Since the Neolithic times, the Summer Solstice (21st June) has been marked and celebrated as a day of significance. As the longest day of the year, in many places the solstice is still observed with gatherings of people sharing folkloric tales, lighting bonfires, playing traditional music and dancing together. One of the most famous celebrations is that which takes place at Stonehenge – thousands travel from all over to take part in the festivities and witness the midsummer sunrise through the Heel Stone. Overall, as you may have noticed, a significant theme of these celebrations is people not only connecting with each other, but also with nature.
As it happens, 2022 was the year Fordhall played host to the first event of this kind on the farm. 30 people who came down to the farm on the evening of the Summer Solstice, listened to professional storyteller, Jake Evans, enjoyed live music from folk band, Litha, and, of course, dived into the Fordhall Grazing Table. For those feeling particularly creative there was a crafting table laden with a choice of dried grasses and fresh summer flowers, to make unique circlets, to wear or display.
A welcoming fire was burning in the fire pit outside the Straw Lodge as attendees arrived that evening – the crackling of the flames accompanied by Litha’s melodies, which, as the evening progressed, gave way to Jake’s tales of folklore. Later, the band continued to play as the festive group made their way both to and from the lovely woodlands on site, where Jake continued to thrill with his seemingly endless supply of stories – including his own twist on the Legend of Gelert (and, if you’re familiar with it, his had a much more cheerful ending than the original).
In fact, the processional portion of the evening was made more accessible by the use of our new Tramper (off-road mobility scooter). In future, we hope it will allow as many people as possible to enjoy areas of the farm they may not have seen before.
Upon the group’s return, the classic Fordhall Grazing Table had been given a seasonal makeover. Offerings such as pork with lavender-infused stuffing, generously sized pots of vegetable tagine, chocolate beehive cupcakes, and a huge sun-shaped bread created by Flour & Co. Bakehouse adorned the beautifully decorated buffet. Of course, it didn’t remain that aesthetically pleasing for long – hungry guests were soon making short work of the delicious fayre, munching away as stories and music accompanied the solstice sunset.
Liss, our Education and Engagement Officer, was amongst those joining the seasonal merriment that evening. Following the event she said:
“The storyteller was amazing, really funny and interesting. The musicians were great and the food was incredible!”
Following the success of this more traditional celebration, the hope is to bring more of the kind to the farm, with possibilities including (but not limited to) Samhain and Wassailing. If you would like to join us, make sure to keep an eye on our social media and website for seasonal celebration announcements!
Francesca Lant, Marketing and Communications Officer
Our next Summer Solstice celebration will be taking place on 21st June 2023. For more info and tickets, please see the event listing:
This article was first featured in the Autumn 2022 edition of the Grazer magazine. For more info and to subscribe, visit:
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