FAREWELLS AND FAREWELLS.

It is always odd for me that the year in England ends in July. So there were many celebrations to say farewell to students (and us volunteers and apprentices) that were leaving Ruskin Mill.

First was the end of year student party, where the graduates walked the land for the last time, and came down the Hill to an awaiting clapping crowd of tutors, support workers and staff with a staff of fire, to light a special fire that symbolizes their going forward into the future. It was very emotional. One student had to wear sun glasses as he was supposed to be cool.

We had spent the morning setting up archways of flowers through which they walked.

Then some of the students played music for us..some of which they composed themselves. We were in tears at that point.

The tension was broken by games of tug of war and slippery pole pillow fights.

We then had a delicious lunch of roast lamb on the spit (one of our own dear sheep) and a vegetarian patty option roasted on a barbecue.

At the end of the week we had a ceremony where the students received their certificates , displayed their creations and gave speeches to their parents and care givers.

Again an emotional time. It made me realize how special is this opportunity to be at Ruskin Mill and see how much they have learnt along the way. Many of the students do not live with their families, who often live far away. Those who are leaving are also given gifts. These are quite substantial and well thought out to further their careers in some way. These are a few photos of the many crafts they had created.

This was a wobbly photo of a whole lot of dinosaurs made during pottery lessons by Will, who had a fascination for them as well as knowing every kind of aeroplane that flies.

This is a chair started by a student who was from a traveler family (previously called gypsies) who committed suicide a few months previously and was finished by other students and her tutors, to remain at the college in memory of her.

STAFF CELEBRATIONS AND OUR FAREWELL LUNCH

There was no official staff party because of low funds, so the staff decided to do their own. We all brought drinks and eats, had a roaring fire and persuaded our one staff member who has a band to play for us. Well it was reggae all the way, and despite he generation differences, we all had a good time..some more than others. the poor band was not allowed to stop even for a break.

APPRENTICE AND VOLUNTEER FAREWELL

Then it was time for our own farewell lunch. Most people had gone away for the holidays, but we invited anyone who was still around. Aaron from the fish farm brought some ready harvested trout and we braaied it over coals from the woodlands. This is Jess, our dear co-ordinator and Aaron at the braai (barbecue), scuse the finger. Our glasses were honey jars,

and we made fresh salads picked from the garden.

I was sad to leave Ruskin mill, as I have met such good people and learnt so much, but I was also happy to be going back to Africa and home. Although I did not go immediately, but had a few more events to post up..one was a very strange fashion show, and the other was another 4 days in London (see first post)

SPIRITUALITY IN BRITAIN

I sit here on Sunday, listening to the bells calling people to church. It is 11am. Nothing happens on a weekend before 11am! (During the week, nothing happens until 9.30. I love these lazy mornings, as does the rest of Britain). I once went to a Christmas market on a Saturday, and in my South African style, I was on the go quite late..like at 10am, where I was shocked to realize that people were still setting up and half the stalls were not there yet. I thought they were packing up and I was too late. But I was too early! Many weekend things only start at 1pm. But I digress.

Britain has many many churches, cathedrals and places of worship. You cant miss them if you tried. From the presence of stone circles and other pagan sites, it has a long History of spirituality. You cant go anywhere without encountering the remnants of a spiritual Britain. Most are very old..from 3000BC (Stonehenge) to mostly the middle ages, with a few more Victorian and Georgian churches.( Notably I have only seen a few usually quite ugly looking modern churches.) But Remnants is the key word. Yes, the bells peal out on Sundays (and all day on the queens birthday) and many people still go to church. Much is made of the olde religion by preserving the old sites. But how spiritual is Britain, really.

ANCIENT SITES OF WORSHIP

I have already written about some of the ancient sites in Britain, and my search for the ancient spirituality. Stonehenge is now a lucrative tourist site surrounded by fences, charging a lot to get in, with a modern museum put together by National heritage to give an impression of how things had been, and not allowing you the freedom to decide for yourself and be amazed, because its all so logical and practical..a piece of history, not a piece of mystery.

Ordinary people are allowed to worship here only ONE day a year, on the summer solstice without charge. I decided that I would like to go, but discovered that they had levied a charge for parking that was THE SAME AS THE ENTRANCE FEE! Why bother. A site of Human history has been annexed. The reason given is to protect the site. Avebury, which is a stunning place, open to all, all the time. Despite this does not get damaged, so I don’t really understand this reasoning. Many long barrows are open to the public without charge. However, there are lesser known circles that are not as dramatic, although some stones are just as large. At the solstice, they are used by modern day “pagans” for rituals, and I observed a quiet one of these at the Rollright stones. There is a fairly big pagan following, but they are not overt at all. You have to be in the in crowd to know what is happening.

