Up reasonably early for a big breakfast of cereals followed by toast, beans and scrambled egg.
Then up to Sewerby Gala which was very close to the Bed and Breakfast, and had to wait for quite a long time to be shown my performance space... which was right next to where I was standing at the entrance! There were some negotiations with the Punch and Judy chap... I like to work continuously as the day goes more quickly, the punters get more of me and the organisers get a better deal. So the P+J went to set up nearby and he was going to do just three half-hour sets. I worked continuously from 10am til 4pm, with 15 minutes sitting down for lunch... peanut butter sandwiches left over from yesterday! By 4pm I was exhausted.
I got a lift from the organiser's wife to the Bridlington Bus station where I got a bus at just after 5pm all the way home.
I had some bad news this evening. On Friday I had a message from my friend Hannah who was planning to work for the Big Green Gathering stewards team... she'd had an email from the BGG security team saying there was some doubt that the event would go ahead, although there were no explanations, and just a request for people to not buy travel tickets. So I'd left on Saturday morning not feeling that confident about the coming week, but chose not to share my concerns with Gill as I didn't want to cause her to worry, as she is prone to this.
Tonight, when I got back, Hannah messaged me and told me to check the website, and yes, the following message has been put on:
"urgent message
Dear Friends,
following threatened injunction proceedings in High Court by Mendip District Council supported by Somerset & Avon Police and having taken extensive advice from a prominent QC and other eminent lawyers, the directors of the Big Green Gathering have been left with no other option than to voluntarily surrender the license for the Big Green Gathering 2009. The event will now not take place and the directors' advice and request is that no one intending to attend the event should attempt to do so, as the site is now closed and they are likely to be turned away by Somerset Police. It is our intention to avoid any form of confrontation or public disorder in regard to this and it is our earnest hope that all those involved will follow this advice. It is with great sadness that we have been forced into this position and we express our profound apologies to all those concerned. The Directors of The Big Green Gathering.
A note to the traders from our markets coordinator: OK you’ve read the reasons why the event has been stopped at such short notice. We have all been fighting it up until this morning. It is with heavy heart that I have accepted the authorities have closed us down. Apologies to all of you who have been trying to phone me. There is one place on site where I can get intermittent signal so long as I don’t move more than half an inch to the left or right, but I've only got one cel left. If you need tips and help with other events to replace your lost trade, please text me. If you do, please put your stall name on the text to help me identify the sender.I am totally happy to talk to all of you and answer any questions about how this happened, but realistically it will be when I am back home on landline. Keep watching this space and I hope to make contact with all of you over the next month. With deep regret and much love, Jennifer Sunday 26th July 2009 3:30pm."
There is a blog post from Jennifer which explains a bit more.
I sat down with my family and explained what had happened. There was sadness, anger, tears, more conversation. We made alternative plans. My son and I will use the train tickets I've bought to get as far as Birmingham, and then get tickets to Leamington Spa where I'll spend the night and then probably cycle back to York. My boy will spend a few nights with his friend in Leamington, then they'll come up to York on the train together.
What a day!
Later, found this post http://www.euskalinfo.org.uk/article/690741 which tells more about the reasons the event has been cancelled.
Showing posts with label Big Green Gathering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Big Green Gathering. Show all posts
A lie-in... lovely. Got up at 10.30 and didn't do much til about midday.
Then I persuaded the boys to come and help me put the tent up, which was quite easy as it is very similar to the previous design I had... except this seems better designed actually. We had a bit of time trying to suss out where to hang some daft pocket things and our nearly 12 year old worked it out.
After lunch Gill and the boys went to the dentist and I completed the York Green Festival insurance documents and sent them to two of my colleagues to check. I really hate Microsoft Office 07, which I have on a trial. It's too complicated, I couldn't work out how to 'save as' and had to just save, then go into my documents folder and alter the name from there. What a faff.
Anyway, they will be on their way tonight or tomorrow.
I made a nutloaf with some old bread, yesterday's rice and a couple of leeks minus their tough flower stalk, grated carrot, a couple of tomatoes, plus some 'bush basil' which is doing really well in the conservatory. This is what I'll grow in the future, it tastes lovely and is easier to grow than the big leafed varieties. This is the first year I've grown it. Oh, I lined the baking dish with slices of a courgette, perhaps our third or fourth this year.
