Ten Years at Hen Corner!

| 20th April 2020

Thanks to Rachel Whiting of Country Living Magazine UK for the lovely photograph.

This month, April 2020, marks the 10th Anniversary of Hen Corner, our Urban Smallholding in West London! We had been gearing up for all kinds of wonderful celebrations and, sadly, it turned out that we couldn’t invite guests to join us for the big day over the Easter weekend. Though, to be honest, I was still recovering from the biggest ever bakery days baking nearly 300 hot cross buns as well as bread for 80+ customers!!!

We have had a fantastic first decade as a business, meeting many wonderful people and enjoying fabulous opportunities with events, awards, television shows and many magazines featuring our encouragement to live more sustainably as we bring the country into the city. See more here.

This time of year, we would usually be off to the Country Living Magazine Spring Fair and be giving away free tickets for readers to join us, unfortunately, like all other events, it has been cancelled whilst we stay in to stay safe.

So, what are we up to here at Hen Corner and how can we celebrate?

Whilst our courses are postponed, we have started running FREE online cooking sessions as part of the Brentford Together community programme, these are open to all and require a simple registration to receive the Zoom link.

Our Micro Bakery is busier than ever, we are now baking on two days a week to provide freshly baked bread and buns (along with eggs, preserves and honey) to as many local households as possible.

10th Anniversary Competition!

So to celebrate, and keep our spirits up, we are running a little competition for our subscribers, with the prize of TWO FREE TICKETS to any course* at Hen Corner as soon as we are able to run them again!

*Please note that this does not include our Business Start Up/Micro Bakery Course.

To enter the competition:

  1. Make sure that you’ve subscribed to this blog (top right or below post).
  2. Let us know why you’d like to come on a course in the comments below this post.
  3. We will draw for tickets (from all who leave comments) on Monday 4th May and will contact winners by email.

Enjoy the sunshine and we hope to see you soon!

Sara


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33 comments

raechef1 20th April 2020 at 5:57 pm

I I have been followig Hen Corner on Facebook for awhile now and am planning to come to London in September, it would be an absolute thrill to attend one of your courses!

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Karen Young 20th April 2020 at 5:57 pm

Happy day! Would love to come on another of your courses in the future!

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Nicola 20th April 2020 at 6:04 pm

Congratulations on your anniversary! I’d love to come on one of your courses and experience the joys of Hen Corner for myself.

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Chrisse 20th April 2020 at 6:07 pm

Congratulations – was so looking forward to seeing you at the Spring Fair but safety first. Hoping to come to one of your courses when we’re free again xxx

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KT 20th April 2020 at 6:13 pm

I’d love to come on another course! Last time I came, my kids were 5 + 3 so they were a bit distracting but now they’re 7+ 4 so should be able to take part better!

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Lorraine Imber 20th April 2020 at 6:14 pm

I I would like to come on any of your courses because I think what you are doing is just wonderful

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Teresa Tallis-Calver 20th April 2020 at 6:35 pm

I would love to come and learn more about what you do and how I can do more woth my own small garden

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Evie Jones 20th April 2020 at 6:46 pm

Congratulations. We love Hen Corner.
I would love to bring my 12 year old daughter to a workshop. She’s discovering a real talent for baking and would love to be a baker when she grows up. It would be a real treat for her and a great way of encouraging her to continue learning.

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Miss Adriane Roffe 20th April 2020 at 7:02 pm

Hello Sara, I’m a subscriber to your YouTube channel,as having taken on keeping chickens myself have watched the invaluable info on all your hints and tips on keeping chickens and was delighted to see you posting again. I now follow your Blog and would be ‘eggstatic’ to win a couple of tickets to visit your beautiful Hen Corner for the chicken keeping course if possible. What a fantastic job you are doing helping the community and I wish you and your family all the very best. Stay safe and well.

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Clare Mathieu 21st April 2020 at 6:57 am

Your bread, eggs and sweet treats are keeping me going during lockdown-thank you! Would love to bring my mum on one of your courses to show her your magical corner of TW8

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Tracy G 20th April 2020 at 7:59 pm

Congratulations. I wouldn’t be able to make it to a course but would happily pass along a ticket to one of my UK friends. What a wonderful kindness you are doing, keeping so many well nourished.

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Lilidh Like The Flower 20th April 2020 at 8:32 pm

So many congratulations on 10 years! As recent Brentford residents you’ve inspired us to take full advantage of our patio. With seedlings all coming on ready for potting into larger container. We also have a bee hive as a “feature” but don’t yet have the confidence to add a swarm! Would love to visit when this is all over and share the joy of your little corner!