Wales, I am told,  have modern day clairvoyants, many of whom lead quiet and unknown lives.

THE GREEN MAN, MORRIS DANCING AND MUMMERS PLAYS

In many places in England you see images of the green man. Seen as a symbol of spiritual regeneration, also pan the god of plant growth. Certainly England is that land. I have not yet visited Findhorn in Scotland, but I am told that there is still a thriving community that believes in elemental beings,although it now has a touristy edge to it. Nowadays, the only elves and fairies are these that live in peoples gardens or immortalized in a plaque to the fairies of Cottingley.

See also my previous posts on Morris dancing and Mummers plays, usually done around Christmas and new year. Often in pubs or on the street. These often include the theme of rebirth and karma, but in a humorous way. Characters include st George and the dragon and the green man. On the whole people enjoy these but the significance eludes most people, and they are just fun (and slightly weird to most) occasions. A British quirk.

ROMAN TEMPLES

The Romans were Pantheists and very religious in their own right, with even homes having sacred places dedicated to the gods. The water spring was especially important. The Roman Baths in Bath, was connected to a temple, where people came to have prayers made to their gods and goddesses. Now you pay a lot to get into them (but not into the water, which, for health and safety reasons is bad for you now, but was good for you then..however, over the road is a rooftop health spa where you can get in at an even higher price..an hour at a time). Also run by National Trust, it is made to re-enact what is thought of to have happened there..complete with commentary that hangs around your neck. You cannot worship there, but people do throw coins into the sacred spring and make wishes. As mentioned before in my previous posts, many Roman remains are covered up by soil and grass, used by cows, golfers and dog walkers in order to “protect them”

CHURCHES CHURCHES EVERYWHERE

Bill Bryson makes the fact that it would take 11000 years to visit all the sites in Britain, and most of them are churches. This is true. Christianity has been around since even before the Romans left in 500AD. That is just short of 1500 years. That’s a long time. In that time, 37 501 churches have been built. You see what I mean. Some cathedrals are enormous and very elaborate. Gloucester cathedral and York cathedral were used as stage sets in Harry potter.

Some are used in the pomp and ceremony of royalty and commemorating the war. Most of these churches are empty for most of the week, and church numbers have been declining from traditional churches. However, many new and more evangelical churches are taking over or are using the unused times of old ones, as I encountered in London, where there was a moving and enthusiastic service in an old church of England. I went there to send prayers to Amani and his family after he had been killed. Mostly churches are seen as tourist attractions and are maintained on tourist donations. It is good that most churches are open every day and anyone can walk in and say a prayer and light a candle. This is where they are most used. Modern art works in old churches.

Built after the Anglo Saxons invaded Britain, ie from 500AD to 1066 when the Normans invaded. These are the most unadorned and often least visited churches. In the medieval era, many churches were built, as well as monasteries and Abbeys. Some are still used this way, others are ruins. Many catholic churches and cathedrals were elaborate and wealthy. With the protestant movement, many of the inner artifacts were destroyed, but the spectacular buildings remain.

The Knights Templar and the holy grail and the legends of king Arthur has Christian leanings with an esoteric edge. I have not yet visited Rosslyn chapel, said to be the site of the holy grail in Scotland. I have visited Tintagel (see a previous post), and despite the fact that it also is run by National Trust, it remains a haunting area in its own right. But if you read what is said about it, the mystery is destroyed, as it is described as “just a legend”.

The prevailing feeling is that what you see of spirituality in Britain,are simply skeletal remains of a previously vibrant spirituality.

SCIENTIFIC SECULARITY AND THE NEW PAGANS

Scientific secularity is the prevailing trend in Britain today following the French who try desperately to make every thing equal, and end up making humanity bland and uniform.In Britain few people admit to anything else if they are to be taken seriously. One of the loudest Brit who promotes this is atheist and sought after scientific speaker, Richard Dawkins. Fortunately he is countered by the equally gifted scientific speaker, Rupert Sheldrake who argues for a spirituality in science equally, if not more so than Dawkins. But people are uneasy about Sheldrake.