After tea I took the tent down 'all in one' so that when we put it up again we don't have to bother putting the internal compartment in again. Also popped down to Freshways and picked up 2 sacks of assorted unwanted material... including a load of coconuts which don't compost well, but do burn well! There were also a large number of fresh red dates, some with damage and dark-coloured bad bits, but the majority seemed quite acceptable. I wondered how to use these? Fresh they are a bit astringent, but if I blanch them and dry them, they might be useful in something. I might ask Raj how he uses fresh dates.
A busy evening dealing with the York Green Festival insurance documentation, and then trying to sort out how to deal with the compostables which will be generated at the Big Green Gathering... the farmer/festival has been granted 'an exemption' and is allowed to compost on site, but he wants to use the composted material. When I last composted on site, in 2006, there were too many sticks in the pile (which I'd built with several aeration layers using sticks, branches, twigs, cardboard and straw) for him to use it. This year we are going to use Bokashi EM which will mean we don't need to initially aerate it as much... just have it drained. There is another keen composter going to the Gathering, called Chris, and he'll be there from the Thursday before, so he'll be involved in the pre-build.
Last thing at night, I blanched the dates and this got rid of the astringent properties and they tasted sweet, and will be lovely dried.
Then I persuaded the boys to come and help me put the tent up, which was quite easy as it is very similar to the previous design I had... except this seems better designed actually. We had a bit of time trying to suss out where to hang some daft pocket things and our nearly 12 year old worked it out.
After lunch Gill and the boys went to the dentist and I completed the York Green Festival insurance documents and sent them to two of my colleagues to check. I really hate Microsoft Office 07, which I have on a trial. It's too complicated, I couldn't work out how to 'save as' and had to just save, then go into my documents folder and alter the name from there. What a faff.
Anyway, they will be on their way tonight or tomorrow.
I made a nutloaf with some old bread, yesterday's rice and a couple of leeks minus their tough flower stalk, grated carrot, a couple of tomatoes, plus some 'bush basil' which is doing really well in the conservatory. This is what I'll grow in the future, it tastes lovely and is easier to grow than the big leafed varieties. This is the first year I've grown it. Oh, I lined the baking dish with slices of a courgette, perhaps our third or fourth this year.
After tea I took the tent down 'all in one' so that when we put it up again we don't have to bother putting the internal compartment in again. Also popped down to Freshways and picked up 2 sacks of assorted unwanted material... including a load of coconuts which don't compost well, but do burn well! There were also a large number of fresh red dates, some with damage and dark-coloured bad bits, but the majority seemed quite acceptable. I wondered how to use these? Fresh they are a bit astringent, but if I blanch them and dry them, they might be useful in something. I might ask Raj how he uses fresh dates.
A busy evening dealing with the York Green Festival insurance documentation, and then trying to sort out how to deal with the compostables which will be generated at the Big Green Gathering... the farmer/festival has been granted 'an exemption' and is allowed to compost on site, but he wants to use the composted material. When I last composted on site, in 2006, there were too many sticks in the pile (which I'd built with several aeration layers using sticks, branches, twigs, cardboard and straw) for him to use it. This year we are going to use Bokashi EM which will mean we don't need to initially aerate it as much... just have it drained. There is another keen composter going to the Gathering, called Chris, and he'll be there from the Thursday before, so he'll be involved in the pre-build.
Last thing at night, I blanched the dates and this got rid of the astringent properties and they tasted sweet, and will be lovely dried.
We did two work shifts today, as there was loads and loads of stuff being brought to us, so 9 til 12.45, then 5 til 6.45. But was worth it as I found two pairs of scissors, a really good stainless steel knife and 30 pence in coins.
After lunch we went to the Green Forum marquee as Justin Rowlatt from Newsnight was meant to be speaking about his year as 'Ethical Man', but he didn't turn up, was very disappointed about this. However enjoyed watching the compere filling in and asking for poets to get up and do a turn, one did a Hilaire Belloc piece called 'Jim', about a naughty boy who left his nanny and got eaten by a lion, this brought back memories as my Dad regularly spouted this one, and other Belloc poems.
After our second shift, and tea, we had a session of juggling and devilsticks, then some frisbee until it got too dark. Then we found ourselves in the Quantum Leap tent with lots of people dancing to Green Angels, a lovely folk band with 'English Border Bagpipes' and some percussion done on scallop shells. The dancers were doing square dances and a kind of snaking around dance. I didn't join in as I'm not good at following instructions or copying others, but enjoyed watching the various dancing styles.
