The Orchard Barn Project is run by OBee Community Interest Company (OBee CIC) whose vision is to inspire people to reduce their impact on the environment, improve their quality of life, gain new skills, live in a healthier and more satisfying way, and discover the enjoyment of community through co-operative activities.

What is the project about?

The restoration of Orchard Barn, outbuildings and land is a unique opportunity to help restore a historic Suffolk farmstead, long-standing smallholding and small, traditional orchard, and to enhance this organic oasis. There have been orchards in this area for 200 years. The Apples, Pear, Gage and Walnuts at Orchard Barn would appear to be the last survivors.

By restoring the traditional barn and buildings to how they would have been historically, we will provide a fantastic example of what can be done. These zero carbon, ecologically sound buildings will model sustainability in energy, water and waste.

We hope that the barn will then provide facilities and green outdoor space for environmental education and holistic exercise such as Yoga. Visitors will be invited to the centre to experience the diversity of the flora and fauna, to take time out from the busyness of the 21C to learn about nature conservation and how to live in a low impact way.

By opening up the orchard to visitors, we will demonstrate the value of old varieties and revive the social history of the year of the orchard. Longer term, a community supported orchard and edible woodland is planned.

Planned activities (may not happen in this order)

• Planting community supported orchard
• Revival of the social and celebratory year of the orchard
• Pruning and propagation of old fruit trees
• Practice Heritage Building skills using local materials such as clay, flint, green Oak, Elm, Ash and Hazel
• Rainwater management
• Pond restoration
• Conservation to enhance wildlife habitat
• Composting
• Tree nursery – collecting and growing local seed
• Organic and permaculture horticulture
• Yoga classes and Shamanic retreats
• Rural eco-facilities

The story so far

In February this year, one of our CIC Directors took a small (but in retrospect mammoth) step. She bought a run down 17C barn standing in 1.5 acres of even more derelict orchard.

The initial plan? To convert the barn into a Yoga centre that models sustainability.

Since then … the project has grown. We have registered as a Community Interest Company. The company will lease the barn and land from Sarah for a peppercorn rent until such time as we can raise sufficient capital to purchase the site. As well as offering retreats in nature, training programmes at Orchard Barn will actively teach skills that help low impact living and build creative and harmonious community.

The Orchard Barn project is evolving into a much needed and requested Centre for Environmental Education. (Yes, we hope this will include Yoga!)

Once the barn and land are restored, we hope that the local varieties of orchard trees will be propagated and then planted to create community supported orchard and (edible) woodland.

NEWS page

Please contact Sarah if you would like to get involved in the project.

This project encourages and supports community in re-learning how to work, rest and play together - co-operatively with nature - for the greater good

www.orchardbarn.org.uk © 2007 Wildfire Designs

Photographs © Tony Mounter and Sarah Partridge