Stroud is a hippy town, and many Waldorf families live there. However, equally there is a very strong anti-Waldorf group with an active website looking for anything that Waldorf schools do that can be seen as spiritual, and dissing it. (Strangely I have found them the most informative of Waldorf websites, as they go to trouble to dig out some interesting and fairly hidden Steiner texts that actually increase my interest in Steiner education, although their intention is the opposite)

The “new age movement” in Britain is not nationally accepted, and is often put down as hokus pokus in the media and elsewhere sometimes with a lot of directed and malicious intent. Anything vaguely non-material is dissed and dismissed in the media, together with laughter. I was quite surprised at this, as South Africa is generally tolerant of “new age “ practices and has a strong following, particularly in the light of African spiritual practices that are luckily still widespread.  Although Waldorf schools do not see themselves as “new agey”, many other people do because some of the practices apparently seem airy fairy. So I was also surprised to see how undeveloped the Steiner movement is in Britain despite being there far longer than in South Africa. Truly there is a regression, especially in the Camphill movement which has been curtailed through laws around “protecting the freedom” of people with mental health problems. Thus they are not allowed to work unless they want to, and so often spend time glued to the TV.

Although there are now a couple of state funded Steiner academies, they have had great difficulty being accepted as such, and some have given up their applications because of bad press coverage, all related to the fact that they follow a spiritual ideology. Recently both Muslim and Jewish schools have come under the same criticisms.

New spirituality?

In recent surveys on spirituality some surprising results have emerged. New spiritual interest has been driven by immigration – not just the settlement of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs from the 1950s onwards – but also more recently the growth of black-led, especially West African Pentecostalist churches, and the crowded Catholic churches as Poles joined their congregations (the Polish inflow of about 600,000 during 2004 – 2008 being the most concentrated single migration from one source into Britain ever).

This has altered the religious geography of Britain, taking London from one of the least religious areas to one of the most, and making the large towns and cities more religious than the small towns and the countryside – reversing the traditional picture. If we add to this fact that religious people have larger families (the more conservative, the larger), the growth of religion in Britain, after its long decline through most of the twentieth century, looks set to be a fact about twenty-first century Britain, although it may be mostly non-white and inner-city.

Ruskin Mill

Ruskin Mills philosophy is based on Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin and William Morris, all of whom had spiritual leanings. Biodynamic farming is deeply spiritual. So Ruskin Mill celebrates festivals and has artifacts that show some spirituality, including a green man in the forest. However, I feel that the spiritual side is hidden and minimized, which I feel is a pity. It is also unfortunately subject to public criticism, as it is dependent on public money, which is anti-spiritual in Britain. In some ways, the public financial dependence of organizations offering spiritual alternatives limits their development in Britain that is slowly becoming more secularized. Perhaps the removal of government support, despite limiting easy funds, will make these institutions find other ways to survive, and also reaffirm spiritual essence again.

 

 

 

 

 

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A Ceilidh

This is pronounced Kaelie, or something thereabouts, and is a party , sort of like a barn dance, where a master of ceremonies leads the party in various Gaelic reels to a band of fiddles and squash boxes. (Apparently we have something in South Africa called a skotse opskop.). Anyway the event was truly multinational in that we had a braai, it was actually warm and clear (very UnBritish..but a tent was provide “just in case”), and after the Caelidh, we had African music!

The whole thing was situated in a field of buttercups, with a compost toilet and bucket for washing hands.

The music was powered by a bicycle! yes a bicycle, which turned a turbine that charged the very modern amps and disco equipment..including disco lights. However, someone had to cycle all the time, otherwise the music stopped. How Hippy is that!

Here are some kind people taking turns on the bicycle.

Kwan, a volunteer from the East, was the most tireless and rode right through the dancing.

And yes, it was very hippy, with the scent of  weed subtly blending with the smell of sausages braaing, and a bonfire, when the air became much cooler. The sky doesnt get dark until after 10pm! so It was light for much of the time. This was taken after 8pm

It was also peopled by all ages, from the newly born, to the elders like myself and a few others. it was to celebrate 4 birthdays, whose combined ages was 175, where the youngest was 25, and the eldest 71. There were lots of things going on from hoola hooping, to riding a go cart down he hill.

Usually, in SA, when we have a braai, everyone brings something to share..from salads to meat and most of the booze. Here it was all laid on, from a barrel of organic beer from the local Stroud brewery to the sausages and hamburgers..but there was a collection box to help pay for the tent, booze and musicians. So slightly unusual, as I brought some contributions to the booze and food. But hey, anything goes here, it seems.

