The stalwart rocked up today, the hardy came in their wellington boots. Over sweet potato soup Caroline found that her letter had been responded to, which asked the Elders if they remembered the war, and what stories they could relay to the Combo kids who came on Tuesdays. So we wrote a letter. Michael: "A… Continue reading Elders 6 – Tree party and snug in static
Tell us about Beltane we asked the Elders to come with today and full of spring energy they did exactly that. What revelations. Marianne bought in a beautiful nest, representing a circle, symbolic at Beltane, and the strongest community form. At the end all our questions were answered from the Witches Handbook, a handy resource,… Continue reading Elders 5 – Beltane and descendants, dyeing plants
We played with natural paint, shared sunshine, got out, birdsong, talked vintage, seedpods, looked at all the different seeds, yin yang like pea beans, and smelling a nutmeg. Saw fossils and crystals mined from the rock hard field. Caroline's fabulous notes:
We began with stories. Seeds and lovers and their letters. How one set of stored letters became a nest and food for a mouse family. How another was devastated that his letters (works of art, naturally) were cremated. We turned to homework, guessing the seed. Parsnip and apricot flummoxed us. A song warmed us up… Continue reading Elders 3 – seeds, shapes, hopes, manifestations
We welcomed Andrew, who I'd met at last Septembers Climate Conference, and who came with knowldge of squash seeds and seed breeding. But first our circle and collecting our homework. It was a cold wind so we were brief and our brief was plants for our potential dye garden in the community garden Gunnera root… Continue reading Elders 2 – Andrew and breeding seeds
We could not have wished for a more glorious spring day. After lunch of the last of last years potatoes from our community alotment (before we planted some more), we gathered in our circle and said what we noticed had changed: Running water in new kitchen The ritz The kitchen roof looks ever so much… Continue reading Elders 1 – Welcome back! Explore of land and egg decorating
This is what the Elders have said this year, Elders has given me a whole new lease of life. It provides me with a safe space, in a beautiful environment, where I can feel free and myself. I do not have to worry about my difficulties or people judging me. It lifts my spirits and… Continue reading Testaments from Elders 2025
Our last session this year, we crammed in Eco-printing for those who had not had a chance, and many of us took back home some beautiful scarfs, imprinted with leaves. We took Colin's 3 silver birches on to the land to plant in the centre and replace the 3 missing birch. Perfect timing, thank you… Continue reading Elders 26 – Eco printing, planting silver birch, celebrating
It was the stalwarts who came today, and amid the rain, the dull light and wind, we prepared our cloths (already mordanted by Kally) scattering with leaves. As they steamed around the fire we ate squash soup, danced and played air guitar. The reveal was glorious: the holly and ivy gave nothing, but the briar and the… Continue reading Elders 25 Stalwart Eco printing
Our homework being tannns here's what we gathered, enlivened by tasting tannins in a sip of red wine (Sicilian, Lidle £5 a bottle a bargain) Tannins act like a skeleton, giving the wine its structure and a more robust feel. Tannin cuts through the intense meaty protein of a dry-aged fat-marbled steak, permitting subtler flavors… Continue reading Elders 24 Tannin’s, ecoprint, black poplar planting, & moving Roger
Kinda Elders in the woods 