June -October 2022

 

Autumn has reached the woodland and a bit of a catch up, since the last post, is required. Due to a change in personal circumstances, I have been very busy and some things have had to be put aside, one of those has been blogging but the monthly woodland work parties have continued so here goes.

June, the village was busy with platinum jubilee celebrations and other events so we didn't have a work party and we scaled down the annual plant sale and had a plant stall at the midsummer get together. We still made a bit of money and a good time was had by all.

July, during June the woodland had a couple of cuts by a volunteer to keep the paths open, by July the growth was slowing down and the drought was setting in. At the monthly work party we gave the spring bed, at the bottom of the wood, it's annual cut and rake and moved the picnic table into a new location next to the glade, after clearing a bit of space. 

August, still hot and dry. The side, summer  meadow was cut and raked and the still newish hedge along the road was given a soak thanks to Glenn and his bowser.

Later on in August, Richard got his team together to put a membrane down and spread donated bark chips to make a better surface under the picnic table. He also took the time to take the table apart, paint it and reassemble on site.

In September a lot of people seemed to be busy and the continuing dry weather meant nothing urgent needed to be done in the woodland so I took the decision to cancel the work party.

October, a good turn out of volunteers meant that I nearly had too many people to find jobs for, luckily I have a good team who know what they are doing. The first lot of leaves were raked off the grassy paths and a new leaf pile made at the bottom end of the woodland to save traipsing up the hill to the top. 

We tried to put posts, cut from coppice hazel in the woodland, in to weave growing branches round the new picnic table area but the ground is too dry so it will have to wait. We had to content ourselves with creating an arch framework for the entrance instead. 

We finished a bit early for refreshments and a meeting about the upcoming halloween event.

Next event in the woodland, annual pumpkin lantern trail and marshmallows round the fire. October 31st 2022 from 6.30.

Woodland group AGM Thursday October 7.30, at Hill Farm.

Next work party Sunday 30th October, to get ready for the Halloween event.