 

There was a little subplot beneath everone’s legs, as these boys were riding down the hill on their go-cart, while stealing chips and beer from peoples stash. Later on, however, the girls ran away with the go-cart while they were intent on their task

I did not take any of the actual dancing because I myself was being whirled around by various enthusiastic dancers. it was pretty energetic, and together with the beer, I got hiccups afterwards…also from laughing. these are some of my favourite people I have met while at Ruskin Mill: Maria, from Chile, the miniature horse woman, who manages the huge horses, Nils, the tea drinking, sour dough bread and sauerkraut making Swedish apprentice, and Pablo, the ever smiling, Spanish husband of Maria. I will miss you all.

THE FISHERY AT RUSKIN MILL

THE FISHERY AT RUSKIN MILL
Probably the only Biodynamic Fishery in the world, Ruskin mill took over a commercial trout fishery and now run it biodynamically and use it to teach skills at the college. As with everything at Ruskin Mill, there are corners here of beauty that make it unique. Whoever heard of a beautiful Fishery?:The beautiful ponds circulated with flowforms is what makes Ruskin Mill what it is.

There is the all encompassing roof seeded with soil and growing hair.  A lone wooden sculpture of a heron with a couple of real ones standing hopefully around the fish ponds waiting for a break in the netting to steal a fish. Occasional kingfishers also flit in and out this landscape. There are otters and crayfish hiding in the shallows of the pure streams that feed the ponds. and many springs.

Then there is this exquisite totem pole made with wood carvings and copper mouldings.

This metal bridge is also unique. But best of all is the landscape. The various colours of dog wood show their colours when the leaves fall off in winter.
The water flows from a lake, held high by a bank, which then allows the water to flow through rapidly. There used to be a water wheel generating some electricity but this is no longer in use. The water is then aerated and regenerated through the ponds by flow forms, moving in step from pond to pond.
Once a week, brown indigenous trout are harvested for our Friday fish and chips and some are smoked at the smokery. Here some students and Aaron, the tutor are netting some fish in a similar way to the fishoek trek fishermen but on a smaller scale.

There is also a hatchery with thousands of baby fish waiting to enter the waters. It takes about 2 years before they are big enough to harvest.

Our responsibility, as volunteers, has been to clear neglected areas of reed and bramble. Here we are in waders setting out to clear the ponds.

 

We have also been dredging the silt from the stream that enters the ponds. Hidden is the reward of uncovering beautiful landscapes and these kinds of sculptures behind the reeds.

Aaron manages the fish farm, which is a big job to maintain.This is the hatchery where the eggs and sperm are milked and then fertilized. These are the thousands of baby trout that will be placed into the ponds as they mature.

The ponds are linked and are drained by pulling out a long pipe “plug” that drains at the top and filled by putting it in so that it continues to let the water move without letting the fish out. Its stops the ponds overflowing, as when the water reaches the top, it flows through without letting the fish out.

The ponds need mist nets to prevent the total plundering of the fish by all manner of birds and otters.

The water flows into a beautiful lake in front of the mill before flowing off into Nailsworth and beyond.

The smokery and other preserves

Having got tired of baking the same sourdough bread every week, and the tutor constantly making an issue over my hair (that I had already tied up out of my face with a nifty hairband sent by my sister ,while she did not do the same, despite me finding one of her hairs on the table, ) I asked to work in the smokery. I wanted to learn as much as I could while I was here. Here they do all manner of preserving..from smoking the trout, pork and making sausages..and even biltong! Also jams, sauerkraut, hams and kombucha tea.
Of course, in the smokery, you have to be a LOT more hygienic. So it was a lot worse than the bakery..a lab coat, a net over hair, gloves and foot covers and a plastic apron! Basically only your nose stuck out.

Before at the bakery. This was bad enough and the source of many complaints..I wonder why?

After at the smokery. Well you kind of lose your ego, as everyone looks the same

Andy, the tutor, however had long hair like mine and a beard almost as long, so was more sympathetic as to the wild hair issues. He, however, somehow managed to find a jaunty hat instead of the unstylish hair net and when working with raw meat uses a beard cover! However, despite the lack of designer outfit, I am enjoying the experience, although I spend more time cleaning than anything else. (Vanessa, how I appreciate you now)

This is honey roast ham and some other hams maturing.

