Melita Saville about HCF, infrastructure

The A Team story

Can you imagine Highbridge Community Farm without sheds, water, polytunnels, fruit cages, tools, compost bins, cups of tea, somewhere to sit …? These are just a few of the things that our Infrastructure (“A”) Team take care of.

Initially, the guys worked on maintenance and construction alongside other responsibilities on the plots. Over time, Infrastructure became a team in its own right, acknowledging how important this aspect is to a successful farm project.

Brian Tull and Mike Lucas have documented the A Team story here. It describes how the team designed and built the structures that HCF needed to get started and then to keep pace as it grew and evolved.

They’ve come a very long way since the first days of an empty, rough field!

Photo: Highbridge Community Farm
Photo: Highbridge Community Farm

They’ve built polytunnels, storage for all manner of farm paraphenalia, fences, and communal areas. They’ve given us water pumps and IBCs, electricity, and a loo. They work within constraints determined by our landlord and they reuse where they can.

Their story reminds us how much work has gone into the infrastructure that we rely on. For members who’ve been here a while, you’ll be reminded of the old yellow marquee, tea breaks along the fence line, and the construction of the Big Green Shed.

Photo: Highbridge Community Farm

Find the A Team story, with plenty of photographs, on the “Our history” page of our website. While you’re there, take a look at the e-book that Andrew Ross put together.

We truly have a history and a community to be proud of.

Melita Saville about HCF

Blast from the past

Check out this clipping from May 2013 as a lovely reminder of just how long our community farm has been thriving.

You’ll see some familiar faces and, if you look beyond the group in the photo, you’ll get a glimpse of the site. See how much it’s evolved!

To find out more about how HCF started and grew, have a look at Our history – and stand by for even more reflections. We’ll soon be adding Brian Tull’s history of the Infrastructure Team.

Thanks to Sarah and Brian for sharing this archive article – and here’s to our next decade!

Article: Hampshire Daily Echo https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10357364.highbridge-community-farm-is-growing-food-and-friendships/
Article: Hampshire Daily Echo https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/10357364.highbridge-community-farm-is-growing-food-and-friendships/

HCF about HCF, education

Growing a new HCF team

Wild Hive Ecological Educational Collective is helping us to grow a new HCF team. Welcome to Green Team@HCF! Wild Hive founder, Jo Hutchison, explains how it works.

Find the story of Wild Hive here and about the Wild Hive outreach projects here.

Photo: Jo Hutchison

After quite a journey to date, Wild Hive is delighted to have come full circle back to Highbridge Community Farm from which our educational outreach initiative originally stemmed.

We’re very excited to have been offered a couple of good sized patches on Jim’s team’s plots – particularly because the children now have their own area right beside their play-hut and pollinator garden – in which to grow their own!  These areas will amply fit all four of our Local Grow Packs, and hopefully leave a little space for other things the children might wish to try.  

Photo: Jo Hutchison

Wild Hive Collective CIC is helping the Green Team @HCF to form, and, whilst trialling the Local Grow Packs, will offer sessions to support and monitor the growing. The idea is that with a little guidance and initial steer, the children will gradually organise themselves, manage their activities, and develop a sense of agency with space of their own in the heart of Highbridge Community Farm.  

Certainly in the initial stages, it will be helpful to have some adult helpers for input and guidance (when wanted!).  If you are a stakeholder and either you or you child(ren) are in joining the Green Team @HCF and/or supporting Wild Hive in any way, please complete this form.

The intention is that Wild Hive Collective CIC will use the sowing, growing & harvesting of the Local Grow Packs as an opportunity to help this team of younger ‘farm-hands’ (currently HCF stakeholder children only) to gather together and to sow, harvest and enjoy meals that they have grown, whilst they naturally become the ecological growers and nature custodians of the future. 

Photo: Jo Hutchison
Photo: Jo Hutchison
Photo: Jo Hutchison

Find out more

Find Wild Hive on Facebook and Instagram. If you’re an HCF stakeholder and you’d like to know more about Green Team@HCF or to get involved, find Jo at the farm or fill in this form.

HCF about HCF

HCF and Covid

To reinforce the government guidance restricting movement and to keep the farm productive, the Board developed guidelines for stakeholders. A copy is attached and is also pinned on the farm gates.

The farm is operating well within these guidelines. Members are successfully staggering their visits and managing the distance requirements while they are there. Teams are connecting well through WhatsApp and email, and the monthly Team Leaders meeting is working on Zoom. As a result, we’re able to continue to care for and harvest our crops, to enjoy our natural environment, and to support each other.

Update 3rd September 2021

The advice is updated to align with current Government guidelines, with a focus on not coming to the farm if you are symptomatic, advised to isolate, or returning from certain types of travel. Masks must be worn in the Polytunnels and enclosed areas, such as sheds or Tea Hut, and no more than 2 people should be in those areas at any time. Copies of the advice have been attached to the farm gate and the door of the Big Green Shed, and below. Please make sure that you are familiar with this latest advice.

Update 19th January 2021

The advice is updated to be more rigorous, for example, requiring masks in confined areas such as the Polytunnels and sheds, gloves, and remembering not to congregate in communal areas. Additional signage has been posted around the farm to remind members of the requirements. The advice has also been reviewed by Winchester City Council COVID Support Officer to confirm that we are sharing and following best practices. Please make sure you are familiar with the latest advice, attached below.

Update 6th January 2021

The advice issued previously still applies. All members are expected to follow this advice.

UPDATE 3rd November 2020

With the new restrictions coming in this week, it is worth reminding ourselves that the guidelines issued by the Board in April and updated in July still apply. The July guidelines are attached to this newsletter.

Visiting the farm is regarded as essential work so travelling to the farm is regarded as an essential journey. We must continue to keep at least 2m away from other people – it is so easy to forget this when chatting. Members who are vulnerable or are over 60 should consider visiting the farm during the week or on Sundays in order to reduce the numbers on Saturday mornings. Visiting the market (sales area) on Saturdays should be staggered, again to reduce crowding.

If you have any questions, please do talk to or contact a member of the Board.

Update 30th September

Attendance at the farm is compliant with new COVID-19 government guidelines and legislation.That latest government guidelines and legislation does not affect your right to attend and work at the farm; and we encourage you to attend on your normal days. HCF remains an exempt place of work, so far as Covid restrictions are concerned.  In addition, the new rules do not change any of the protocols that HCF needs to comply with, and we will continue to operate as per the HCF protocols that are published below.

Updated-Pandemic-Guidelines-3-9-21Download
Updated-Pandemic-Guidance-19_1_21Download
Updated Pandemic Guidance 27_7_20Download
updated HCFpandemic 28_03_20Download