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June 2025
Kitchen Garden Workshop – Let Food be thy Medicine
Hippocrates, the founder of Western Medicine, was famous for saying, ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food’. In a world of fast food, processed food and obesity as an epidemic, food as medicine is now more important than ever. But is eating ‘vegetables’ enough? How can we make sure that we are getting the most nutrition possible out of our plants? Join Jean Smith, social anthropologist and keen vegetable grower, for Let Food be thy Medicine. On…
Find out more »River and Landscape Walk- Asthall Manor Woodlands and Meadows
Come and join our FREE event! Organised by Mid Windrush Land and Nature Group and Supported by Oxfordshire County Council Attractions include: Refreshments (cold drinks and biscuits) Browse our informationdisplays and chat with other local nature lovers See Harry the Draught Horse at work Tour round the Manor Gardens and Meadow Hear a short talk about the river Observe and learn about a range of aquatic minibeasts Learn about our local water quality and testing Sorry, no dogs allowed.…
Find out more »July 2025
Guest Event – HandleBards production of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’
Please note: Gates Open at 6pm for picnics, but the play will begin a little after 7pm. No entry to the site before 6pm. Pedalling from venue to venue with all of their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, the HandleBards are a four-strong troupe of actors who are spending the summer bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK. Join the troupe at Asthall Manor for a bicycle-powered production of Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado…
Find out more »Kitchen Garden – Nature & Environment Book Club
Come and join us at the second meeting of the Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden Nature & Environment Book Club. At our first meeting we discussed Dave Goulson’s, Silent Earth and decided the titles for July & November. We are pleased to announce that in July we will be reading and discussing Tony Juniper's recent book, Just Earth. How a fairer world will save the planet. We can’t fight the climate and nature crises without addressing the ever-widening gaps between the rich…
Find out more »August 2025
Making Connections – A day to explore connections and work together
Join us at Asthall Manor on Saturday 2nd August 10am-4pm. The aim of the day is to encourage local projects to make connections and work collaboratively to increase their impact locally and globally. By using the framework of Doughnut Economics it will be possible to explore ways we can collectively work toward a safe and thriving world. Included in the day: Apart from presentations and activities connected to the core values of Doughnut Economics there is the opportunity to:…
Find out more »‘Shaped by Nature’ with artist Kieran Stiles
Peter Lanyon was inspired by the areas of landscape where elements meet. Where water meets land, clouds with a cliff, or rain with a woodland. Working from initial studies made of the lake in the gardens of Asthall Manor, explore oil painting techniques and methods of abstraction pioneered by Lanyon which included drawn motifs such as circles, arcs and other geometric forms and textures inspired by structures in the natural world. These motifis replaced topologically correct traditions of representation, incorporating…
Find out more »September 2025
Lie Down and Listen – A Quiet Arbour
3pm- Afternoon Delight 6pm- Evening Sunset “There is the music of heaven in all things" Hildegard Von Bingen Join Christina McMaster for a peaceful and inspiring afternoon in a deeply calming and soul restoring experience of sound, baroque music, poetry and nature. You’ll be guided through the beautiful gardens as you listen to the sounds of nature and of stillness. This journey, curated by John Woollcombe, will take you to a place of connection and healing for body, mind and…
Find out more »Kitchen Garden Workshop: Seed Saving – Closing the Loop on your Food Growing
Join us for a workshop on saving seed, here at Asthall Manor Kitchen Garden (opposite Asthall Manor). Complete beginners through to keen amateurs all welcome. It is well documented that the best seed you can sow is the seed that you have saved from your own garden, where those plants have learned to love to grow! In this all-day workshop you will learn the basics of saving seed from different vegetable plants and their beneficial companion plants. This will involve…
Find out more »ISHKAR Rug Sale
ISHKAR is hosting a rug sale here on Saturday the 13th of September, where they will be offering up to 30% off a selection of their signature flatweave and hand-knotted rugs. Visitors will have the opportunity to shop a wide range of designs and sizes, including one-off, unique pieces, all masterfully handcrafted in Afghanistan. Admission: Free, Please book an entry time slot to avoid overcrowding. Book here. Visitor parking is free. Please use the cow shed field opposite the main entrance…
Find out more »October 2025
SOIL! A weekend workshop on Soil Life, Compost, Organic Matter and Natural Fertilisers to make your garden grow
Join us here at Asthall Manor for a weekend voyage, deep into the living soil beneath our feet, investigating all that lives there and the composts that best feed it for our food-growing needs. A good understanding of soil health and composts is the foundation to growing healthy, nutritious (aka tasty) food. Healthy soil means healthy plants, means healthy people. In this immersive two-day workshop you will study the basics of soil science and the life that supports it. Bringing…
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