This is the trout (grown on the farm) after smoking. Here we are making jam. Cleaning the fruit (black currant jam to die for)

and making Seville orange marmalade. Seville oranges are inedible, but the marmalade has a lovely bite and is not too sweet. This is a seville orange on the left of a normal one.

The rind is thick and easy to peel. the fruit is as sour as a lemon and slightly bitter. Other than the orange colour it tastes and looks like the lemons my mother had growing in our childhood garden..they must have been seville lemons!

Christmas in Britain

 

Christmas is a big deal in Britain, but there are many pagan and semi-pagan festivals that coincide with the time of year. It is the end of a year, but also the end of farm work, as everything is dead and dormant. It is also the winter solstice, which was celebrated in pagan Britain. So there is a mishmash of celebrations.

IN GLOUCESTER

Well, I went to the most wonderful carol performance at Gloucester cathedral..also known as Hogwarts, because Harry Potter was filmed there. The setting is magnificent and the acoustics divine. The entire performance was given by the students and teachers at Wynstones Waldorf school. It was set around 9 Bible lessons from Genesis creation of the Earth to St John’s creation of the Word, read by Upper school children. This was interspersed by music played by various parts of their orchestra, from brass to violin and the most beautiful singing by each part of the school from class 1, but mainly by their upper choir consisting of teachers and students and the most dynamic conductress, who appeared to have organised the entire polished production and received a standing ovation at the end. There was standing room only when I arrived as they began and the enormous and magnificent cathedral was full. It was truly one of the most professional and beautiful performances I have experienced, interspersed with symbolic Eurythmy and a poem on Refugees. (A collection was held for those seeking refuge in Europe. ) The audience also sang some rousing carols, harmonised by the choir.
Gloucester, itself was like a fairyland with lights stretched across the pedestrian street and the cathedral lit up by lights. It truly felt like Christmas. I forgot to bring my camera and so have no photos to show, but it surely was etched in my soul. I kept thinking how amazing it must be to rehearse for this performance, and what effect it must have on the children from small, who attended this magical event, to those that must have rehearsed daily over a long period of time singing these amazingly complicated harmonies. I was truly impressed at what Steiner education has achieved.

CHRISTMAS AT RUSKIN MILL
Christmas is celebrated in many ways at Ruskin Mill. There is first a Lantern Festival (kind of similar to our st Johns festival, where the students make lanterns. These are lit up with fairy lights and hung in the trees. Some are made with willow, covered with paper dipped in diluted cold glue and attached to a polystyrene base that float on the water with fairy lights inside. Some are shaped like creatures of various kinds..some you like. (This is a swan not a duck,although it looks like a duck and  although there are many ducks that inhabit the lake and no swans.)

and some you dont like:

Other lanterns:

 

Some lanterns were floated on the lake. This is Aaron from the fish farm taking some lanterns out and what they looked like afterwards:

Also the woodland team make stakes wrapped with thick rope that are dipped in oil and petrol and lit along the path.

Also personal lanterns are made with multi-coloured inks and then dunked in oil to make them transparent, and tea lights light up the inside. These we took on a walk around the lake and through the landscape. Many people who live around the area come to join us and then we offer them a supper of lamb hamburgers and hot spiced tea. These were two lanterns I made.

The drama students gave a shadow play about the legend of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods, accompanied by various percussion instruments.

Everyone worked to make the event memorable: from the market garden that spent hours moving wood chips onto the slippery paths to the canteen that made the delicious food and decorated the canteen with candles and oranges

In the last week of term, we also spent time making Christmas wreaths for the various doors and for ourselves too. Here, you can find Holly, which is a beautiful, but prickly bush, and Ivy quite readily. And of course the Christmassy yew trees. We interspersed these with bay leaves and rosemary for scent

Also, as the trees have shed their leaves, you can see real mistletoe.

STAFF CHRISTMAS PARTY

We also had a staff Christmas party at the woodland kitchen., where we ate the yummy mince pies we had made in the bakery and also rich stollen..all organic. The ingredients cost about R10 per mince pie! But since the college is strictly organic, we did this,. I wont even estimate the cost of the stollen that had organic everything, including marzipan we made with organic almonds.

The student council also organised a party for the students, where we came in Christmas jerseys..a kitch British tradition. Luckily my sister had knitted me a BRIGHT red jersey and pixie-like winter hat with versatile uses (not least of which is to cover my hair while baking).

