August 2017

3 August 2017

A lot of rain is not helping the harvest and so Adam is quite frustrated.  You cannot harvest when it is raining but you also cannot harvest for quite some time afterwards because the crop is too damp still.  It has been quite a year really with unexpected prolonged heat initially and not enough rain and now this.  But meanwhile the burial ground looks lush and happy to finally have a good soaking.  The apples are plumping up nicely in Pioneer Glade. 

Yesterday we were out walking opposite on the old airfield where the community owned wind turbines are and saw a delightfully scruffy looking male linnet having a bath in one of the many puddles.  I was lucky enough to be with two expert birders or I would not have known what I was looking at.  A gorgeous delicate rosy chest and olive sandy head and back the size of a finch.

We are delighted to hear that the burial ground has been selected as a finalist for the Good Funeral Awards which are decided on September 7th.  I doubt we are going to be lucky enough to win having had that accolade in 2015 but it is an honour to be shortlisted.  I am also up for a personal award as having made the greatest contribution to the understanding of death which is very exciting.  Since I nominated Jon Underwood in the same category not knowing this would happen I may well have scuppered my own chances!  All will be revealed soon.  The Good Funeral Awards are a very good idea whatever the outcome for us.  They arose out of Charles Cowling’s excellent book The Good Funeral Guide which seeks to assess and describe the best work being done in the funeral industry and also draw attention to less savoury practises.  It shines a light on the range of work that often goes unseen such as morticians and includes those working in the more conventional sectors as well as the green burial movement and other similar initiatives.  Their website is well worth referring to www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk and Fran Hall their current CEO has an excellent track record having worked for the Natural Death Centre and a green burial ground before taking up this post.