One of our Roots To Health volunteers, Andrew, wrote this lovely review of the recent Harvest Lunch which was hosted to celebrate the season and thank everyone for their hard work. It’s a lovely reflection of how everyone works together at the farm, and how it provides an inclusive space for people of all beliefs.
Every year, when Harvest approaches, the staff, under the leadership Of Sarah and Helen, give a glorious festival luncheon for all the many volunteers, numbering more than forty, to thank them for all their hard work in volunteering with the animals and horticulture around the farm. and also the kitchen volunteers, who prepare the lunch for everybody. It is always a vegetarian meal, with the exception of Harvest Festival and Christmas, when meat is on the menu. So today we had roast gammon with roast parsnips and carrots, mast potatoes, cabbage and peas and gravy and cauliflower cheese and what a tasty delight it was, with enough for seconds.
I was in the kitchen, so was unaware of the lovely long table which Sarah had organised outside in the Volunteer Enclosure, which no doubt Jude, being our Farm Grower, arranged with produce from the farm decorating the table, from pumpkins to apples to grasses to sunflowers. Even though I was in the kitchen, I was still able to enjoy the lovely meal and after lunch, I mixed with the other volunteers, who are all so delightful. But then Sarah, Luke and Jane played a “game”, whereby they had written down something about every individual volunteer which makes them so special and what they had done to make the farm such a beautiful place each year.Speaking personally, I’d like to say I have been a very ‘independent’ volunteer at the farm, but was very privileged to share with Helen today how a friend had helped me to get better and, by my mentioning it to her as well, Helen was able to make me feel even more special, and now I feel doubly indebted to the farm, which in no way undermines my Christian faith. On the contrary, by confiding in someone I trust, I have grown closer to God and I thank him for her, because I realise now that the hand of God is in all things.
Written by Andrew Worsnop