1) Friday 10th April 2026, 11am – 1pm: Farm walk with Spencer (Lauriston Farm) / Members might like to know that the next open day at Lauriston Farm is Friday 10 April for their monthly guided walk around the farm with farm director Spencer Christy. Learn about the history of the farm, and why biodynamics is at the heart of it. Suggested donation of £6. Optionally, stay on for a two-course vegetarian lunch with the farmers- £15. To book, please contact enquiries@lauristonfarm.co.uk / https://www.lauristonfarm.co.uk/events.html
2) Saturday 25th April 2026, 10:00-16:00: Open Day at Bata Heritage Centre, Building 13 at the old factory site in East Tilbury and at the East Tilbury Library / This won’t be an ‘official’ SEEOG trip, but we’re putting it up here for members who might like to go, as it has been mentioned previously. Sadly, there are no gardens or farm left on the site, but they can show photographs of certain aspects, such as “the farm was here”; “the cows were there”. They can also explain about the garden competitions; there was a winner of the best garden in each road, then these went into the final award for best garden in the village. But these would just be a few extra bits of information within the usual tour, not really a dedicated ‘gardens and farm tour’. There are only about 18 tickets left (from 75), for the tours on the next Open Day, Saturday 25th April, times at 11am, 11.30am, 12 noon: 25 people per tour, tours last about an hour. All information is on their website / https://www.bataheritagecentre.org.uk/
3) Saturday, May 9 • 10:30 am: Essex Biodiversity & Regenerative Food Festival, Promenade Park, Maldon / Join us at the Essex Biodiversity & Regenerative Food Festival for a day filled with celebrating local nature and food! The Essex Biodiversity & Regenerative Food Festival is launching this May. Join us at Promenade Park in Maldon for a free festival that brings together and celebrates the growers, producers and organisations that contribute to a regenerative local food system and a wilder, more nature-filled region. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/essex-biodiversity-regenerative-food-festival-tickets-1970484073909
4) Sunday 17 May, Essex Young Farmers Show, Roxwell, Chelmsford / Although not organic, Essex Young Farmers Show is good entertainment and an insight into the reality of our local farming communities. It’s on the 17th May, ‘early bird’ discounted tickets available on https://www.ticketebo.co.uk/EYF/essex-young-farmers-show-2026
5) Do you know where your green waste goes to? An official SEEOG visit to Birch Airfield Composting Services (Birch, Colchester) is being arranged. https://www.birchcomposting.com/
Please keep checking this post for updates.