After lunch we went to the Green Forum marquee as Justin Rowlatt from Newsnight was meant to be speaking about his year as 'Ethical Man', but he didn't turn up, was very disappointed about this. However enjoyed watching the compere filling in and asking for poets to get up and do a turn, one did a Hilaire Belloc piece called 'Jim', about a naughty boy who left his nanny and got eaten by a lion, this brought back memories as my Dad regularly spouted this one, and other Belloc poems.
After our second shift, and tea, we had a session of juggling and devilsticks, then some frisbee until it got too dark. Then we found ourselves in the Quantum Leap tent with lots of people dancing to Green Angels, a lovely folk band with 'English Border Bagpipes' and some percussion done on scallop shells. The dancers were doing square dances and a kind of snaking around dance. I didn't join in as I'm not good at following instructions or copying others, but enjoyed watching the various dancing styles.
Another early start, breakfast at 8 and start shift at 9, on the second skip, which we justabout completely filled by midday. Today good too on the finds... got a £6 mealticket for a meal at Roots Cafe (which I used later for lunch!) and then, amazingly, between a couple of paper plates, a £10 note and a £5 note!!!
So definitely worth working on the rubbish today, and satisfying to get so much biodegradable stuff into the skip for recycling, and ensuring it was good quality with relatively few contaminants.
At 1pm, went to the Last Chance Saloon again for my second Home Composting workshop, but the only people to come to this one were some folks trying to get out of the hot sunshine... blame it on the weather again! However they were interested and asked inteligent questions, so maybe they'll be better composters from now on.
After this, and the free lunch, happened upon the 'Question Time for BGG Directors' which was very interesting. Lots of debate, and anger even, about the fact that the 'Lost Vagueness' marquee had a generator, although powered by 100% biodiesel, the BGG strapline is 'Powered by the Sun, the Wind and the People' and there is a policy of no generators (ie fossil-fuel) on site. It was explained how/why it was there and we learned that there were other generators there, such as the tractors which suck out the non-composting toilets every day, and a back-up generator used by the outside security firm.
More frisbee in the evening. Late on, we had a wander up the fantastic canyon which is so spectacular, and had been adorned with candles and nightlights and had a lovely harpist in one place, we stopped and sat and loved it! Then later still, found the venue for a production of 'The Vagina Monologues' which was really excellent. Good on 'The Women of Avalon', thank you for sharing!
So definitely worth working on the rubbish today, and satisfying to get so much biodegradable stuff into the skip for recycling, and ensuring it was good quality with relatively few contaminants.
At 1pm, went to the Last Chance Saloon again for my second Home Composting workshop, but the only people to come to this one were some folks trying to get out of the hot sunshine... blame it on the weather again! However they were interested and asked inteligent questions, so maybe they'll be better composters from now on.
After this, and the free lunch, happened upon the 'Question Time for BGG Directors' which was very interesting. Lots of debate, and anger even, about the fact that the 'Lost Vagueness' marquee had a generator, although powered by 100% biodiesel, the BGG strapline is 'Powered by the Sun, the Wind and the People' and there is a policy of no generators (ie fossil-fuel) on site. It was explained how/why it was there and we learned that there were other generators there, such as the tractors which suck out the non-composting toilets every day, and a back-up generator used by the outside security firm.
More frisbee in the evening. Late on, we had a wander up the fantastic canyon which is so spectacular, and had been adorned with candles and nightlights and had a lovely harpist in one place, we stopped and sat and loved it! Then later still, found the venue for a production of 'The Vagina Monologues' which was really excellent. Good on 'The Women of Avalon', thank you for sharing!
Another day of working in the first skip, did a morning shift 9 til 12 and then showered and lunched and spent the rest of the day wandering around and experiencing the sights, smells and sounds of the festival.
