It has been a few weeks since I last sat down to write a newsletter. We’d successfully finished the crowdmatch campaign, then the barn burned down. The weeks that have followed have been all go. We have been working to not only clean up after the mess of the fire, but also we are working steadily on the renovations, planting the garden, raising the kids, milking the goats, launching a whole new business and trying to sleep in the betweeny bits. Newsletters, normally my favourite part of my job, fell to the wayside.
Though its not entirely true that I haven’t tried to write something to capture these busy days. I have roughly 6 unfinished versions in my drafts folder. I was so desperate yesterday that I ran one through ChatGPT. What came out was what can only be described as “If Enid Blyton Lived at Gartur”
The misadventures began when our beloved barn unfortunately succumbed to a fire, causing a few hiccups in our daily routines. Among the repercussions was the issue with our electric fence. Previously, a direct connection sufficed, but now, due to the barn's absence, we have resorted to powering the fence through an extension cord to the house. As luck would have it, our workmen have a knack for unintentionally unplugging it, leading to rather amusing consequences.
Inevitably, it was last Friday, just minutes before the school run, when chaos ensued. Our vigilant Lucy's little pigs managed to stage a daring escape, and the sound of goat bells echoed down the hill. Thankfully, the pigs were contained, but the goats had embarked on a grassy adventure beyond the glamping pods, enjoying a feast not meant for them. With a trusty bucket of food and a less-than-helpful collie dog by my side, I mustered all my determination to corral most of the goats back into their designated field, leaving only three behind, believing they couldn't possibly make it home before my return.
However, much to my surprise, as Theo and I made our way back to the courtyard, we were greeted by the sight of the three goats contentedly grazing around the laird's car. To add to the commotion, the laird, his mother, and two workmen were engrossed in a conversation about windows, while Lucy valiantly attempted to round up her wayward pigs. Their remark, "There is always something loose up here," echoed in my ears as they departed.
While technically a true rendering of events, it is a far too cheerful recounting, even for me.
While I wouldn’t paint it all quite as bright and whimsical as the AI would, I have started thinking of these last few weeks as “A Chapter” in the book of our lives. The way in which we have had to move through a series of mishaps and successes, the characters who have stepped in to help, the unfortunate villains (no comment)…it will make a great story once we are through it.
The Next Chapter
The next chapter of the Gartur book launches officially on the 23rd of June. If you follow us on social media, you will know that we are separating off the events side of the business into a new partnership called Fodder + Farm.
We met Lucy of The Fodderation at an event at Green Aspirations. Hitting it off immediately, we started making a plan for Lucy to help us figure out how we could keep running events here. After years of “making do with what we had” we hit a roadblock. The kitchen was too small to host events and feed a slew of teenagers. The event spaces were in need of a rethink and the plumbing was old and in need of investment.
Lucy coming on board has been the push we needed to rethink how we run things, and importantly, how we do it in a way that is sustainable for us all.
I am so excited for this next chapter of Gartur, but the retelling of it will be told with the usual sarcasm…
Check out our new events and website and we hope you can join us this summer!
Rise like a Phoenix from the ashes of your burnt barn as you embark on your new business. Wishing you great success!