CHRISTMAS JERSEYS or as they all them here..JUMPERS

Its tradition to have some kind of kitchy christmas jumper and funny elf hats. Our students had a party at the end of the year, and these are a few of the christmas jumpers that I never thought people would ever wear.here is a selection:

 

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Every little village and organization has a Christmas market with hand made crafts. I did all my christmas shopping at these markets. This is Ruskin mill’s market with Grace, one of the apprentices and a support worker with a stall selling crochet hats and willow baskets that they made.

WASSAILING. Was ist it?

Wassailing is essentially singing to nature to encourage good harvest, and we spent a lovely evening singing carols to the cows and horses. At last the carols like “In the deep mid winter” and the “the holly and the Ivy” made sense. After which we had mulled juice and mince pies made by the farm managers wife and children. The children loved jumping on the hay bails. The last song was beautifully harmonised: “Silent night”. I am sure the animals were pleased to have one after this!

This is Sally, my landlady and myself with our carol sheets looking at the moon, which surprise, surprise is not covered by cloud.

CELEBRATING THE SOLSTICE

On the solstice,we gathered at Grace’s place which is on a farm on the hill above Nailsworth. We had a roaring fire and ate soup and drank mulled cider. It was the deep mid winter, but the skies were clear and the moon was haloed with a rainbow. We did not even need jackets it was like having a good old South African Braai (without the braai).

I also went to Avebury, which is a small village with the most incredible standing stones. But that will be another post.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Tomorrow is Christmas. it is strange to be away from home. My wonderful landlord and lady, Stephen and Sally have invited me FOR A LENTIL CURRY AND CHRISTMAS PUD. Well why on earth not!

All kinds of Nifty devices

When you decide that you do not want to use sophisticated mechanical devices for labour, you need to invent many other devices that make your life a little easier, and so on Ruskin Mill and Gables farm I found many interesting devices and creative solutions.

This is a device for cleaning mud off your shoe.. a very necessary device in wet Britain. Its made from two old broom heads stuck onto a metal handle and cleans the sole and the side simultaneously.

These are stakes for holding boots to keep them dry and prevent creepy crawlies from getting inside. This is a balustrade made of woven branches that leads you down a slippery path into the woods. This is kind of hoe that simultaneously cuts and pulls weeds between rows of seedlings. This is a cover for a well that is counter weighted with a brick that makes it easy to lift the cover, (which is made of thin slivers of wood, often used as a form of roof tiling.)  Counterweights are also used to keep gates closed. This is a hand pushed wheel with various attachments. This one ruches op the earth around seedlings. This is a sophisticated compost drum that can be turned easily with a handle to turn the compost without effort. This is a nifty sower of small seeds when making seedling beds. The seeds are placed in containers on top that have small holes. As you wheel it, the seeds are let out evenly and in nicely spaced rows. It also makes furrows in front and covers the soil behind it.
This is another nifty wiper of shoes very necessary in a muddy environment.

A few more nifty devices:

This is used to keep the gates closed. the weight closes the gate after opening. This is a poo pusher. Used to scrape up the wet poo in the pig and cows pens..note the consistency of the cow poo after rain.

Land art at Ruskin Mill

Natural landscapes are always beautiful to look at and experience, and we spend a lot of time in South Africa trying to “bring back the raw environment.” However, I have really been astounded by the effect of land art on the enhancement and enjoyment of the environment. Land art is something that is man made, usually out of natural forms that are located in unexpected and often unused environments but make you look more closely and appreciate the environment. The effect is the unexpected, and brings out a sense of “aha” or even “haha”

At Ruskin Mill, land art is everywhere and makes for an exquisite environment. Not only is it naturally a beautiful place, nesting below woods with a rushing stream and calm lake, every corner has an interesting and artistic artifact.

THE BUILDINGS

Besides the two old textile mills with their particular architecture. This  is Ruskin Mill(this is the BACK of the building)This is the water wheel that used to drive the Mill (but now only drives a light bulb unfortunately). Here are a number of craft areas built with nature in mind. This is the pottery.

This is the woodland kitchen where we have our daily meals. This is a little cottage at Ruskin Mill where a caretaker lives. This is what is commonly called “the pringle” by the students, on account of its shape. It is actually the field centre where lectures and courses are held. This is a shed used for green wood turning. It is open, but has a cosy little corner with a fire in winter.

