A City Farm in London

[tillystar]

Since we were talking about where we live, I thought I'd show you one of the things I love about where I am.

Near where I live is an area of 90 acres of unused farmland which was to be destroyed and built over by a Thames River Crossing in the 1980s. It was saved by a huge public protest and a lot of money was given by the National Lottery fund in the 1990s to set up a trust.

It is now run as a community farm mainly by volunteers and people on community service, it is paid for by donations, selling produce and money it gets from events throughout the year like lambing day, harvest festivals and a Christmas fair.

They do some cool work there, they look after ex-battery chickens, have a place for rescued working donkeys and a couple of evenings a week they have a work team that you can only get on if you are referred by a local doctor for exercise - so people can get fit gently and help the farm! Its also just a really nice place to go for a walk.

It is open to the public, free of charge, every day of the year.

We live 10 minutes walk away so visit often, this is our last visit a couple of weeks ago:

Arriving at the farm:



Saying Good morning to some animals and feeding one greedy, greedy goat:



Time for a walk and to the picnic area for a sandwich, then on to buy some eggs...but they were already gone for today:



Back over the hill, from the quiet side to home!

[bixaorellana]

That is astounding! Tilly, I thought you worked in London & lived very near there. This farm is not far from one of the most compacted cities in the world?!

It's totally wonderful -- the pictures give the illusion of pure countryside, with no indication of what decade it is. Your little girl must be enchanted by the place -- I certainly am.

It's heartening to read of public outcry saving such a place and garnering practical and monetary support from the government.

What are ex-battery chickens -- from egg farms?

That yucca is an odd note in the English landscape!

[Deleted]

Public protests have saved a few parcels of land in Paris from development but nothing that impressive.

I still rub my hands together with glee whenever real estate developers are dispossessed of their plans and their goldmine becomes a public park.

[patricklondon]

Thanks for posting this, tillystar. I live near the Mudchute Farm in Docklands, a few stops on the DLR from Greenwich, if anyone feels like breaking a journey for a visit:
www.mudchute.org/

There are several city farms in London:
www.london-footprints.co.uk/visitfarms.htm

Obviously of great educational value now that most of us urbanites really don't know much about country life or where our food comes from.

[auntieannie]

That's great!
It looks almost like around here, except it is hillier in Devon! ;-) and you have more buses in London. Thanks for posting about that, Tilly!

[Jazz]

What a wonderful use of this land! I like that the entire community can share in it's beauty and possibilities. Your photos are great...especially the greedy goat! I'm intrigued that they have provided a retirement home for working donkeys.

It could be a model for other farms about to be ravaged by the nasty developers. Do you know who thought of the original concept?

[tillystar]

That is astounding! Tilly, I thought you worked in London & lived very near there. This farm is not far from one of the most compacted cities in the world?!

Yes, its a 20 minute train/tube journey to the centre of London, its on the very edge of London but it is still very much surrounded by city.

[hwinpp]

I like the idea as well.
They should do classroom tours there. I'm appalled by what schoolchildren from urban schools in Germany know about the countryside.

[tillystar]

Oh they do, I forgot that! When we go int he week it is usually us, one other family and a load of schoolkids. They do some good stuff with them too:

www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org/educationatrc.htm

Its a beautiful day so we are off there after lunch, I will say hello to the greedy goat!

[happytraveller]

Tilly, that's a great place ! Thanks for posting the pictures

[lola]

Nice, Tilly and Patrick.