Welcome back to Notes from the Fields. Each month, we’ll be sharing a glimpse of life on the farm as the seasons turn. These notes are a way of staying connected to the food we grow, the land at SCA and the community of people who care for it.

The year is turning, and signs of the new year are all around, if you just look (or listen) closely.

The ravens, who have been so noisy over Christmas, have gone eerily silent, a sure sign they are now sitting on eggs and wanting to keep their nest location secret from prying eyes. Great tits, known by many as the “squeaky screwdriver bird” because of their distinctive call, are in full song in the woodlands and trees. Some are already inspecting the nest boxes we made in partnership with the Somali kitchen last year!

If you catch the farm on a particularly still morning, you might even hear a sound of summer as one the starlings near the pack shed is mimicking the call of swifts - don’t be fooled by this master mimic - swifts are still at home in sub Saharan Africa and won’t be making their visit to us till May!

Of course, the clearest signs of spring are the snowdrops (known as ‘February’s Fair Maids’) and crocuses around Hawkwood. On sunny days, look out for Queen Bumble bees searching out for that first feed of the spring. All of this recent rain has warmed the soil, and if you look down, you can see the signs of what Darwin nicknamed “nature’s little farmers”. Earthworms are quietly busying beneath our feet, breaking down organic matter, aerating the soil with their tunnels, and leaving behind nutrient rich casts that feed everything that grows.

This month, we’ve welcomed two new faces to the farm: Daniel and Joe. They’ve brought a lot of fresh energy to SCA and have been settling in well. It’s no mean feat starting in the depths of winter, one of the drearier months of the growers calendar!

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In our weekly share, root vegetables are taking centre stage. Carrots, beetroot and Jerusalem artichokes are staples at the moment, along with our autumn stores of cabbages, squash and celeriac. Our homes have been filled with the smells of comforting leek and potato soups, hearty carrot and cabbage stews, and slow warming winter meals.

Our volunteers have been busy despite the cold, carrying out the often unseen work that keeps the farm moving through winter. This month has included careful weeding in the mizuna, mibuna, rocket and spring onion beds, alongside the digging of Jerusalem artichokes. Trenches have been filled in around the water butts, and helped to restore the ground where they’d previously sunk.

On 2nd February, we celebrated Imbolc, a pagan celebration of the first signs of Spring. It welcomes the return of life to the land and the spirit and dates the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. The word Imbolc is believed to come from the old Irish ‘Imbolg’ meaning ‘in the belly’: a reference to the pregnancy of ewes at this time and the stirrings of new life.

February is full of promise and it’s a month where life is happening in the details.

Winter Solstice

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Winter solstice has arrived, marking the longest night and the shortest day of the year. These darkest days of the year have been celebrated since ancient times, where communities would gather for feasts, fire, songs and dancing.

In Pagan traditions, the solstice was thought of as a time of death and rebirth. Mock battles were held between the Holly King, who rules from midsummer to midwinter, and the Oak King, who rules midwinter to midsummer. The solstice is the time when the light begins its slow return, a steady turning towards new life.

December on the farm

While November brought heavy frosts, covering the fields in silver each morning, December has been wet and wild, with rain and wind sweeping through the valley. It’s been a month of behind-the-scenes work as the farm team have settled into a slower, steadier rhythm. Reskinning the polytunnels has been a mammoth task, spread out across November and December with the help of our wonderful volunteers. We’ve been fuelled by hobnobs, chatter and lots of laughter.

Scattered among the grey and dreary days, there have been some beautiful sunrises and sunsets, lighting up the sky with fiery reds and oranges. One volunteer morning, we worked up in clear skies while Stroud lay hidden below, wrapped up in fog.

With trees now bare, wildlife has become easier to spot. Birds are more brave this time of year, finding the courage to forage without the canopy of green to hide behind. Jays are suddenly in plain sight, moving between hedgerows, oak and lime trees.

Our weekly harvests have continued to be abundant, with lots of root vegetables now coming into their own as plants’ energies have pulled back down into the ground. Beetroot, celeriac and squash have been gathered in, along with our winter salads. We’ve also begun harvesting leeks, and in the run-up to Christmas the team harvested and prepped over 900 leeks for the bumper Christmas share, a no mean feat in the cold and rain!

Elsewhere on the farm, Farmer Sam has welcomed 10 piglets, and the cows have moved into the barn for the winter, leaving the fields to rest. The quieter pace of the season brings time for maintenance jobs, tidying, sorting, and crop planning for next year, laying foundations while the land sleeps. It’s also a time of transition for people, as some farm team members celebrated their leaving do’s, with fresh faces joining us in the new year.

Carols with the Cows

To mark the season together, we’ll be gathering in the barn for Carols with the Cows, a gentle, magical event for children and grown-ups alike. We’ll sing to the cows by fairy light, with songs led by Jo McAndrews. Song sheets will be provided, and the barn will be decorated with fairy lights.

Please bring a torch and wear suitable footwear for muddy ground. We’d love you to join us in celebrating this ancient turning of the year!

And finally…

From all of us at SCA, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Thank you for all of your support this year. We look forward to welcoming you back in 2026!

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