Floating an idea - gardening in Welsh?

[CatrinLliarJones]

Some of you may already know that us Joneses have moved to a little cottage out in the sticks with a huge and very interesting garden. There is a large chalet in the garden which was originally meant for the occasional use of learners. The intent was to renovate it and use it for mini bootcamps, learners retreat weekends and exchange weekends for those on a low income - such as gardening in Welsh for food and board etc.

Anyway, due to the ill health of my mother in law, she will soon be occupying the chalet on a full time basis and as a result we have just been through a couple of months of crazy renovation work!

Anyway part of me feels saddened to have lost the opportunity to have learners over for periods of time, to eat, drink, garden, barbecue, sing, sunbathe, fence, paint, live in Welsh.

This large, interesting, mature, wild, beautiful garden is still here and is a perfect social space in good weather. We’ve already had all manner of learners over on various occasions, so are already aware of how well the space lends itself to a weave of people, enjoying all the space has to offer as well as each other’s company.

So I’m thinking of setting up some kind of gardening weekend. But am very weary of it sounding like ‘please come and help me garden’. I truly want it to be an exchange experience where people feel like they’re getting something in return. I used to live on an organic farm where this used to happen regularly and it was fabulous.

But I don’t have the accommodation to offer any longer. We have space for one or two camper vans and possibly with a little imagination a tent or two - most of the space is a little sloped. But nothing more luxurious than that, I’m afraid.

In the long term we would love to put garden pods in the garden, but in terms of finances, we’re not there yet. So this has to remain a dream for now.

I can happily offer meals and drinks, vocab sessions, singing sessions, barbecues and company. But I fear that this isn’t enough without a place to stay. After all gardening is hard work!

I would absolutely love your input and ideas!

Diolch!

[Richmountart]

Hmmm…I’ve recently been doing the ‘Flowers in Welsh’ course on memrise…(can hardly remember any of it though!)

I’m up for that as long as it’s any time after 1st July (all hands on deck working painting until then!). In my pre-painting incarnation I taught horticulture and was a landscape architect/designer, as well as running an organic walled garden for a bit. Nothing like an excuse to get the Felco’s out! (other brands are available…)

[Sam84]

I would be more than happy to come and help out Catrin . I had an allotment for a few years and kind of miss gardening since I gave it up . Would also be a great chance to catch up with you all and have a chat in Cymraeg

[AnthonyCusack]

We have a garden now and no clue where to start. (I would also love to have a singing session with you). We’d be keen! We also want to camp more, so we’d be happy to throw up a tent the other side of the wall if we’re allowed?

[a_jay]

William is great at digging but sadly and regularly does the work of a JCB both on the beach and in the garden! Not sure about his Welsh ability though… ;-). Sounds like a great idea though Catrin!

[CatrinLliarJones]

Thank you so much, bawb for your enthusiasm and encouragement with my idea! Thanks also for your willingness to help! It’s greatly appreciated!!!

Would also be a great chance to catch up with you all and have a chat in Cymraeg

would also love to have a singing session with you

These suggestions are fabulous. As I mentioned before, I don’t want this to become a plea for help. I very much want it to become an exchange thing. So if you think that there is anything else I can offer in exchange for gardening then please shout it out! What about Skype chats for ‘ymarfer Cymraeg’?

I’m guessing that a weekend would be better than during the week? Also, if we’re aiming for July, then the weather will be nicer for camping?

Please continue to throw ideas and suggestions my way. I like how this is gathering momentum!!!

[Novem]

Also, if we’re aiming for July

Ooh, there is a chance I might be able to make it then!

[warrendavies]

Sounds great. So much better to be doing something useful with your Welsh rather than just learning for learning’s sake.

We’ve run a Welsh learner gardening session at the community garden in Llangollen before now. It was ok, but we quickly found we lacked many essential bits of vocab. e.g. spade, dig, watering etc. Easily solved.

I don’t know whether I’ll be able to get time away from the family this summer. But I can mention it to the other three Welsh learning community gardeners in Llangollen.

[Richmountart]

community garden in Llangollen

We’re only a few miles from Llangollen and that sounds intriguing, is there any way to find out more information about that?

