Cultivate had a jam packed August of performances, workshops, live theatre and professional family entertainment, combined with local food and community. As the evenings get cooler and the scent of autumn fills the air we can't help but smile at all the happy memories we created. We invite you to look back with us, and see what happens when we bring arts, community and local food together!
Chill On The Hill
Our Chill On The Hill event, in collaboration with Ham Hill Country Park, The Prince of Wales pub and C&T was a multi-sensory experience for families. Attracting over 200 people, the event gave children the chance to participate in visual and circus arts, as well as watching live storytelling and circus performances. The local pub stayed opened all day for refreshments and food, the menu featuring produce and ingredients sourced from suppliers across Somerset.
Little Big Horns resembled the pied piper as a string of people and children walked from The Prince of Wales Pub to the Stone Circle at Ham Hill. Sarah Mooney, storyteller, engaged even the smallest of faces in a quick witted, spellbinding, and clever performance, whilst Brainfools Circus entertained the audience with their contemporary circus show and amazing set.
Huge thanks to Rachael Whaites, Countryside Manager, and her team for all their support on the day and helping to make it all happen – teamwork makes the dream work!
“Cultivate were an absolute pleasure to work with. They involved us and the community in planning the event and the communication was great! On the day it all came together for a fantastic event. We are looking forward to working with them in the future.”
Rachael Whaites, Countryside Manager at Ham Hill, South Somerset District Council
Let's Fly!
Cultivate had the pleasure to collaborate with company C&T to create an interactive activity via a smart phone, as part of the Chill On The Hill event. We told the local food story of North Perrott Farm, Bagnell Farm and The Cookhouse, based at Take Art’s home, Flaxdrayton Farm. Click on the links below to watch the various footage and interviews or scan the QR code to fly and go on the Cultivate drone experience. Remember to register as a user before you get started!
Farm Yard Circus
Cultivate were delighted to welcome Farm Yard Circus to Bagnell Farm in Norton Sub Hamdon on the 24th August. The final event for Cultivate this summer was a sizzling success as more than 280 people visited this local South Somerset Farm.
Farm Yard Circus performed their circus extravaganza involving live music, acrobatics, comedy, and juggling. The show was mesmerising for children and adults alike, who watched the performance sitting on haybales and on the back of a tractor trailer.
Lisa and Mark Parsons, who run Bagnell Farm, served audiences meat burgers and sausages all natural and hand-made from their ruby red Devon cattle that they breed and rear. Audiences could purchase local produce to take home and sign up for future orders of their award-winning meat. Check out Lisa’s interview as part of Cultivate’s work with C&T and their amazing drone footage from Ham Hill here.
The event was joyous, made all the better with the help of the weather, and we can’t thank Lisa, Mark and their family enough for welcoming Cultivate onto their farm and supporting the event with such energy and enthusiasm. We hope to be able to visit again soon!
Yeovil Together
Cultivate’s involvement in Yeovil Together in July was a community day in Yeovil, working with ethnically diverse communities. The event mixed culture, food and the arts bringing people together. Check out Yeovil Libraries podcast here to hear the sounds from the day and to listen to Katy, Cultivate’s coordinator, talking about the event.
The Cultivate Flag Continues To Fly
The four-year Ruritage project, in which Cultivate was the local hub, has now come to an end. However, the Cultivate flag continues to fly as Mark and Katy make plans for autumn and beyond.
Our growing relationships with The Somerset Food Trail organisers, along with our local partners across Somerset give Cultivate the potential, need and hunger to do more events and activity to strengthen communities and combine local arts and food.
This summer has demonstrated that there is a real appetite for this combination of work, and our farm and arts story is not over…indeed only beginning. We can’t wait to be serving up more activity in the coming months.
Thanks to all of you who has supported any of our Cultivate events. It was lovely to see you. Here is what people said:
“What an amazing event (Tongues of Fire at Bere Cider as part of The Somerset Food Trail 2022), I live in Langport and never even realised Bere Cider was on my doorstep! If Cultivate hadn’t have been involved in this I would have never have attended. Wow. What a day.”
Rachael, audience member and cider drinker
“I liked the soil, I like planting but best of all I liked the pirates.”
Audience member at The Piglet Pen for The Somerset Food Trail (aged 6)
“What an amazing day of arts, crafts and food. Thank you so much for arranging this – we have had a great day out as a family and bringing communities together right now is so important! Thank you.”
Sally, audience member, Chill on the Hill
“This is my first time to a Take Art event. The show was amazing and my grandchildren loved Farm Yard Circus. It was so nice to visit Bagnell Farm, I had no idea they were tucked away in Norton. Their burgers were so delicious – I will be ordering one of their Christmas hampers! Thank you so much for making this event happen.”
Mrs Mock, Farm Yard Circus Event
