This is My Land

(film still from This is My Land, Ben Rivers)

Although the festival is not explicitly about climate change, it is the underlying theme to the whole festival. It has been curated in such a way as to provide a platform to explore current issues surrounding climate change, rural isolation and what it means to live and work in the countryside in 2009.

The festival has been designed to celebrate our countryside and explore serious issues such as climate change in a approachable and interesting way. All aspects of the festival have been considered to highlight particular areas of interest such as, local conservationist, Bill Shaw's introduction to the Scottish section of the festival with a talk about his time on the island of St Kilda and the changes he has been monitoring there. To Ben Rivers film This is My Land which explores a solitary man living self-sufficiently off the land, and documents his way of life that quietly, but resolutely, refuses to submit to the demands of conventional living. Watch a short clip of the film here (please note it contains some mild swearing)

This is My Land

Our main aim for the festival is for the films and talks to act as a catalyst for an informal discussion between a diverse group of people from conservationists, film makers, local farmers and members of the community about their personal experience of climate change and what it's like for them to live and work in the countryside.

Focus Group

The next focus group meeting will be held on Friday November 13th, 5.30pm at the Victory Hall. This will be to co-ordinate our distribution plan for the programme and to watch a selection of films so that the focus group members know exactly what will be shown and can go forth and tell everyone what a wonderful weekend it will be! The festival volunteers will also be coming so they can get a feel for what will be happening over the weekend. Please feel free to bring up any questions or issues you may have so we can discuss them at the meeting.

Look forward to seeing you.

Heard it through the grape-vine

It's really important that we start building interest in the festival now so that as many people as possible put the date in their diaries. That's why we've printed some flyers to promote the festival. These are just the pre-festival flyers, not the final ones which will be more like a booklet and will include a programme of the weekend's activities. We've been delivering the flyers to local businesses and tourist information centres. We also promoted the festival at Jane Rousseau's 'Best of The Mountain Film Festival' night which was really well attended.

It really feels like there is a growing 'buzz' around the Victory Hall with lots of things going on from Jane's film nights, to the Film Club events, the craft workshops in the summer and the Autumn adult classes starting up again. We also hope to contribute to this buzz and fill the hall with lots of people, great films and mulled wine in December so please spread the word!

An Afternoon with Mr Palmer

Recently I've spent some time with Dick Palmer; the main contact for the Broughton Community Apple Press. I interviewed him for the short film I'm currently working on which will be shown in the lobby of the Victory Hall throughout the festival.

Taking to Dick, I hadn't quite realised the network of people in the area and around the country who are involved in sustaining our orchards and native fruit trees. There seems to be a real interest in this which is linked to a number of current social issues; sustaining local heritage, the growing interest in where our food comes from and the idea of 'growing your own'.

Dick showed me around his orchard at the bottom of Foxfield road. He has lots of young trees in his wonderful garden which stretches down the old railway track. Each tree has a metal tag with the variety engraved into it:

I made a mistake of asking 'when you you pick the apples?' to which Dick answered 'oh no, you don't pick apples you shake 'em off'. However if an apple is being a bit stubborn you can give it a helping hand with the special stick Dick made and with a jab and twist the apples come away easily.

I haven't seen the press yet as it's all tucked away until the end on the month when the apples will be ready. However Dick did show me the newest piece of kit that can be hired out with the press. These orchard ladders are a thing of beauty - looking a little like a modern bridge and so light you can carry them with one hand, the design of them is just perfect for 'shaking the apples'

So my next meeting with Dick is next week when we'll hopefully be harvesting and getting ready to press. It's a real delight to talk to someone who knows so much about an ancient process, and thanks to these organisations many more people are finding out about British orchards.