[warrendavies]

Hi,

There is some information here: www.llangollengarden.co.uk , and more up to date information on Facebook; www.facebook.com/LlangollenCommunityGarden

In good weather, there is nearly always someone gardening there on a Saturday morning between 10.30 and 12.30 ish. You would be very welcome to pop over, have a look around and say helo

[Richmountart]

Many thanks, I’ll hope to be able to make it along.

[Kay]

Hi - sorry I’ve just seen this but I’d be really interested in coming along. Having meals and drinks provided sounds like a great deal - I’ve seen lots of courses where you’re expected to pay for that as well as work all day!

However… I have a 6 month old baby, so whilst it would be great for us both to come along and fo me to do what I can, I probably won’t actually be much use. Baby is pretty chilled (he had a great time at 5 months on bootcamp!) but practically he wants feeding/playing with a lot of the time so I don’t think I’d be putting in my fair share of gardening. But if you do organise something and would be happy for me to come along that would be great

Thanks
Kay

[CatrinLliarJones]

Helo bawb!

So I think it’s about time that I buckled down and got something sorted for our gardening weekend!

One piece of good news is that the chalet is free for anyone to stay in! My mother in law has been for a trial run and loves it. But doesn’t want to do her big permanent move till September, so we CAN offer gardeners a place to stay after all! Just to clarify, for multiple bodies it will be a kind of a Bootcamp set up, so room sharing.

I’m thinking that we could probably fit 5 bodies in. There is one large bedroom with one double (1 body) one guest bed (1 body) and floor space for another guest bed (1 body). Then there’s the living room where we can fit two air beds (2 bodies). We’ve also got a square of lawn which would fit a tent and parking space outside for a camper van.

The chalet has a decent bathroom with a shower and a kitchenette.

I’m currently looking at the weekend of the 14th / 15th / 16th of July. People could arrive on the Friday and do a 2/3 night’s stay depending on their personal schedules. People could also just come for a day if they live near enough to make the travel viable.

I’m thinking of providing a Friday night meal, breakfast fodder (2 mornings), snacks for lunches and Saturday night barbecue as well as non alcoholic drinks. Then everyone can bring their own wine/beer/Pimms/Harvey Wallbangers? I’m also going to provide vocab and phrases for the gardening.

Once we’ve got a fair idea if we can pull this off, I’ll go in to more detail about the work I’m thinking of tackling.

So what do you think?

[warrendavies]

I think it sounds like a great opportunity to practise speaking Welsh while doing something useful! I’ve asked around, but none of the community gardeners in Llangollen are free. I could possibly pop in on Saturday afternoon, but that isn’t going to get much gardening done!

It sounds like you’re bascially offering a free mini bootcamp, maybe re-post this or change the title of the thread, and surely you’ll get some interest. Some people may be put off because they think they don’t know anything about gardening. So it may be worth saying that full instruction will be provided.

[Novem]

Hi, sorry, bit late responding as I saw this on my way to Italy and got just now reminded of this post…

Sounds like a really nice plan to me! I’d love to come, but I’m still in Cardiff then. I hope that you can pull it off though and that all who can make it have a great weekend

[Richmountart]

14th / 15th / 16th of July

Gosh, rather frustratingly that’s the only weekend during the whole of July and August when I’ve got something on! (well stuff on on the friday and saturday so toddling along saturday evening ready for sunday may well be an option)

[warrendavies]

Here’s some starter vocab with a pretty picture…

[henddraig]

purely to see what was beng said, I looked at this thread. And I discovered what everyone else probably knows that ladder = ysgol = school!
I looked and thought, “but that is school, not ladder!” Now I realise that they do mean the same in a way!

[AnthonyCusack]

Sori Catrin, dw i’n gweithio’r penwythnos 'na

Sorry Catrin, I’m working that weekend

[CatrinLliarJones]

Pnawn da good people!

Late again with my reply, sorry! We’ve had a trip to London with the family and a whole host of visitors coming and going, in between work and regular family stuff, so we’ve been a little crazy busy and I’ve been a little absent minded…

I would still dearly love to try and make this happen. So thought I’d attempt to ask you guys if any of you fancied giving this ago between now and the beginning of September? Or do you think we’ve missed the boat?