Community

Walking up to the Lime Avenue from the Castle gardens, a myriad of sounds breaks into the silence – the beeping of reversing vans, a muffled sound system, the hubbub of voices and the crackle of radios as security tries to direct traffic to the right place. It is the Highclere Country fair weekend which has been held on the Whitsun bank holiday for the last fifteen years.

Amongst the other stalls and events, Highclere had its own slightly eccentric stall to entice passers-by. Our little marquee was bounded by large bales of sweet smelling haylage – its scent is as irresistible to horses as it is to me. In front were sacks of bright oats (proper natural horse food) Oatalin (which adds linseed and alfalfa pellets to balance mineral content for horses), and a yummy grain mix to feed your chickens.

Our gin had pride of place on a trestle table – tiny tasting glasses with the beautiful bottles lined up behind, a talking point in their own right. It is now one of the most awarded premium gins in the USA. Complementing the gin were a selection of books. “Seasons at Highclere” is about growing, gardening and cooking so we placed it by our bottles of yellow Rape seed oil. Olive oil is the best for salad dressings but rapeseed oil is very good for cooking as it can be heated to higher temperatures than other oils meaning it is good for frying or roasting meat and vegetables. It also has a lower saturated fat content compared to some other oils which is really important.

Hannah and Geordie were in charge of selling the gin with the help of Hannah’s beloved Pekinese who was competing to win the “most handsome” class in the dog show ( he came third with a large yellow rosette)and Simon from the farm and his team were busy selling the oats and haylage.

Nearby was a stall offering all things to do with dogs and another with all things honey. There were country clothes shops, outside furniture, walking sticks, wooden boards for cooking, paintings, fudge stalls and several craft marquees through which to wander. Along one side were bouncy castles for children and in another direction a bungee trampoline with children never wishing to stop.

Everyone seemed to have a dog with them of so many shapes and sizes but all having a nice day out with their owners. Given there was a long and interesting run of different food stalls to take away and eat on the many picnic benches, the dogs looked on with approval and enthusiasm.

A central arena hosted various spectacles from miniature ponies to falconry and jousting along with ferret racing, a dog ring with classes for agility and looking good, tribute bands and vintage cars.

The Country fair is a day out for all the family and this year even the weather was relatively helpful (no rain). We support and enjoy it because it is not only a community event but also because it is about sharing country crafts with those who spend more time living in towns.

Communities were once defined by locality – we all lived together. Now, given our ability to travel and move around, a community can also imply society and fellowship, with common interests or occupations. You may not know what you share until you explore what others do. The idea of community also tends to develop as we get older, rather than when we whirl around in our younger decade. In particular, communities can help bring people together, helping to reduce the isolation and loneliness which can often affect rural areas.

If we are part of a community, we learn from each other and discover shared values and beliefs as well are traditions or history. As the quote goes: “Community is not just about being together; it’s about doing life together”