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Progress made at the farm with Tiffany Fleming

There are few things more satisfying than seeing progress being made, and there has been much progress made at the farm this month. I was lucky enough to be on site when the new animal feed store was delivered – a 40-foot former supermarket lorry refrigeration unit.
When the low loader arrived to deliver it, we all scratched our heads as to how the unit was going to get from the transporter to its intended destination.
However, the delivery team, clearly ‘old hands’ at the game, simply removed a few fence panels and craned the unit into its new home.
The ‘shed’ is another fine example of our ability to adapt and upcycle. One man’s redundant lorry-body is another’s super sexy ‘rat proof’ secure store – complete with prewired electrics and fully insulated to boot!

Hannah. Photo by Tiffany Fleming

Hannah. Photo by Tiffany Fleming

Lucie, head of the animal husbandry team, is genuinely delighted at her new store, which boasts enough room to also create some much-needed office space, something that’s at a premium at High Mead. The farm office is tiny and has just enough room for three office chairs and there are at least six members of staff that may like to use them at any one time. A visit to the office is akin to playing one of those little puzzles which requires you to move one piece before you can shift another. If you are lucky enough to secure a seat, you must be sure to look after it, because the moment you vacate it, there will be someone (or a ginger cat) leaping into your place.

Tiffany Fleming Farm

Photo by Tiffany Fleming

Almost as speedy, and even more prolific than a seat thief, are the weeds this time of year. Oh my days! Look away from a freshly-dug patch of ground for more than a few minutes and I swear you will see new shoots emerging as soon as your gaze is returned. What a relentless task! Hannah, Rachel, David, and the horticultural team have been doing sterling work, but the fight is now on to keep the weeds at bay and the farm gardens looking tidy. If there are any seasoned gardeners out there that know their weeds from their Welsh Onions, and who find themselves with a few hours to spare, then do please call the office and offer your services. The team, I am sure, would be most grateful. Work on a new fire alarm system starts this month too, courtesy of a very generous collection donated by Ferndown Golf Club. The upgrade, whilst not terribly exciting and certainly less impactful than the animal feed store, is much needed and will not only help to keep the farm safe, but also inspection-ready!
Just in time for us to enter the farm’s 10th anniversary month…

Tiffany Fleming is a volunteer at High Mead Farm in Longham, Ferndown.
High Mead Farm is a working farm run to promote the benefits of engaging with animals, soil, and nature. They ‘create purposeful roles for our co-farmers, young people and adults alike, to help bring about a sense of well-being and self-worth that many have never experienced before’.

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