Having been at Church Farm Adreley (CFA) for nearly two months, I have had the opportunity to get to know and speak with the majority of the staff and supervisors. I worked with many of them and also asked questions through regular conversations, during breaks, or at the pub. From these conversations, I learned not only about them but also how the farm has to manage itself in an era where organic farms and farms in general are becoming increasingly difficult to profit from in the United Kingdom. A quote that stood out to me was not direct, but one that was said differently yet meant the same: “The farm relies on pharmaceutical and other companies to invest and build key farm infrastructure.” Other common phrases included how the farm cannot rely solely on crops and animal products, but rather on hosting people, with campgrounds alongside events such as goat walking and egg collecting.
Much of what I learned about CFA was not only through observation, but also through hands-on experience. Little by little, I have been incorporated into various operations at CFA, ranging from livestock to camping. Through camping, one operation of the farm, I have cleaned BBQ grills, collected hay bales, and set up bunting. Through these experiences, I learn more about the farm along with its history, day-to-day and trials the farm goes through in order to stay afloat. What stuck out to me the most was how there is always something that needs to be done at the farm, no matter how many staff and volunteers you have. The environment here at CFA is one of hard work and putting in a shift in as the English like to call it. When you put in the best of your abilities, you are rewarded with seeing your work later. Since I have been here nearly two months, I can see around the farm the different craft work and painting, and other things around the farm.
Interviews are largely conversational, and never one and done with an interviewee, so I feel more confident in not trying to make the conversation firm, and to give the staff and other knowledgeable members not having to think that their exact words will be taken and put somewhere else. I have gotten to know many of the staff here well, and I do state that I am doing a research project and that I won’t put their exact words, but the theme of the interview and some of the nuggets of information that I have learned. I have learned through this village and farming community that everyone knows each other, which means you cannot hide. That sounds strange, but such a tight-knit community sticks and fights together. Through co-constructing knowledge, both the knowledge given from the trained staff and those with farming experience can be influenced by volunteers’ decisions, and vice versa.
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