Fall For February: Renew
February 5th, 2024“Every moment is a fresh beginning” – T.S. Eliot
Renew, return. The earliest signs of spring poke their noses above the leaf litter; sweet violets, primroses and carpets of delicately drooping snowdrops are magnified by beauty. Garden birds sing louder to attract a mate. Bumblebee queens start to rouse from slumber. Tiny salad leaves and the first tomato flowers bring joy over at Avalon Farm – heralds of delicious hope – and creative energy rises across the estate ahead of Valentine’s Day. The weather may be cold but light and renewed warmth is near: passions are fired up at The Newt.
Hoping for moments to fall for this February?
Sweet South African plums arrive from our sister farm at the end of the month, ready to be baked, stirred and simmered into deliciously sweet and sour dishes. We’re flipping pancakes for Shrove Tuesday, sharing the love on Valentine’s Day and keeping all the family inspired and entertained over Half Term. If your Membership’s soon to expire, now’s the time to renew.
Renew Newt Membership
What’s On in February
Roman Villa Courtyard Activities
13,14,15,18 February 10am – 4pm
For the first half term of the year, we are bringing our Roman Villa courtyard to life demonstrating traditional Roman craftsmenship and authentic Roman cuisine via our new ancient grain flatbreads – estate lamb, moretum, fermented turnip and garden herb dressing or our vegetarian option with fried squash.
Half Term Forest School Holiday Club
12 – 15 February, 9am – 3pm/4.30pm / £45-£55 per day
Our popular Forest School Holiday Club for budding adventurers is back for children aged 6 + over Half Term. Bridging Nature Forest School leader Kevin Button is bringing his action packed programme of practical skills and inspiring activities for inquisitive young minds to connect with nature.
Pancake Pop-Up
13 & 14 February, 9am-4pm
We’re flipping out over pancakes this Shrove Tuesday, with two days of a pancake pop-up near the Cyder Bar – choose from stewed apple with cyder caramel sauce, or Babylonstoren lemons & sugar. Pop on by.
Dawn Walk: Song of the Snowdrop
22 February, 7am/7.30am – 10am / £45
Join a guided walk with our keen galanthophile, Arthur Cole, to encounter evocative miniature marvels and the early bulbs enticing our bees out for brief forays to collect pollen on mild winter days. Culminating in a hearty breakfast in the Garden Café.
Botany Watercolours (Winter)
10, 24 February 9.30am – 3pm / £150
Walk the garden with botanical artist Camilla Clutterbuck for inspiration and learn how to interpret plants in an artistic sense and transfer their features onto paper. This session hones in on the colours of late winter and early spring.
Hort Course: Fruit Tree Pruning
14, 21 February 9.30am – 3pm / £150
Learn the principles of fruit tree pruning in this invaluable session showing you how to prune different forms and species under the expert tutelage of our Specialist Fruit Grower, Andy Lewis. You’ll leave well-equipped to put your knowledge into practice in your own garden.
Farm-to-Knife Butchery: Beef
29 February 9.30am – 3pm / £275
Be one of the first to step over the threshold of our new Butchery at Avalon Farm as our expert butchers impart their knowledge on how to identify different cuts of an animal, sharpen knife skills and break down a carcass for cuts to take home before an indulgent lunch at Farmyard Kitchen.
From the Heart
Show the love this Valentine’s Day with a gourmet gift for your favourite foodie. Choose between carefully curated heartwarming hampers to deliciously sweet delicacies or our favourite small batch Red Love Gin – pure candy coloured appley goodness to make the heart sing.
