In the last few years I have begun to get to know Emmanuel Baya who farms organically near Mombasa in Kenya. I discovered through my friends Gary Reiss and Sage Emery that there are some important connections between Emmanuels work and our work here at the Apricot Centre and Huxhams Cross Farm. Two organic farms both providing food in the local community, and both farmed organically. In addition to this Emmanuel and myself have both been involved in training in awareness based models of Processwork as developed by Dr Arnold Mindell. Emmanuel’s training is known as ‘Worldwork Facilitation’ and he has trained and worked with DDI the Deep Democracy Institute, while my training began in Zurich and later a school called the Research Society for Processs Oriented Psychology (now known as Processwork UK) was formed.

I am struck by the connections in our organisations and lifes’ work, and yet at the same time how different our journeys have been. It seems as if we can learn alot from one another and I look forward to this connection developing.

Emmanuel was an orphan himself, who later trained in organic agriculture in Japan, and through farming in Kenya he became increasingly concerned about the food poverty of (often orphaned) children in the area, and also an increasing lack of access to education, particularly for the girls. Emmanuel began to grow food for these local children to eat, and this then developed over time towards a full school for now 120 children and providing food not only for these children but also their families in the local community. I am so touched as i begin to understand Emmanuels story and journey towards the Margarini Children’s Centre and Demonstration Organic Farm. Emmanuel’s lifestory and details of the Children’s Centre and Farm can be found on his website. Emmanuel has recently completed his training with DDI and we are eagerly awaiting his dissertation on Conflict Resolution and the Soil. Emmanuel is making important connections around healing, conflict resolution and our connections with the land and nature.

The Apricot Centre Wellbeing Service and Huxhams Cross Farm has developed in a very diffierent way. When Marina and I met we found that our interests were very interwoven, with her focus on horticulture and my focus on psychotherapy we gradually realised that we were reading similar books on Whole Systems Theory, Chaos Theory, Quantum Physics, Process Psychologies, and Indigenous Thinking (and later attachment and trauma understanding0,. Marina comes from a Dutch family lineage mainly male farmers, and chose to study horticulture at Unviersity. My family roots are more in Social Work, Arts, Business and Education, and I was drawn to psychology and spirituality and eventually came to train as a Psychotherapist in Process Oriented Psychology. I have never fully understood why i began to work with Looked-after Children in the late 80’s but working with children who are adopted or in care has been a constant feature of my learning and work. I believe that both Marina and myself were driven by concerns for the world, human wellbeing and ecology. Over time we have woven and integrated these areas into the present Biodynamic Farm and Wellbeing Service for Children and Families.

Emmanuel recently spoke with me about the importance of a connection with the land and with the Dreaming process. How centrally important this is. I was moved to hear this as ultimately I feel that the root to wellbeing can be found through dreaming, creativity, play, and a connection with land and nature, as well as having good food and shelter.

Margarini Childrens Centre & Organic Farm