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. 

Work Party - Sunday 8th May 2022

Cow parsley

 Work party delayed from last week because not many people were available. There weren't may of us this week either but we did what needed to be done. 

What a difference a month makes, really greening up now 

The main aim was to mow the paths and glades and cut back the path edges to keep it all accessible. The grass was also strimmed around the benches in the glade.

For some reason it won't let me add captions so here we have mown paths and red campion.

A very few bluebells 

Work Party - Sunday 3rd April 2022

 

Firstly, yes there is a month missing, I had a sudden personal upheaval and was unable to attend the March work party. They did some coppicing in the glade area and general tidying. March has come and gone now but I did manage one visit to the woodland to catch the primroses and wild daffodils. We had some amazing warm sunny weather and everything started to grow, followed by freezing temperatures and snow showers.

The longer dead grass and leaves were removed from the main path edges.

Always an exciting moment when the trees start greening up again.

The picnic table has been moved to a spot  nearer the glade, this area where it washes been seeded with woodland grasses and wildflowers. 

It's all growing again.

Work Party - Sunday 13th February 2022

 

The usual beginning to my blog, a look down the main path, still looking very bare. A grey day although we managed to miss the rain which was the reason that we postponed from last Sunday. 

The newly refurbished noticeboard has had a makeover, thank-you Erin, with updated photos and information.

The main task this month was to finish off the preparation of the space, I really enjoyed swinging the mattock to dig out the brambles it has to be said, and move the picnic table.

It is very far from perfect, but it's there. It will look a lot better once the vegetation greens up but I suspect it will always be slightly on the huh! 

In the space where the picnic table used to be, the area was levelled with topsoil from the many mole hills in the churchyard. There is a really big patch of snowdrops here which had the vegetation cleared a bit so that we can really enjoy them. 

The bird feeders got their usual top up, with a bit of help.

We even found time to finally, after talking about it for 3 years, start thinning the ash trees along the track. All by hand, with bow saws of course.

A good number of volunteers this month and a lot of productive work done. Bring on spring!

Sunday 9th January 2022 - Work Party

 

Happy New Year from the Woodland Group! A chilly but bright morning after a very wet day yesterday. 

It looked like our drainage pipe had sprung a leak over Christmas so we dug down where the hole in the soil was, and followed a tunnel all along the pipe to the join, no leak just a continuing tunnel. So it looks like it was an animal tunnel, a mole?, and the water had just followed an easy route and popped up in the path. Soil all put back and compacted and we will see what happens.

The beginning of the tunnel

The joint is ok

Glenn brought another load of mulch so we were able to finish giving the new(ish) hedge a nice thick layer. 

Richard topped up the bird feeders and we made a start with clearing an area next to the glade so that we can move the picnic table.

Hazel catkins 

So we got a lot done even though there weren't that many of us, although it did pick up as the morning wore on. 

It's not all work though, part of the joy of the woodland group is getting to meet up with other people and there is usually time for lots of chat, if you want it.

Sunday December 5th 2021 - Work Party

 

We didn't have a work party in November as we met on 31st October but this means that we have come to leaf raking after all the leaves have fallen and we won't have to do it again until next year.  It also means lots of leaves!

Piles

With a good number of volunteers, raking the leaves into piles all around the woodland didn't take too long but going round picking them up and barrowing  to make a leaf pile at the top of the wood took bit longer, even with a quad bike helping.

More piles!

Meanwhile, Richard was busy removing the top of the noticeboard to take home and repair.

More leaves in The Glade

Had a chat with Mr Robin

Glenn arrived with some mulch for the hedge so that got done too. To be finished next time.

Action shot!

All that effort kept us warm and worked up a thirst so it was lovely to meet up in the glade for mulled wine and apple cake, thanks Claire and Sally-Ann, and a good chat. 

Happy Christmas from the woodland group and see you in the new year. 

Halloween - October 31st 2021

 

After cancelling last year's Halloween event it was good to light the fire pit and gather again this year. 

A few of us met in the afternoon to set up the trail and got the fire pit ready. The sun came out after a blustery, wet morning.

I was so glad to see lots of people in the evening. Hot punch was served and marshmallows toasted on the fire. Here's some pictures.

 Thank-you to everyone that helped and came.