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A Dream of Freedom
9 months ago I took the scary step of leaving my rat race office job in London’s Probation Service to go it alone as a self-employed gardener. I have never felt so free, so unhinhibited, so able to do what I want – yet there is something inside that is still not quite complete.
Gardening this morning was beautiful. Working on a small garden down the road from me I was surrounded by lush foliage, the sun catching the pink of the Magnolia buds as they prepare to burst, the breeze quiet rustling the bamboo stems behind me. A tiny wren sat guarding his territory with a sweet song whilst a boisterous chap bounded up and down the lawn pulling worms, his black velvety plumage contrasting strikingly with the deep orange of his beak and eye ring. Amazingly brave for a world so full with danger he seemed oblivious to it all as we sat and enjoyed each other’s company.
Turning over earth with my fork, snipping a few stems here and there I allowed my mind to wander and it quickly drifted to the thoughts that most often fill my head these days – that extra bid for freedom. I have a free life, I’m surrounded by gardens, wildlife and open space but it still isn’t enough when I know that the family farm land in Suffolk sits there, empty, begging to be farmed. The modern steel barn rusts tiredly over the continuing years, the corrugated iron roof starting to drip mercilessly through to the ground below. It needs a facelift, needs to be loved, needs a simple, small but elegant property to be built in its place, a place to fill the land with a purpose, a residence from where to branch out into the fields and wood.
And yet I’m here, in London, when its there, growing wind and uncontrollable. Though of course, this is a many beautiful thing too. But there is so much to do, the ponds should be drained and re-dug to allow the wildlife to return to silt filled pools. The wood should be extended into the uppermost field to allow the deer to roam, the bluebells to sprought, the march hares to kick and buck with the safety of shelter should they need it. The pit, the old home to the pheasant shoot, needs controlling, the pheasants need introducing, nurturing and growing. The hedges need to be laid, cut down, the ditches dug once again – so much to do but I’m here in London.
I am a simple man, of simple means. I don’t want extravaganze, mostly I just long for peace and quiet, to wake in the mornings, walk the dog over a dew encrusted field or two, throw some feed to the hens clucking in the yard, check on the cows quietly grazing on the lush grass and return to prepare a fresh and organically grown breakfast before relaxing back into an arm chair.
One day, one day.
The family farm in Suffolk. It is quite deceptive as we no longer own the actual farmhouse and out buildings seen in this photo from the mid 20th century. However, we still own most of the land including the field behind the house and everything to the left. On the left of the picture you can see stacks of hay bales, this is where the modern steel barn now stands and where I would aim for planning permission. Currently the land has no agricultural residence so that would be the pushing force behind trying for permission.
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