeep of our growing spaces.  Already our income has been drastically affected and at the current time as a charity we are not eligible for government small business support grants.  At this critical time we have adjusted our 5 Ways to Help and would be extremely grateful for any support you are able to give.
 
We will continue our efforts to be innovative and support our community during this challenging time while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all involved. We are looking for ways of providing our community with remote access to and inclusion in farm life, watch out for our flower blog providing photographs and information on the flowers in the ornamental garden as they bloom, have a go at home activity packs for kids, farm gate sales and other initiatives to support our community and the farm.  These ideas may take time to implement as our reduced staff and volunteer team will prioritise the day to day care of the animals and gardens and their own and the community’s protection from Covid-19 but we will get there.
 
Please keep in touch we don’t want anyone to feel lonely or isolated if you have not already done so sign up to our mailing list, facebook, twitter and instagram or you can use our usual contact by email to administration@freightlinersfarm.org.uk Louise and Liz are checking it regularly but please remember we will be outside most of the day looking after the farm.
 
Thank you for your understanding and support we wish you and your families well.  Please take every measure to look after yourself and others around you.

With best wishes

From Everyone at Freightliners City Farm

Farm Cafe Closure and general advice

THE FARM CAFÉ WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOLLOWING THE LATEST GOVERNMENT ADVICE ON coronavirus (COVID-19.).

As an outdoor space, we are following Government advice closely, and we ask all visitors to do the same, including

Washing your hands more frequently

Staying at home if you or your family are feeling unwell

Maintaining a distance from other visitors 

As always, thank you for your continued support.

Help Co-Fund the Classroom

Making candles Summerversity 2018

We need your help to raise funds to renovate the farm classroom, increase our renewable energy generation and create more farming opportunities with a programme of learning, hands on activity and play.

Find out more and back us www.spacehive.com/freightliners     

Pledge, Share, Comment, Like

We are taking part in Crowdfund London where projects to improve community spaces seek backing and pledges of financial support from members of their local community and pitch to the Mayor of London and other funds to add a contribution to the project.  The Mayor’s team will seek to back those projects with the most community support demonstrated on their project page through comments, likes and the number of backers (a £2 pledge will count as much as a £1000).  We need everyone’s support to help reach our target and provide:

• A newly fitted multi functional classroom for school classes, therapeutic and activity sessions, workshops, and community hire which will

  • ensure a safe and welcoming space for school classes to learn more about the farm

  • provide an indoor space for the farm to provide activities for more vulnerable people

  • help the farm generate an income from hire of the space.

• Free drop-in activity sessions for families over the school holidays in 2020/21.

  • providing younger children with farm, garden and animal based activities

  • enabling families to spend time together and enjoy exciting activities over the school holidays without worry about cost.

• Updated solar electricity generation system and associated educational display supporting local carbon emissions reduction and the transition to green energy generation.  

  • demonstrating sustainable technologies and providing an educational resource

  • reducing the farm energy bills and helping to mitigate against rising costs

Young person’s work animal homes

Young people’s animal care sessions

FARM CLOSURE OVER CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW YEAR

The Farm will be closed to the public from 3.30pm on Sunday 22 December until 10.00 am Thursday 2 January 2020. The Straw Bale Cafe will reopen at 10..00am on Thursday 30 January 2020.

We wish all our visitors and supporters a very happy festive season.

SHOPPING AT THE FARM FOR CHRISTMAS

See What’s on for Christmas trees and cards, wreaths, jams and chutneys