At 5pm, went to the main info place to see if anybody else was there for the naked ramble... and to our suprise there were quite a few. So no backing out now! At 5 past, we went for it and got naked and for the first few minutes it felt a bit weird, but then it just felt nice. Lots of people laughed or clapped and cheered. One guy was very keen to get infront of us and take photos, and was walking along with his digi camera pointing backwards 'discretely' at waist height, so I remonstrated with him, saying I thought his actions were dishonest and underhand, cheeky and wrong. He didn't reply and disappeared into the crowds, but I suppose if you take clothes off in public, one has to accept that some people might react in that way. Several people did ask if they could take photos, and some people in the group said 'only if you take your clothes off too' which one lady did! Several people joined us whilst we were walking around, and there was only one 'complaint' from someone on a horse and cart when we got to the horse-drawn field, saying 'no, not in here, there's too many kids around', but as we were being followed by a group of kids, asking us questions and laughing and making comments, we weren't too worried about the effect on children and we kept on walking. It was 99% well recieved with positivity and humour, and it didn't feel cold, even though the sky was overcast and it was towards the end of the day, it was a lovely feeling to have the breeze on your skin. I'd be happy to do it again, in the right circumstances such as the BGG offered.
Later in the evening we watched a film, in Spanish with subtitles, on the problems that Spanish organic maize growers are having with pollen pollution from transgenic maize nearby, and then onto another screen which was from 'bicycology' and watched a film about critical mass bike rides.
At 5pm, went to the main info place to see if anybody else was there for the naked ramble... and to our suprise there were quite a few. So no backing out now! At 5 past, we went for it and got naked and for the first few minutes it felt a bit weird, but then it just felt nice. Lots of people laughed or clapped and cheered. One guy was very keen to get infront of us and take photos, and was walking along with his digi camera pointing backwards 'discretely' at waist height, so I remonstrated with him, saying I thought his actions were dishonest and underhand, cheeky and wrong. He didn't reply and disappeared into the crowds, but I suppose if you take clothes off in public, one has to accept that some people might react in that way. Several people did ask if they could take photos, and some people in the group said 'only if you take your clothes off too' which one lady did! Several people joined us whilst we were walking around, and there was only one 'complaint' from someone on a horse and cart when we got to the horse-drawn field, saying 'no, not in here, there's too many kids around', but as we were being followed by a group of kids, asking us questions and laughing and making comments, we weren't too worried about the effect on children and we kept on walking. It was 99% well recieved with positivity and humour, and it didn't feel cold, even though the sky was overcast and it was towards the end of the day, it was a lovely feeling to have the breeze on your skin. I'd be happy to do it again, in the right circumstances such as the BGG offered.
Later in the evening we watched a film, in Spanish with subtitles, on the problems that Spanish organic maize growers are having with pollen pollution from transgenic maize nearby, and then onto another screen which was from 'bicycology' and watched a film about critical mass bike rides.
Woke to heavy rain trying to get into the tent.
I was booked in to the 'Last Chance Saloon' (run by the Climate Camp folks, soon to be protesting at Heathrow) at 11am to talk about home composting, and half a dozen people turned up, probably relatively few as the bad weather. Did a good talk though, and took a few of the people who stayed til the end to see the 05 and 06 heaps.
Decided to organise a 'naked ramble' or 'nude walkabout' on Friday evening, as last year there was one but I missed it, and would have liked to do it! I was egged on by Lorna who's quite keen on naturism, as I am, even with my very limited experience of it. We checked with the Gathering organisers, and they were OK and suggested how to publicise it.
After lunch, provided by the lovely volunteers at the Brixton Tea Party tent, Lorna and I got togged up to load the first skip up with catering slops, and I had a shovel so I could sort through the stuff and remove plastic bottles, bottle tops, non-biodegradable platic bags, glass bottles, cartons/tetrapacks, etc. It's amazing what some people put in the compostables collection!
So spent most of the afternoon in the skip sorting through whilst Lorna tipped stuff in bag by bag, and had regular deliveries from two vehicles servicing the site.
Had a solar heated shower before tea. After tea, put up some more Naked Ramble info.
I was booked in to the 'Last Chance Saloon' (run by the Climate Camp folks, soon to be protesting at Heathrow) at 11am to talk about home composting, and half a dozen people turned up, probably relatively few as the bad weather. Did a good talk though, and took a few of the people who stayed til the end to see the 05 and 06 heaps.
Decided to organise a 'naked ramble' or 'nude walkabout' on Friday evening, as last year there was one but I missed it, and would have liked to do it! I was egged on by Lorna who's quite keen on naturism, as I am, even with my very limited experience of it. We checked with the Gathering organisers, and they were OK and suggested how to publicise it.
