Crag House Farm has acres of space, but on Plant Sales Day visitors mainly converged on the long, narrow polytunnel near the yard. By opening time, 10:30am on May 14th, many people were waiting for the first look at this year’s supply of bedding plants, hanging baskets, young veg plants and other springtime garden necessities. The crowd dispersed some after the first rush, but a steady stream through the day cleaned out the farm’s stock of a few varieties. Staff, people we care for who had planted and tended the little plants along with many volunteers helped the customers with their purchases.

Visitors came from as far away as London, but many live locally and visit the farm shop from time to time. Geoffrey Smith, known by gardening enthusiasts for his work with the BBC’s Gardeners’ Question Time, has loaned his expertise to the horticultural project here. He also visited and took some purchases of his own home, after chatting away to supporters and recommending plants to them.

The sun shone all day, which drew people down to the conservation area. Some went on guided “tours” in the buggy while others took the winding path down to the valley on foot. They stopped off at the pond- dipping station to see the little creatures crawling or swimming around in his clear dishes – transparent damselfly nymphs, waterboatmen with their oar-like legs, and even a leech.

A nature trail leaflet pointed out the other wildlife that people were likely to see. The swallows have returned, and in the sensory garden goldfinches, tree sparrows and a number of other birds flock to the feeders. Further down the valley, bright yellow gorse, bluebells and cuckoo flower splash colour around the lower ponds. Like most birds, the moorhens and mallards don’t like crowds, but do appear by their nesting spots when the valley is still.

One group went further than the nature trail’s boundaries; a youth group from nearby Tinshill Free Church got sponsorship to complete the “Five Farms Walk,” which includes Crag House Farm, but with a twist: Each person completed the five-mile circuit holding an egg in a spoon. (And half of them returned with a different egg than they began with, thus the title of the fundraiser, “It’s a Cracker.”) Their contribution that was raised for CFL is greatly appreciated.

For those who didn’t go so far afield – or who needed a break after walking to the valley and back – the Centre was the place to go. Pat Clegg, one of our Trustees and a regular volunteer, had prepared a feast of tasty treats – herb scones with labaneh, cloutie dumpling, sticky toffee pudding, banana bread with butterscotch sauce, Gypsy creams … you get the picture. People gathered around tables or set up picnic spots outside, some meeting up with family or friends they hadn’t seen in a while.

Outside the meat and egg room, people queued up to buy freshly grilled beef burgers. By early afternoon the last beef burger had sold; they’re the hardest of the farm products to keep in stock, as the smell of grilling burgers wafting up the yard is a priceless advertisement. In addition to meat and eggs, people picked up handmade cards and crafts, wild bird feed, which was the new Bill Oddie range featured on our website not long ago, and also snacks which were available in the shop.

Most who work on the farm projects spent the day hosting the visitors, but a few were able to show people what they do on a regular workday. Mike in the workshop and two of the men who work with him demonstrated walking stick carving. Across the path from the workshop, people were introduced to one of the new horses, a Dales pony named Merlin, and to Luther, a Shire horse that we have cared for over many years.

To the hundreds of people who braved the busy, narrow track to come up to the farm – thank you for helping to make this CFL’s most profitable Plant Sales Day yet. And to all who volunteered their time and talents (including egg-balancing skills), thanks very much for making this event possible.

We look forward to seeing everyone again at June’s Open Day.