Jake is one of our amazing volunteers who regularly helps out at our farm. Read all about his experience below…
I first heard about Food Works in 2021 through another volunteer Muneerah (known at the time for her perfect potato wedges in the Sharrow kitchen, and now for her amazing cooking and baking!).
With my job now mainly remote in the post-2020 world I was looking for something green-fingered to get me outside generating some much needed vitamin D. I joined the farm at the Manor plot and it immediately became one of my favourite activities of the week, learning so much about growing in every session: soil care, companion planting, seed saving, and how the pong of comfrey tea will find you no matter how the wind is blowing.
I’ve absorbed a great deal from chatting away with the other lovely volunteers, many of whom are still helping with the new plot, and became gradually more confident with the tasks (though I’m still asking a lot of questions!). The sense of pride and accomplishment shared is immense and I’m pleasantly surprised when I’m able to spot herbs or veg I recognise out in the wild or in other gardens.
Following particularly epic squash (pictured!) and redcurrant harvests we bid a fond farewell to the Manor plot as it moved under the care of Grow UK; the move to Heeley City Farm and Meersbrook Walled Garden offering exciting and occasionally frustrating (thanks, slugs) new growing opportunities.
A couple of attempts to re-skin the dilapidated polytunnel later and we’d carved our own little paradise at Heeley, complete with endless grapes off the vine and a monstrous cucamelon we’d dubbed ‘the Kraken’ for its menacing vines. At Meersbrook, after unearthing a sack load of the previous tenant’s potatoes, we filled the plot with a medley of different veg – some of which we even got to eat for ourselves!
And now to our new home at Norton which I’ve had great fun documenting across the past year. What began as a dustbowl is now an industrious plant nursery hosting a number of other community growing schemes and providing food for all of us to enjoy. After dropping my working hours I’m able to make multiple mid-week shifts, and even then the difference week to week is staggering.
Now I’m hopefully about to close on buying my first home and with it comes my first ever proper growing space. There’s a decent chance I’ll have seedlings in the ground before putting paint on the walls, such is how I’ve been inspired over the past few years!
To Maddy and the rest of the Food Works team, your vision, dedication and endless positivity makes lending my time a joy, and I hope to continue doing my small part for the farm as you look to greener pastures – quite literally!
Interested in volunteering?
Find out about volunteering opportunities by visiting our volunteering page or sign up today using the volunteer application form.
