Quiz Night - 2nd December

 

Messy Church

This is our first proper Messy Church since Easter, so do come along and re-connect with friends or make new ones, while trying out various crafts, games and activities.  Then sit down and enjoy a meal together.

We are a little short of helpers so if anyone is able to come along and help set up, provide a cake, help in the kitchen or on a craft table, please let sharon@cloverdale.biz know.  Many thanks

Happy Harvest

Many thanks to everyone who supplied veg or decorations or helped to make our church look beautiful. It is all ready for our Harvest Service at 10am tomorrow. Do come along and join in with "We Plough The Fields and Scatter"and hear a talk from our new curate John.

 

Chearsley Hogget, School hosting and Manor Farm News from Rose Dale

Half a hogget meat box - £175

Hogget is basically a big lamb, kept until its second summer. I am trialling hogget with my slow-reared, pure grass-fed sheep. Apparently superb roasted, slow-cooked or fried, hogget is a delicious version of lamb. The meat becomes slightly fuller in flavour and the animal is larger, meaning well-sized chops, cutlets and more meat including the possibility of lean, diced lamb cut from the top of the leg. I have 12 half hoggets available this week, first come first served. You will receive a handsome shoulder, leg, rack, packs of chops, neck steaks on the bone, mince and diced meat in your box which will feed the family with delicious healthy meat for a long time. Each box is excellent value at £175 and all cuts are vacuum-packed in convenient portions and labelled and ready to put in the freezer or enjoy immediately.

Please order by emailing me on rose@rosedalesorganicfarm.com

Manor Farm News 

Dear all,

Autumn has finally arrived after a long, dry summer. The warmth was most enjoyable (apart perhaps from the brief period of blistering heat) but it has been challenging for farmers. The grass stopped growing and we and many other local livestock farmers ended up having to feed hay and silage. This is really intended for the winter so I am wondering if we will have enough food for the long winter months.

Usually, the grass stops growing by November and doesn’t start again until April, so we need 5 or 6 months’ worth of food set aside and they eat a remarkably large amount! Even now, there is hardly a drop of rain and the usual September second flush of grass growth has barely happened.

Being organic and wishing to stop unsustainable food practices like feeding grain or other imported foods to livestock, we plan to have the right amount of stock that the farm itself can sustain, producing our own hay and silage to get everything through the winter but this year we might be caught out.

The hedges are absolutely laden with berries, hips and haws and are looking truly splendid. They will be a welcome sight to the migrating birds, like redwings and fieldfares, that come down from the north to overwinter in our milder climes. I have never seen such wonderful blackberries. I have been picking and freezing small bags of them to throw into apple crumbles over the winter. Lots get eaten on the daily walks around the farm, even the dogs enjoy picking and eating them! With the last of the sun, there a still a few late-season butterflies on the farm. Last week I saw a wonderful comma (a butterfly with wavy-edged wings) and a couple of clouded yellows which I have not seen in recent years.

I have just started a course on hosting school visits on the farm – risk assessments and so on will be covered but also how to make the visits as worthwhile as possible for the children visiting, including covering aspects of their curricula. Being outdoors allows a completely different learning experience and often children who are switched off in the classroom become much more attuned when outside. It’s also an interesting change for the teachers. I am excited about sharing the farm but a bit nervous too. However, I feel sure that connecting with nature and being outdoors is very good for children’s wellbeing both physical and mental and I am looking forward to it.

I would like to invite teachers and children from local schools so, if anyone is interested, please get in touch with me.

All the best,

Rose Dale, Manor Farm

This Sunday

If you would like me to collect food for the Food Bank, please leave it on your doorstep on Saturday morning and send me a message on sharon@cloverdale.biz or 07767 310456.  

At the moment food banks urgently need:

Bottles of squash

Semi-skimmed UHT milk (green cartons)

UHT fruit juice

Tins of meat

Tins of potatoes

Jars of jam

They are low on stock of :

 Washing machine powder/tabs
Tins of rice pudding
Tins of custard and puddings
Jars of instant coffee
Granulated sugar (500g)
Tins of soup
Tins of fish (tuna, sardines, pilchards)
Jars of pasta sauce

Tins of veg

Tins of pulses (lentis, beans)

Tins of fruit

Crisps & savoury snacks

Toiletries for men

Chocolate/sweets

Nappies - size 2, 5 and 6

Memorial Service

Memorial Service

Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A Memorial Service for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be held at 7.30 pm this Wednesday, 14th September. Please meet on the green at 7.15 pm for a procession down to the church. All are welcome.

Pet Service Postponed

In light of the Queen's sad passing, we have decided to postpone the Pet Service that was due to take place this Sunday.

Open Church

 

St Nicholas’ Church is open everyday and you're invited to sign the Book of Condolence, light a candle, and leave floral tributes around the altar, in memory of Queen Elizabeth. There will also be a Village Memorial Service next week – details will be circulated once we have finalised the date. Thank you and God Bless.  

 

Chearsley Car Show Postponed

 The organisers of the Chearsley Village Classic and Vintage Fun Day have decided not to go ahead with the show, which was due to take place this Sunday (11^th September).

 

This decision was made as a mark of respect following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth on Thursday, in recognition of her outstanding service to the nation over so many years.

 

However, it is now planned to go ahead with the show on a new date of Sunday 2^nd October and further details will be announced in due course.

Prayers for our Queen

 At this time of shock and grief, we give thanks for the life and service of Queen Elizabeth, we pray for the Royal Family, and we commend her into the arms of her loving Heavenly Father.

Prayers will be said in church at 9.30pm tonight (Thursday).

And at 8.30am tomorrow (Friday).

All our welcome to come to these services. We’ll send out a further announcement tomorrow inviting you to pay your respects in church over the coming days. There will also be a Memorial Service in church in the coming week

Church Services this month

If you would like to donate food to the Food Bank for harvest, please bring it to the service or Harvest  Lunch.  Otherwise, please leave it on your doorstep on Sat 24th and contact sharon@cloverdale.biz and we will pick it up.

 

Chearsley Apple Juice

Many thanks to everyone who helped harvest the bumper crop of apples from Chearsley Allotment Orchard yesterday, and especially to Mark Gillis for transporting them to the press. The bottled juice will be on sale at the Harvest lunch on Sunday 25^th September 12.30 – 2.30 at Manor Farm Barn. Everyone is welcome! For more details, contact alicia@greatbarn.net