Campfire Stories

I am in the car, following my sat nav’s directions to The Old Forge in Sand Hutton one Friday morning in September for a Gutsy Gathering organised by Polly Baldwin of Jolly Allotment. As I park up and step through the gates, I spot Polly’s Jolly Trolly on the drive, more of which later. The other gatherers arrive and Polly greets us, taking us through the now familiar rules and restrictions around Covid-19. Once the C-word essentials are in place, we introduce ourselves over herbal tea and coffee. Meanwhile Polly has rustled up an appetising breakfast of homemade buckwheat granola with organic berry and avocado smoothie to kickstart our day.

Polly has set up her kitchen in the outdoor cooking area, tucked away in the woodland space in the corner of the garden - a huge fire pit with grill, a dutch oven, a chapa with fire table along with assorted pots and pans, boxes of vegetables, pulses and jars of spices. 

Armed with blankets and sheepskins we make our way down to the woodland area and take a seat on the rustic benches surrounding the campfire. Despite a few threatening clouds above, we hunker down with blankets across our knees, warmed by the heat from the glowing charcoal as Polly skilfully manages both cooking platforms. She tosses some crimson beetroot onto the burning charcoal and lays out fennel bulbs and carrots on the grill above. Next to the dutch oven, she places a trio of cauliflower heads to roast as she starts preparing a lentil dhal. 

Campfire Stories

As we watch the flickering flames, Polly tells us her story - how a mysterious illness ravaged her body five years ago, leaving her with depression, chronic fatigue and in constant pain. She hit rock bottom when it seemed like her mind and body were packing in, followed by the gradual dawning of what had caused this sudden collapse in her health - a spider bite.

The path to her eventual recovery has centred around a connection with food, nature and community which are at the heart of these gutsy gatherings. I find myself agreeing that these three ingredients are fundamental to our wellbeing, and have been even more so during the uncertainty of these past few months.

With the vegetables almost cooked, we head back to the barn to leave Polly to prepare lunch in the Jolly Trolly, an old trailer that she is converting into a wellness hub for farmers’ markets, festivals and events. The interior is already fitted out thanks to an ongoing crowdfunding campaign. The idea is that the Jolly Trolly becomes a space, not only to serve up delicious organic and gut-healthy dishes, but also to inspire others who are suffering from illness, stress or fatigue.

Back in the barn, Rose and Chris from Bax Botanics give us a talk and tasting of their heavenly alcohol-free spirits. The drinks are distilled in beaten copper stills to create a pure, natural and sugar-free drink. As Chris explains, the taste is complex and grown-up, rather than overloaded with sugar, which is often the case with alcohol-free drinks.

Lunch is served. First course is a seasonal rainbow-coloured platter of fire-charred vegetables including home-grown Jolly Allotment beetroot and flax and buckwheat loaf. This is followed by a warming bowl of turmeric, ginger and lentil dhal, black rice, kimchi and sauerkraut.

Retreat Remedies

The day ends with a talk by Katherine Carey of Retreat Remedies on the benefits of apple cider vinegar with a mini tasting session followed by a cup of Katherine’s digestive tea and a slice of Polly’s fallen fruit frangipane tart.