After lunch, provided by the lovely volunteers at the Brixton Tea Party tent, Lorna and I got togged up to load the first skip up with catering slops, and I had a shovel so I could sort through the stuff and remove plastic bottles, bottle tops, non-biodegradable platic bags, glass bottles, cartons/tetrapacks, etc. It's amazing what some people put in the compostables collection!
So spent most of the afternoon in the skip sorting through whilst Lorna tipped stuff in bag by bag, and had regular deliveries from two vehicles servicing the site.
Had a solar heated shower before tea. After tea, put up some more Naked Ramble info.
Our bus from Weston left at 12 so had the morning with Lucy and children, so went to the nearby park and played and chatted, then via a co-op to get a few supplies and a box of chocolates for Lucy, before walking back to the station where the Festival bus was leaving from.
We exchanged our tickets for wristbands and got on the top deck of the bus, for a pretty ride through the countryside, up Burrington Coombe to the top of the Mendips where the Big Green Gathering takes place on Fernhill Farm, an organic meat farm, with pigs, sheep and I think some cattle. The bus dropped us into the festival so no need to wait in a queue, and went straight to the info place to ask where 'Glitterland' was this year, the litter pickers camping area, and the Brixton Tea Party marquee where litter crew get fed.
We put up our tents next to each other and went to explore the site. We have no work yet, as the compostables skips haven't arrived yet, and our job is 'quality control' and loading biodegradables into the skips. We'll start tomorrow.
We exchanged our tickets for wristbands and got on the top deck of the bus, for a pretty ride through the countryside, up Burrington Coombe to the top of the Mendips where the Big Green Gathering takes place on Fernhill Farm, an organic meat farm, with pigs, sheep and I think some cattle. The bus dropped us into the festival so no need to wait in a queue, and went straight to the info place to ask where 'Glitterland' was this year, the litter pickers camping area, and the Brixton Tea Party marquee where litter crew get fed.
We put up our tents next to each other and went to explore the site. We have no work yet, as the compostables skips haven't arrived yet, and our job is 'quality control' and loading biodegradables into the skips. We'll start tomorrow.
Not even a lie in this morning!
Got up and had to do my paid-for blog, did it on pride, as I don't feel it much and had an interesting conversation about it with Gill. Also mentioned the found book, bookcrossing.com.
Was still in my pj's when Melody and her son arrived and I was still doing my blog, but got it done before lunch. Then after lunch, had a management group meeting for York Rotters, at St Nicks, it was a good meeting with lots of bright ideas about new Rotters and how to get them, how to keep them and where to find them, and how to keep York Rotters in the conciousness of local people.
Then collected my compostables, went to get a cheque out to pay for balloons and then to Oxfam for coffee and Sainsburys for various bits, found some reduced price black truffles, which I've never had and will share with Simon and possibly other fungi fans.
Home to a big pile of washing up and made a nutloaf from old bread and pumpkin.
After tea went to the lottie to put several sacks of grass cuttings onto it, and found that the only things which have grown well are onions. The sweetcorn is stunted, potatoes blighted, beans eaten by slugs and squash tiny. A crap year on the plot.
Home to sort out tomorrow's journey plans and pack, but got waylaid by email stuff and blog and K chat, doing too much. Need a few days with not any obligations.
Off to Big Green Gathering tomorrow, no blog for a week.
Bye!
Got up and had to do my paid-for blog, did it on pride, as I don't feel it much and had an interesting conversation about it with Gill. Also mentioned the found book, bookcrossing.com.
Was still in my pj's when Melody and her son arrived and I was still doing my blog, but got it done before lunch. Then after lunch, had a management group meeting for York Rotters, at St Nicks, it was a good meeting with lots of bright ideas about new Rotters and how to get them, how to keep them and where to find them, and how to keep York Rotters in the conciousness of local people.
Then collected my compostables, went to get a cheque out to pay for balloons and then to Oxfam for coffee and Sainsburys for various bits, found some reduced price black truffles, which I've never had and will share with Simon and possibly other fungi fans.
Home to a big pile of washing up and made a nutloaf from old bread and pumpkin.
After tea went to the lottie to put several sacks of grass cuttings onto it, and found that the only things which have grown well are onions. The sweetcorn is stunted, potatoes blighted, beans eaten by slugs and squash tiny. A crap year on the plot.
Home to sort out tomorrow's journey plans and pack, but got waylaid by email stuff and blog and K chat, doing too much. Need a few days with not any obligations.
Off to Big Green Gathering tomorrow, no blog for a week.
Bye!
