Little moments at Wick Care Farm

The best month is June
Flowers in the afternoon
Birds singing in tune

Paula Goldsmith’s haiku certainly sums up the atmosphere for staff and clients here at Wick Care Farm. Three months ago I wrote about chilly hands clasped around hot morning cuppas. Last week, those very same hands clung to cold glasses of water in the welcome shade of the garden parasol in the yard. Staff and clients all agreed unanimously: “Summer has arrived!”

Be it the warm sun, cool drinks or vibrant flowers, June brings with it much to be grateful for at Wick Care Farm. In the spirit of this, we’d like to give a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us by purchasing a tomato plant (or six!) over the past few months, as well as to the whole team for sowing and growing each and every one of them by hand.

We are also grateful for the arrival of our six goslings and two ducklings, who have brought with them soft downy feathers and chattering bills. In my last article, I wrote about the precious moments and memories we create at Wick Care Farm, and I am pleased to report that a morning spent with a gosling upon your lap is a magical morning indeed.

‘Change’ is of course the constant theme of the farm. Seemingly, in the blink of an eye, the ducklings and goslings are now out in the field, nuzzling their way through the tall grass. Our spring lambs are starting to look more and more like ‘mini sheep’, and Ginger and Spice – our resident pigs – are getting bigger by the day. They can usually be seen (and heard!) trudging about their field on Owletts Lane in search of a tasty morsel or two…

Speaking of tasty morsels, it was a proud moment when Steve realised that he had planted, harvested, chopped and helped to cook this whopper of a cauliflower at Wick Care Farm.

When people ask me about Wick Care Farm, It is easy to describe the proven benefits of care farming for physical, emotional and social wellbeing. It is easy to list all kinds of wonderful, supported activities we do here, and how they benefit all kinds of people.

With that being said, Steve’s smile illustrates something that is perhaps a little more difficult to describe. Wick Care Farm is also about little moments. The feeling of bringing a plateful of freshly baked cookies to an eager table during morning break for all to share. The feeling of exertion and satisfaction in seeing a well-stacked wood store where an unceremonious pile once stood. The feeling of walking a haltered sheep for the very first time, in spite of your nerves.

Although the birdsong described in Paula Goldsmith’s ode to June refers to the wonder of the dawn chorus, little moments at Wick Care Farm show that everyone has a song to sing. For some, it’s the delicate melody of caring for the plants in our allotment and polytunnel. For others, it’s the crescendo of a flock of friendly sheep, trundling towards a feed bucket. For others, it is simply the rhythmic sense of participation, conversation and shared enjoyment.

With gratitude for little moments in mind, I am reminded of our humble robin, who has been visiting us every morning for the past few weeks. Over time, he has become very relaxed in our presence; hopping between the rafters, nipping down to the floor for a crumb or two, and chirping away beside the table. His arrival is always met with wide eyes, hushed voices and appreciative smiles, and it was no surprise for us to learn that robins are often considered symbolic messengers on behalf of lost loved ones. It’s another special reminder that at Wick Care Farm, little moments are always waiting to be found.

Written by Jack Cummings , A Volunteer at Wick Care Farm