ARTY FACTS

Here is some of the sculptures are unexpected art that you can find. Flow forms are everywhere, as the Ebb and Flow workshop, where they are made,  is located at ruskin Mill. Also the entire fishery and lake  is aerated by strategically placed flow forms. Not only does the water constantly flow everywhere, they are all incredibly beautiful.

SCULPTURES

Scattered in odd and unexpected corners are many sculptures, some in the middle of the forest, such as the last one, that some students decorated with flowers at Michaelmas.

Some are simply stones balanced on poles and other odd things.

These are two flat stones tied up with string to a branch overhanging the lake that clink with the water flow and moving of the branches.

Others are just useful devices but always with an artistic element.

ECO INTERESTING

 

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Nailsworth and Stroud, are called Fairtrade villages and most of their goods are local, fairtraded and organic even in the “normal” shops.Prices are also not more expensive than other commodities, and sometimes even cheaper. farmers markets exist in almost every town, and Stroud has one every Saturday that is one of the best I’ve seen. the cheeses are to die for and include a huge range.
Ruskin Mill are serious about using the best quality food at the college.They use organic and fairtraded food in everything. The students and everyone who works there get tea, and a cooked lunch with salad, fruit or pudding every day. Most of the food is grown on the farm biodynamically including the meat (lamb, pork,beef and fish). They have a smokery and make sausages and hams. They are  producers of organically produced trout that we have every Friday (Fish and chips). We also press our own apple juice.

Two months into my volunteering (I cant believe it has gone so fast) I am feeling fit and full of energy. The food is also very tasty, and it is wonderful to have a hot meal in the middle of the day. Some of the students have eating issues and I am positive that the nutrition has an enormous healing effect. (some students dont like the food and bring their own..poor things). They also cater for allergies.

Even at teatime with the students, they use organic tea and coffee, biscuits and oatcakes with organic butter and jam. They don’t stint on this. All food is sourced from the organic shop that is open to the public and “Bought” by the different units at Ruskin Mill, while products produced are “sold” to the shop and each other. Bread from the bakery is made with organic flour from Shipton Mill and is “sold” to the Canteen and a café open to the public. (These public spaces are used for work experience for the students, where they learn to buy and sell.)

All their cleaning products are environment friendly. Even their so-called sterilisers are simple substances that leave no residue. (Like iodine)

They have a set of compost toilets, but the students avoid these and would rather walk far to find a flushing loo. I tried out the compost loo, which is quite comfortable, its just that its not nice to look down, even though everything gets covered in sand. Its also dark inside.
Electricity is generated by solar panels on as many buildings as can catch the light and also a wind generator pumps electricity back into the electricity grid. In Stroud area, you can connect to Ecotricity, where the electricity you pay for  comes from natural sources. This means that even although you may not produce all your electricity naturally, someone is doing so.

An interesting reflection of Africa came up unexpectantly, when one of the students produced a can of what looked like coke, but it was something called UBUNTU cola. Made of herbs, a fairtraded fizzy drink, that put money back into developing nations.

CAROL AND COWS

CAROL AND COWS

I love cows, having been a cheese maker. I was also brought up on a small holding with 4 cows, named petunia, buttercup, bluebell and protea and also having had two of my own beautiful jersey heifers, I thought that I was fine with cows. So I was asked to spread out the straw in the cow barn. “Oh I’m not scared of cows” she said when warned to be careful. Well I hoisted myself enthusiastically over the gate into the pen. One heifer, with nice sharp horns looked me in the eye and  came directly towards me, head down. Well, I suddenly didn’t feel so certain, and turned to get out of her way.Except that the gate was closed behind me. I tried to get my legs out of the way, as that is where she was aiming, flipped back over the gate, despite my age, and ended up UPSIDE DOWN with my legs in the air, and couldn’t get back over..I wasnt that flexible. Well, Luisa, my co-volunteer just watched in horror and collapsed laughing, while I still had my legs in the air. I garbled to her to help get my legs down. Eventually, when she could get her breath, she helped me back down, and we both laughed, me with relief.

My sister then reminded me that one of our childhood cows, Petunia, was very scary, and would have no compunctions about tossing us. I have since reviewed my relationship with cows. I found out later that they were a bit skittish as they are on heat, but I am not going to test that theory again.

Anyway, here we are herding the famous Gloucester cows that produce the milk for the utterly divine double Gloucester cheese. They are a vanishing breed. Only 600 in the world. The farm does not milk them, and only uses them for meat. A great pity, I would say. What distinguishes them is the white back, rump and tail.