As we work on the project we of course find ourselves down fascinating rabbit holes in research. One of the things we recently found via the Church of Charles No Dig Dowding is Richard Perkins’ Regenerative Agriculture course – he’s an inspiring smallholder based in Sweden. Lots to learn from him.
Also we enjoyed reading about traditional Farmers Arms mugs, of which we have one here at Lawson Park (see picture). These were two handled (good for passing around) cider mugs, produced in Staffordshire from the 1700’s to the early 20th C and featured this poem:
Let the Wealthy and Great
Roll in Splendour and State
I envy them not I declare it
I eat my own lamb
My chickens and ham.
I shear my own fleece and I wear it
I have lawns, I have bow’rs
I have fruits, I have flow’rs
The lark is my morning alarmer
So jolly boys now, here’s God speed the Plough,
Long life and success to the Farmer.
Perhaps one day we will be able to pass one around at our Farmer’s Arms, filled with cider made from apples from its own orchard, which we plan to plant with local heritage varieties grafted by the South Lakes Orchard Group.
You can see how to support our work on The Farmer’s Arms on its website here. Catch Adam’s Instagram Live videos with key players in the project so far here.
