Deal Hop Farm - Hopping M.A.D - Made Around Deal is coming

The cask beer - Hopping M.A.D [Made Around Deal] brewed by the Ripple Steam Brewery using Deal Hop Farm hops is out and about in the Town from the end of this week.

The beer, which is a green hopped one, will be available over the next two weeks at the Berry, Just Reproach, Lighthouse, Freedman and Farrier pubs all in Deal.

In total it will be available in some 35 pubs in the East Kent area including Dover, Folkestone, Canterbury, Whitstable, Margate, Ramsgate plus a couple in London. The brewery are producing a full list in the next few days

The Deal Hop Farm has also been featured on ITV Meridian News, BBC Radio4 Farming Today as well BBC Radio Kent.

50 of the Deal Hopnista's had a tasting of the beer last Thursday at the Lighthouse and went down very well!

Guardians of the Deep - Introduction training 19th Oct 6pm

Our next introductory training to becoming a Guardian of the Deep  is on Thursday 19th October at 6pm Landmark Centre 129 High St Deal.

The project which is run by the Kent Wildlife Trust is aimed at getting people to become stewards for our Kentish coastline and wildlife.

Deal With It is acting as a hub group for the project for the Deal & Walmer Beaches

Next Walmer Beach Clean - Saturday 14th October 10am

Deal Station Meadow tidy up 9th Oct

Thank you to our six volunteers today - Tricia, Mary, Cliff, Adrian, Sue, Jane & Steve - to gave the meadow area a bit of TLC - removing some the dock and good tidy up and with two bags of litter picked up.

1st time using a Victorian scythe on the meadow - very good and have the blisters to prove it :)

#GreatBritishBeach Clean - Deal Beach Sunday 17th September 2017

We had an excellent response to this year's #GreatBritishBeachClean here in Deal with at least 70 people volunteering for todays Clean at Deal Pier.

We collected 41kgs of rubbish which was logged as part of the national survey of  rubbish on our beaches organised by the Marine Conservation Society

This year there were over 13 cleans around the Kent Coast including those at St Margarets Bay and Shakespeake Beach in Dover

The next Deal With It Beach Clean is on Saturday 14th October meeting at 10am at the Sea Café on Walmer Green

Deal Hop Farm - The Harvest is In

We had an absolutely marvellous result on our first harvest day. 

Thanks your amazing work we harvested 75kgs of hops from 95 sites (one more today!)

This is three times our top end expectations!

The activity in and around the town can only be described as frenetic and we engaged so many others - we had some sites with 10-15 people getting in the harvest with neighbours, children, grandchildren and in many case passers by press into action.

Our guestimate is that we had about 250-400 involved on the harvest or at the Landmark on Thursday.

My favourite image of the day was of our Pre-School site bringing in their crop from the school allotment. The kids were only a little bigger than the basket!

Some photos from the day here

The Landmark Garden, especially between about 4:30 to 6:30, was manic and had that heady hoppy aroma - we had music, pickers, a Hop town crier and a fantastic team managing the process, weighing and looking after our precious crop. And it did not stop really until about 8pm and we final delivered everything to Ripple Steam Brewery at 9pm

The brewers are blown away with the quantity and quality of the harvest. Photos here and videos on Facebook

I am happy to report that our first run of  Hopping M.A.D (Made Around Deal) is in the fermentation tanks ready to be transferred to cask on Tuesday. The Aroma in the brewery is amazing. The beer looks, smells and tastes amazing - David is a happy brewer. He used about 25kgs on Friday

As we have more hops than we expected what do with the rest? We have taken advice from some local Professional hop farmers how to manage the hops. The plan is to do a second brew on Tuesday but this is contingent on the condition of the drying hops by Monday evening. We are hop sitting over the weekend. So keep your fingers crossed. The final decision is with the brewers. I will let everyone know what is happening on Tuesday morning.

I know a few of you may be feeling not as elated as the rest of us - people away, hops late or not at all.

But you are part of what we have achieved.

Our 'Crop' is not just hops or even beer but learning, friendships, fun and a community that can do anything #Deal@ItsBest

#GreatBritishBeach Cleans 15-24th September

We have our Deal Beach Clean on Sunday 17th September starting at 9:30am. This is part of the Marine Conservation Society's #GreatBritishBeachClean - a national survey of the impact of rubbish on our coastline and wildlife.

Our clean is one of 13 cleans around the Kent Coast - so if you miss ours please consider joining one of the others:


Other Local Cleans are at St Margaret’s Bay 16th Sept at 11am organised by the Bay Trust, Dover Shakespeare Beach 10am on the 17th Sept organised by White Cliffs Countryside Partnership plus Kingsdown Beach on Sunday 24th at 10am organised by Kingsdown & Ringwould Parish Council.

Full details at the MCS site http://www.mcsuk.org/beachwatch/events/gbbc?postcode=&postcode_distance=10&county=Kent&beach=

Deal Hop Farm - Harvest Date Thursday 14th Sept

Deal Hop Farm has its first harvest next Thursday 14th September. 

