Here is Jonathan’s message to our volunteers
Greetings All,
There’ll be a volunteer session at Fairfield Orchard, Fauna and Flora this
Saturday, March 11th, starting at 10.00am and finishing in the general
vicinity of 1.00pm. The meeting point, if you’re not sure, is the toolshed
on the path at the Sunnyside Lane end of the orchard.
Here are some of this month’s activities you’ll be eager to start thinking
about:
* Coppicing the Orchard dogwood.
* Continuing to dig out / cut back invasive bramble in the Orchard.
* If the Hay Meadow is dryer enough, filling in the tractor ruts.
* Erecting stock fence across the School Pond area where the new willow
living
fence has been planted, to stop the cattle from destroying it when they
re-enter.
* Trimming the Orchard / Pads hedge starting from the southern end.
* Using the extending hedge trimmer, trimmer the hedges between the Fauna
path
and School Pond and Carr House Meadow.
Clearing debris from the Fauna path left by flailing the hedge.
And that’s about it for this time,
Best wishes,
Jonathan.
Here’s what we did
The Saturday volunteer session attracted a more respectable number of volunteers (15) on a dull but dry and warm morning.
• The Orchard dogwood was coppiced on its two yearly cycle and the cuttings carted to the back of the Orchard.
• Further invasive bramble was dug and cut out from various sections of the Orchard.
• Brash from the fruit tree pruning was pushed back.
• The first of the ragwort which had the audacity to grow in the Orchard was dug out.
• A stock fence was erected in the School Pond area to prevent the cattle getting in amongst the extension to the living willow fence.
• The tips of the hedge alongside School Pond were trimmed off to encourage thicker growth.
• Signs advertising the tree surgeon’s work from 20th March were posted through the Orchard.
• During the refreshment break John Muir Awards were presented to three volunteers.