Crop in the Country was held at Alexandra House Hotel, a new build hotel and spa on the outskirts of the village of Wroughton in Wiltshire. I travelled through on the train and The Best Friend collected me from the station.
The main crop room was fairly large, but I did feel that the work stations were too close together. That’s my work station, above right, and the sum total of my kit was in the pizza box. 🙂 Delegates were given the choice of either working in a classroom setting for each class or remaining in the crop room. I didn’t fancy being in a smaller space with people I didn’t know so I opted to remain in the main crop room, as did The Best Friend.
Everyone was trusted to comply with current Covid guidelines, including taking a lateral flow test each morning before leaving their bedroom. To be honest, I felt that many delegates were behaving as tough there was no cause for concern. The Best Friend and I wore our masks when away from our work station, tried to keep our distance and generally behaved with an abundance of caution.
I was the only person who opened the curtains and windows in the crop room each morning.
So was the weekend worth the money?
Yes and no.
I enjoyed the time spent with The Best Friend, the first time it was just the two of us for almost three years.
I didn’t enjoy sitting so close to someone I didn’t know (and not knowing what her vaccination status might have been added to my anxiety).
The classes were fun and achievable in around 60-90 minutes.
I found the disorganisation over the distribution of individual class kits inexcusable. The organisers were particularly slow in distributing the class kits, refusing to allow delegates to collect their own and offering no believable reason for the hold-up.
Overall, I’m glad I went but I doubt that I’ll book another residential weekend with this particular group.
This West London Life 
It’s interesting to read an honest review of a crop weekend. I think I would have been at the same state of anxiousness as you! The spacing doesn’t look to be very good when we have spent so long trying to remember to keep apart from people if at all possible. Also ventilation when you are in a crowded room should be automatically done. It does seem that sometimes people have let their guard down too much and it’s daunting to be in a crowd of people when you don’t know whether they share your sense of caution about mixing with strangers!
It will be even worse when people no longer have to isolate at all – people just won’t test as they will deem it unnecessary.
But – I’m pleased you had a lovely weekend with your bestie and came home with some lovely pages! Hopefully you’ll find an alternative way to get together again very soon.
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I’ve been invited to a weekend cyber crop later this summer and I’m seriously considering it.
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Nice that you could get some in person time with The Best Friend & scrap together. A good review of your overall experience & feelings about the get away. Are you planning to send your review to the organizers?
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Time with my best friend was the best part of the weekend.
The organisers run everything through Facebook (and expect TBF to ass on the details to me), so probably not.
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Great to read an honest review, and I’d have been as wary of the spacing and lack of ventilation as you and your best friend. So pleased you had a lovely time together … I’m not good on set classes, so I admire your ability to follow along!
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I heard today that the Crop organiser has since tested positive.
It’s not unknown for me to fudge something during a class!
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