The next day Ripple Steam Brewery will be using the hops in to brew a Green Hop Beer.

The project, launched in the town in January, has grown to a patchwork farm of 130 sites in peoples’ gardens, allotments, community gardens and spaces, including English Heritage’s kitchen garden at Walmer Castle.

In a little over nine months the group has become one of the largest community growing projects in the country with nearly 200 people involved

Steve Wakeford, of the Deal Hop Farm said “The project has gone brilliantly and thanks to our enthusiastic ‘hoppers’ we are well placed for an excellent first year’s crop.

The harvest is going to be great fun as well as quite challenging; as we are attempting to harvest on one day across all our sites.

The idea is to pick our hops on Thursday 14th from 3pm and have then available for brewing very early on Friday 15th by our partners at the Ripple Steam Brewery.

The Landmark Garden on Deal high street will be our main base for people to drop off their picked hops for weighing.

We will also have hop pickers in the garden picking hops off bines where people are away.

Volunteers hop pickers are welcome - long sleeves advised but cockney rhyming slang is not mandatory.

As we don’t have an Oast House, just yet; Our hops will not be dried but used as ‘Green Hops’ to give a massive flavour burst to our beer – named by members as ‘Hopping M.A.D {Made Around Deal} which will be available in the town from the end of October.”

Next Deal Beach Clean is 17th September

Our next Deal Beach Clean is part of the Marine Conservation Society's 'Great British Beach Clean' - a national survey of rubbish on our beaches

meet at Deal Pier at 9:30am - we supply all equipment but please bring something to drink and sun protection.

The beach clean will last for about 1-1:30hrs

Bee Fest in Deal

We had a very successful Seedy Saturday today at our Bee Fest in the Landmark Garden. We think we had about 250 visitors today.

Thank you to Dover Keepers, Landmark Uke Club for playing us, everyone who donated plants and food and all our Deal With It Volunteers

All our photos can be found at here

Guardians of the Deep @ Deal

We had our first low water beach ramble on bank holiday monday from the Pier to Walmer (well Pete's Cafe :) 

Well found about 6 different seedweeds and a smattering of shells and cuttlefish higher up. Had great fun trying to identify everything.

Our next ramble will be from Deal Pier to Sandown Castle will be on Sunday 24th September - Time to be confirmed

The Guardians of the Deep is a project of coastal stewardship initiated by the Kent Wildlife Trust. Deal With It is acting as a hub group for the stretch of coast from Sandown to Walmer Castles.

You can be a 'Guardian' by just registering at the Kent Wildlife Trust and doing a monthly report of what you find and see on our beach the link is here. Please put down Deal With It as your hub group but are very welcome to do it individually as well asjoining  our organised rambles, surveys, beach cleans and talks.

The Kent Wildlife Trust have two training sessions:

13th September - Dover - Study day 31 - Intro to Marine Wildlife 9am - 3pm
http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/2017/09/13/study-day-31-introduction-kent%E2%80%99s-marine-wildlife?instance=0
Book Tel: 01622 662012 £28 + concessions

28th September - Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory - Identifing Marine Mammals
 Led by Jon Bramley, Regional Co-ordinator for Sea Watch Foundation. This workshop will be followed by an optional boat trip to see the seals (3:30pm-5:30pm).

The cost of the identification workshop is free thanks to HLF funding, however there will be a charge for the boat trip of £20 per person (£10 for Coastal Guardians who have attended a Coastal Guardian Introduction Workshop).

To book your place, e-mail: Fiona.white@kentwildlife.org.uk stating if you would like to join the boat trip too.

Our next Beach Clean is Sunday 17th September 9:30am meet at Deal Pier
 Part of the Marine Conservation Society's 'Great British Beach Clean'

 We are hoping have another Introductory workshop for the Guardians in October here in Deal

Deal Seedy Saturday - Bee Fest 2nd Sept

The Next Deal Seedy Saturday will be a Bee Fest day - we have Dover Beekeepers joining us with their bees, honey and bee related products.

Please bring bee friendly plants and seeds to swap. Seedy starts at 10:30 to 1pm

We have the Landmark Uke Club playing for us

Guardians of Deep - Deal Beach Walk Bank Holiday Monday 28th 11am

Deal With It is working with the Kent Wildlife Trust's coastal protection project ' Guardian of the Deep' to gain knowledge, monitor and care for our stretch of the coast.

The project aims to involve local communities, businesses and visitors by raising awareness of marine habitats and promoting active and ongoing guardianship role to protect Kent’s coastal and marine wildlife for the future. Almost the entire Kent coast falls within a Marine Protected Area (MPA). Kent has six Marine Conservation Zones and the possibility of five more by 2018. Kent’s marine habitats are considered at threat from unsustainable and damaging fishing practices, invasive species, pollutants and increasing levels of recreational disturbance.

The activities within the project will raise awareness of the wildlife importance of these areas and involve volunteers in helping to protect them and promote their enjoyment.
We are going to do a regular Deal Beach Ramble (from the Pier to Walmer Castle) to see what we can find and identify on the beach.