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Froukje Pronk 20th April 2020 at 8:54 pm

Hi Sara, I’m so glad I learned about Hen Corner through my mother’s collection of Country Living magazines. We are from the Netherlands and we do not have a lot of space, but you show and inspire that it is possible to build a country life in the city. I’ve been eyeing your courses and there truly still is do much I would like to learn. So hope to meet you some day and here’s to another 10 years!!

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Philippa 20th April 2020 at 9:12 pm

Congratulations to all the family (that includes the hens, the cats, and the bees) for the amazing world you have created in the heart of Brentford. If I won I would have to choose between taking another course or raffle it off for the Food Bank. I loved my breadmaking course and am tempted………

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Natalie 20th April 2020 at 9:20 pm

I I grew up on a farm in rural Australia and I really miss the lifestyle of being self sufficient now more than ever! I had ordered and sourced chickens prior to lockdown but sadly postponed until next month. You have been on my wish list to visit for some time. X

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Pia Larsson 20th April 2020 at 10:24 pm

Hi, I have started a beekeeping club at my (secondary) school and was just about to book 3 of us on one of your beekeeping courses when the lockdown started to hit. I was wondering if you’re thinking of doing some of the courses as video recordings in the meantime (for a donation, of course)? Otherwise, we’ll book for the autumn term when it should all be up and running again. Best, Pia.

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Sara Ward 20th April 2020 at 10:34 pm

Hi Pia, thanks for this!
We are looking into online courses, but so much more is achieved through joining us at the hive and holding a frame of bees…
Hopefully we will be able to have you round for a course in a month or so 🙂
Sara

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Pia Larsson 30th April 2020 at 3:59 pm

Hi Sara, that does make a lot of sense. There is a lot of value in face-to-face! I will look out for news of courses starting up. Hope you and your family are well.

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Sara Ward 30th April 2020 at 4:23 pm

Thanks Pia,
A quick update… We are now planning some online/virtual classes, we are starting with bread & chickens, though (after a practise filming with the bees over the weekend) we hope to offer online bee keeping classes soon as well!
Sara

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Pia Larsson 30th April 2020 at 10:17 pm

Ooh, that’s exciting! Will keep a close eye on news. Did an artificial swarm last week so am very glad of our school mentor but can’t wait for some official training.

Sara Ward 13th May 2020 at 10:47 am

Hi Pia,
Our Virtual Bee Keeping course is now open for bookings: https://www.hencorner.com/portfolio/intro-bee-keeping-virtual/
If it all goes OK, we’ll add in extra dates.
Sara

Pia Larsson 13th May 2020 at 12:50 pm

I have just booked! Very excited! See you on Monday 🙂

Sara Ward 13th May 2020 at 1:26 pm

Wonderful! See you then

claregt 21st April 2020 at 8:56 am

Congratulations, Sara. Lovely photo. x

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Sara Ward 21st April 2020 at 9:53 am

Thanks Clare 🙂

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Wendy Sandeman 21st April 2020 at 4:27 pm

Congratulations on 10 years. I would love to come on a course.

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Beverley Everett 21st April 2020 at 4:40 pm

Congratulations on those 10 years! I would love to join you to make strawberry jam. Its been something I’ve wanted to do for ages. My Dad even bought me a jam thermometer a good few years ago and it would be great to finally use it!

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Chrissie Jennings 21st April 2020 at 10:00 pm

Congratulations Sara – l’ve been following you since you appeared with Tom Kerridge promoting your chilli jam. I now make my own and bake bread as well. I have the hen house (sitting in my son’s garage waiting to be put together) just need to learn how to care for them so l’d love to come on one of your courses. xx

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Heike West 22nd April 2020 at 2:06 pm

Ah wow. 10 years?! Where does time go?! I would love to come on one of your courses! Been planning to for ages! Catching up would be awesome too! And Paul really enjoyed his when he did!

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Dionne Monarch 25th April 2020 at 11:58 pm

10 years! Wow what an amazing achievement. I would love to attend one of your courses, I’ve heard such great things and it’s in my local community where I would love to get more involved. If there’s one thing that recent events have shown us it’s that community is everything in times of need. Makes me proud to live in Brentford. Take care all and fingers crossed.

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Sara Ward 26th April 2020 at 12:48 pm

Wonderful, thanks Dionne 🙂

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Claire Slade 1st May 2020 at 7:09 am

II have just found you through Country Living Magazine for the first time, I have read and reread your articles and am thoroughly inspired by what you.A visit would be even more inspiring thankyou for this opportunity

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Sara Ward 1st May 2020 at 9:11 am

Thanks Claire, good luck in the draw 🙂

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