A project which is encouraging people to commune with nature has been set up in two ancient fields at Braithwaite.
The Community Allotments and Orchard project is based on sites of special interest at Blackwood Farm by permission of farmer Paul Barnes.
It is the brainchild of Keswick cafe owner Chinty Turnbull and there are plans to plant 500 fruit trees in one field while 32 allotments were marked out at the weekend.
“It’s a project to get people back to nature and growing things naturally. Communing with nature basically,” said Chinty. “It’s about getting people to work together. People will get their own allotment but the orchard is communal.”
Chinty said that she took some of her inspiration from the recent showing of the film Six Inches of Soil at Keswick Alhambra. “It was about regenerative farming and looking after the soil and not adding chemicals, only good stuff.”
Also on-site will be beehives and there are plans to have a market from where surplus produce will be sold. Chinty also plans to grow produce for veg boxes that she sells at the cafe and cut flowers.
“It’s a beautiful place surrounded by ancient trees from where we plan to do something positive,” said Chinty.
There are currently eight of the 32 allotments available with tenants paying £1 a week.
“We would love to hear from anyone living in the area if they might like to join us,” said Chinty.
She can be contacted on 01768 774118 or via email [email protected]