Meet up at the Deal Pier at  low water - 11am on Bank Holiday Monday

Deal With It - Whats on September

Bank Holiday Monday 28th August - Guardians of Deep - Deal Beach Walk 11am

Join us for our first Low Tide Deal Beach Walk from the Deal Pier to Walmer Castle.

Come and see what we can find and identify!

Wednesday 30th August - Deal Hop Farm Harvest meeting - Landmark Bar 6:30pm

Saturday 2nd September - BeeFest Landmark Garden 10:30am to 1pm

Special Deal Seedy Saturday with Dover BeeKeepers. Please bring your bee friendly plants and seeds to swap

Music from the Landmark Uke Club

Saturday 16th September - Deal Station Garden Group meet-up 11am Landmark Garden/Bar

Meetup to discuss need planting - all welcome

Sunday 17th September - Great British Beach Clean - Deal Pier 9:30am

part of the Marine Conservation Society's national survey of our beaches. Please get one of posters up

Saturday 11th Nov - Build you own Solar Panel Charger workshop

Learn how solar panels work by building one yourself! Professional workshop run by Demand Energy Equality. They will supply all equipment and materials & expertise!

Cleary Hall 9:30am - 3:30pm cost £75 pp - Limited spaces booking in September

https://www.demandenergyequality.org/diy-solar

Deal With It August Update

Sunday 30th July - NGS Deal Open Gardens 10am to 4pm Landmark Garden

National Garden Scheme open gardens in Deal - £5 for charity visit 9 local gardens starting at the landmark garden

We do need helpers to manage the stall. so if you can help please email info@dealwithit.org.uk

Wednesday 2nd August - Guardians of The Deep Training. Landmark Centre 6pm

We are working with Kent Wildlife Trust on their coastal guardians project around the kent coast. This training will explain the aims of the project, how to identify wildlife, flora and faurna

Full details of the project http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/guardians-of-the-deep

Wednesday 2nd August - Town Litter Pick 5pm

NB we have moved this forward. To support the town's entry into BiB

Thursday 3rd August - Britain in Bloom Judging

Judges will be visiting the Landmark and Deal Station Gardens as part of Deal town's entry into the national competition

Thursday 10th August - Deal Hop Farm meeting up Landmark Spires bar 6:30pm

Saturday 2nd September - Bee Fest / Deal Seedy Saturday 10:30am to 1pm

We have the Dover Bee Keepers down with their bees and bee products. There will also be a full Seedy Saturday Plant swap with bee friendly plantings

and music

Sunday 17th September - The Great British Beach Clean 9:30 Deal Pier

Our part of the Marine Conservation Society's Great British Beach Clean. This is an annual survey of the UKs beachs

October Date TBC - Building a Solar Panel workshop and going off grid workshop

We are hosting a series of workshops from Demand Energy Equality group in London. The workshops will supply all tools, materials, plans and qualified teacher

You will leave the (1) workshop with a working solar charger that could power up a phone

1) Building Your own Solar Panel cost per person a max of £75 - one day workshop

2) Intro to Off Grid cost per person about £40 - One day Workshop

If you are interested please let me know by email asap - we see what numbers are interested and then confirm details (we need a min of 10 people)

Please email info@dealwithit.org.uk or message us on FB or twitter

Walmer Beach Clean 25th June

Thank you to our 22 volunteers on today's Walmer Beach Clean - we collected about 25kgs of rubbish.

We have town litter pick on 11th July at 6pm meeting at the Landmark Garden - To support the town's bid in SE in Bloom

Next Walmer Beach Clean is on 25th June

Our next beach clean will be one at Walmer on Sunday 25th June at 9:30am meeting at the Sea Cafe on Walmer Green. 

All Welcome

Deal Hop Farm - Results of 1st Beer Name

Mark Robson presents Sophie Chadwick

We had the results of the poll for our first beer tonight at the Deal Hop Farm meeting at the Just Reproach.

We had a long list of 25 names and 93 of our members voted. No one selection got more than 10% of the vote.

We took the first three position nominations to Ripple Steam (RSB) for the final decision - this included 8 names for the shortlist:

Shingle Shore                                          Roisin Murray
Deal Ale                                                  Michael Wyatt
Deal Green Hop Beer                              Liz Harding
Deal with the Devil                                 Gill & Simon Beechey
DHF No1                                                 Graham Bush
Goodwin Gold                                         Philippa Butler
Real Deal Beer                                        Cathy Tyce
Hopping M.A.D (Made Around Deal)    Sophie Chadwick

The Decision of Judges at RSB was to go for Hopping M.A.D (Made Around Deal) – so Congratulations to Sophie in Sandwich who was awarded the display set of new 3 bottled beers from Ripple Steam (ours will be the fourth!)

All the runner ups on the shortlist will receive two bottles for their suggestions. The Judges gave some great feedback on the names suggested and were impressed in people’s creativity.

I will contact all the runners up in the next couple of days. Next step is the design of the bottle label which we need to complete by the end of June.

Thank you everyone who participated from the Deal Hop Farm and our colleagues at Ripple Steam