By Liam Roberson
The direct stakeholders in Church Farm Ardeley (CFA) are the main full-time group who work and are committed to sustainable eco-friendly farming practices. Not only is there a farming-based workforce, but also an area with neurodivergent adults who can participate in activities such as feeding the guinea pigs or helping to move fences. These adults with learning disabilities show the farm’s ability to reach out to the community and provide an outlet for people to do activities that are hard for them to access. The farm receives assistance from defense agencies, which manufacture military equipment, to provide both extra manpower and the materials needed to build new barns, gardens, or stables. It was interesting to hear that defense agencies, at least in the UK give back to rural farmers, but it helps keep the farm in business.
I do not interact much with the adults with learning disabilities, as they have proper caretakers, but sometimes they join and help us with different work. I interact mostly with fellow volunteers and the supervisors of certain sections of the farm. From the supervisor’s perspective, I can see how the farm has evolved through many trials and failures to become sustainable and eco-friendly. My assumptions have changed, as I now see the extent that it takes to run a farm sustainably. It would be so easy to use fertilizers, and other treatments yet CFA doesn’t and some of the crops do not turn out well, and it is normal. I am missing more in-depth perspectives from the supervisors since it is really busy, as well as the defense agencies. I am still not sure if I should know which one helps the farm and how to get in touch with them, but it would be interesting to hear why defense agencies who build weapons for distribution are turning towards helping local farmers.
The role I fit here at Church Farm Ardeley (CFA) is that of a helper. The farm needs volunteers and even with a full-time workforce still needs extra hands. On a farm, there is always work to be done. Since I volunteer through the WWOOF program, much of the work I do is farm-related, such as livestock care, horticulture, and other tasks that need to be done around the farm. During our shifts as they are called, volunteers work in pairs or threes, under a supervisor of that specific area, like the supervisor for camping. More often than not, we usually help out in different sections throughout the day. A farm is hard to run. Here is a picture of me helping in the propagation tunnels (greenhouses in the US).
The role that I aim to inhabit is the organizer. I believe that spreading the message through different avenues is more productive than causing friction right away with policymakers. Learning how CFA incorporates the community of Hertfordshire as well as a community abroad where most volunteers blend a beautiful system of eco-friendly farming and teach others about it. This method could be used in the United States, however getting the local community needs engagement which CFA has.
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