Come and join us for our community farm open day – a chance to explore the site, enjoy some craft activities, live music and local food and drink.

We’re teaming up with the good people of Sladebank Woods this year to offer a ‘Slad Valley Weekend’ – with an open day at Common Soil on Saturday 9th May and an open day at Sladebank Woods on Sunday 10th May.

For the Common Soil open day on the Saturday 9th we’ll have:

• The return of the Maypole from last year (thanks to some of our members), with a caller to direct the dances and live musicians to bring life to them.
• An artist offering the chance to make your own cyanotype print – these are the bright blue prints that look really lovely and professional, even if you’ve never done them before and are suitable for kids to make too. They’re a lovely way to preserve a part of nature that you love and take it home.
• A composting workshop – bring all your composting queries.
• A natural clay harvesting session – our pottery experts will scan the land and dig up natural clay, transforming ‘mud’ into something that can be used for vessel making sessions later in the month. It could get messy – the kids will love it!
• Painting with natural paints – for adults and kids to try out paints with pigments from the earth and from plants or other food items.
• Farm tour at 12.15pm – get the latest on what and how we’re growing your veg.
• A plant and flower sale – plug plants to boost your own food growing if you missed the boat on sowing seeds.
• Veggie BBQ with Slad valley mushrooms, handmade flatbreads, dips and salads from Common Soil – for donation at lunchtime.
• Local apple juice and homemade cider, tea and cake.
• The annual treasure hunt that we always make too hard for small children – this year we’re going to split it into age appropriate clues!
• Outdoor games including Viking chess.

There’s no charge to attend the event or do the art activities, as they’re funded by Stroud District Council. We hope that you can join us for a day out on the field.