Thursday, February 3, 2022

Compost riches

Winter is a good time to make compost.  It’s not that huge amounts of suitable material to pile on compost heaps aren’t produced at other times of the year, but there never seems to be the time to fashion layered compost when there’s so much else to be doing. Compost is an environmentally friendly way …

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Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Penning up the poultry

Avian flu has struck again.  When we heard the news of the outbreak from DEFRA, we snapped into action to pen up our poultry.  The hens were simple – they are quite easy going and adapted to their newly straitened circumstances philosophically.  But the geese are a different matter.  They like to spend all day …

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Saturday, November 27, 2021

AGM in the polytunnel

TTD held its AGM a couple of weeks ago.  It was a bit chilly – for reasons of good ventilation, it was held in the polytunnel rather than a pub.  We had fifteen people there, which generated lots of good discussion. After reports about TTD activities, we talked mostly about future plans, two of which …

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Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Apple days in the orchard

Although Apple Day is officially on 21 October, we have already celebrated our Apple Days twice this year.  Apple Day was launched in 1990 by Common Ground, a charity based in Bridport, intended to be a celebration of the richness and diversity of apples in our culture, and a recognition of the contribution of orchards …

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Sunday, May 16, 2021

Rainwater harvesting – at last!

We have finally got round to doing something we have been talking about for years – we have set up a rainwater harvesting system on the polytunnel.  We have real problems of water at the farm and this year it may be worse because we have more people and have created more raised beds all …

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Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Sun and potatoes, finally, in April

It was gorgeous at the farm today.  The air was still chilled but the sun made up for it with its warmth and it really began to feel like summer might one day come.  The soil is warming up and we will soon begin to plant things outside.  Good Friday is the traditional time for …

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Tuesday, May 4, 2021

A new volunteer’s perspective – April 2021

My Community Farm Experience –– Di Ashmore During lockdown, like most people, I had a regular daily walk towards Maiden Castle and then back through the surrounding countryside to Poundbury.  I walked past the Community Farm so many times but didn’t realise what it was.  It was a friend who mentioned it and gave me …

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Tuesday, March 30, 2021

Spring is just round the corner

Spring really feels like it’s waiting in the wings at the community farm.  We planted daffodils around our new sign at the gate and they make it look friendly and welcoming. We’ve ordered our seeds and have already planted some in the polytunnel – carrots, beetroot, various salad leaves, spinach, and this week we planted …

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Monday, February 22, 2021

Hedges, departing friends and onions

You’d think there wouldn’t be much to do at the farm on dreary cold February days, but we’re always as busy as ever.  I read an article in the Guardian about hedges:  (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/02/reservoirs-of-life-hedgerows-help-uk-net-zero-2050-aoe).  We have certainly done our bit towards creating hedges in the past few years, having planted thousands of trees along fences in …

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Sunday, February 21, 2021

January 2021

The RSPB are doing their garden birdwatch, so we thought we’d have a go at the orchard.  We dug the pond just over eight years ago, and it has had time to get established and now supports a whole community of birds, insects and pond life.  There is not a lot of standing water in …

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Friday, February 19, 2021

January 2021

We started the year with bitter winds sweeping in from the north and the east, tracing frosted patterns over the grass and freezing the leaking pond over – anyone for skating?  R and S were not daunted and made an impressive start on the entrance stretch leading from the gate to the polytunnel, clearing teasels …

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2 April 2020 Polytunnel damage

Report for Keep106 radio station On the night of April 1st/2nd, a large polytunnel belonging to Transition Town Dorchester (TTD), standing on the Community Farm off Middle Farm Way in Poundbury, Dorchester was seriously damaged.  The plastic from the polytunnel, measuring 30x54ft, was cut off and left draped over the now exposed hoops.  The polytunnel …

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January 2020

The rain keeps coming down.  It’s hard to know what to do when everything is so wet.  This is really the time to be tackling all those winter infrastructure projects, ready for the spring.  Except that it’s so wet!   We have turned one lot of compost, so that we will have some good earth …

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Sunday, June 14, 2015

AGM Sunday 21st June 5pm

Come along to the community farm on Sunday 21st June at 5pm for our AGM followed at 6pm by a bonfire and barbecue to celebrate the midsummer solstice. Lots of wood to burn and convivial chat to be had. Please bring something delicious to cook and eat. Everyone welcome!

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Thursday, May 14, 2015

‘Speak Up’ Wed 17th June

  ‘Speak Up’ lobby of parliament A coach is being organised to go to London on Wednesday 17th June to join the Climate Coalition in a day of action on climate change. This will include a lobby of parliament to ask our MPs to commit to strong action on climate change during this crucial year, …

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Tuesday, February 3, 2015

The New Site Progresses

The cabin is being built and, hopefully, we’ll get on to the new patch soon. Lots to do so come along on a workday if you can.

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Monday, August 11, 2014

Dorset County Show 2014

TransitionTownDorchester is going to be at the Dorset County Show this 6th and 7th September, 2014. We will be in the Communities Living Sustainably marquee. This will be a great opportunity to meet the public and tell everyone about Transition. We will have lots of show and tell stuff. If you are already part of …

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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Poor Ducks

Have you heard? The Fox has got into the Railway Orchard and we now have 2 less ducks. Check out Malcolm’s posts on FB.

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Sunday, April 20, 2014

Spring Update

Community farm: We have been busy this last couple of weeks, planting, tidying, scything and pruning. We have now completed the fence around the new pond and begun to plant out the flora. The goose are producing many eggs, which we sell to The Fridge and Down to Earth, in town. Much needed funds coming back …

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Monday, November 4, 2013

October 21-26 One World Week

Transition Town Dorchester were in an unusual setting last week, as we joined forces with Dorchester Benefice and Big Lottery funded Communities Living Sustainably in Dorset project to celebrate the annual One World Week at St Peter’s Church in Dorchester.  The theme was ‘More than Enough’, and the event looked at how we are using …

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