IN spite of the snow there was a good turn out at the February monthly meeting to hear Ben Parker talk about River Bourne Community Farm.

Ben told how he grew up on a small dairy farm in Warwickshire, where local people would help with harvesting and the farm was a centre of community life. Such small farms hardly exist today.

Then he explained how, about five years ago with help from Wiltshire Council, he was able to set up a small, old-style farm in Laverstock.

Derelict land near the River Bourne was taken over and cleared.

With the aid of volunteers, 200 tonnes of rubbish were removed from the site and new farm buildings arose.

The land by Cow Lane has water meadows, suitable for stock, and the farm now rears cows, pigs, hens, goats, two donkeys and Wiltshire Horn sheep.

All these animals are looked after by dedicated volunteers. The farm has an educational advisor and welcomes visits from primary schools. Many children today, Ben pointed out, have little understanding of the environment; they don’t realise that milk comes from cows before it reaches the supermarket.

The farm also works successfully with teenagers who may have had problems at school for various reasons. Fundraising events at the farm include cream teas on Sundays in the summer, concerts and an annual open day to be held on June 7 this year.