Here is Jonathan’s call to action to the volunteers
Greetings Orchardeers,
There’ll be a volunteer session at Fairfield Orchard and FAUNA this Saturday, March 9th, commencing in a cheerful, sprightly fashion at 10.00am and finishing bedraggled but contentedly at 1.00pm.
Tasks as follows:
1. Top priority is planting out hedge saplings which will be delivered from The Woodland Trust in the week before the volunteer day. They are to fill gaps in the Fauna hedge especially down the Pads path. They are also to gap up the Orchard side of the Pads path. The obvious space is at the northern end but there is a section near the southern end which needs a bit of clearance of dead wood and new saplings.
2. Also toward the southern end of the Orchard are some felled elders which we did not have time to clear at the last hedge laying session. They need to be carted to the bonfire piles in Fraser’s garden.
3. Keith Taylor plans to continue pruning the apple trees. If any volunteers want to assist and learn from Keith he is happy to share his knowledge.
4. We also need to prune the gooseberries and redcurrents in the fruit hedge. There is a useful short video in which Monty Don shows how to do it at
5. Clearing the copse adjacent to the Towneley Close path last time revealed a clutch of hazels which badly need coppicing. If they are not done soon they will get too big. There will be some excellent hedge stakes here and these can be saved and stored at the northern end of the Paddock ready for storage around the new shed.
6. Clear enveloping bramble from around the new saplings in the Fauna hedge alongside the Grammar School field.
7. There is a pile of hedge stakes near the Orchard middle entrance which can be moved to the northern end of the Paddock. Graham’s stumps, currently in the Allotments hedge of the Paddock can also be moved to a more secure place as that hedge is to be laid at some point.
8. The notices which have been posted to inform the public of our activities (and protect wood piles from firewood scavengers) can be removed.
9. Begin the strimming of the longer grass in the Orchard.
Please come along if you possibly can. My contacts in Weather assure me there’ll be ideal conditions.
Best wishes,
Jonathan.