Where did the winter go?

Where did the winter go?  It has flown past and a lot of work has been done on the plat. First, starting in November, the 'young bloc' was pruned and 'wanded' and then we started on the main bloc.

 With money in the bank from the 2013 harvest, I decided we could tackle half the main bloc with volunteer work and the rest would be paid for.  My taking a month off to travel to New Zealand was another reason not to tackle the whole lot ourselves ....

The entrance to the nut farm: North Island, New Zealand

....but that is another story and an account of my visit to a nut farm 'down under' will be the subject of another blog and another day.

By mid-March most of the top-pruning had been done and there was a lot of twiggy debris lying around. Fortunately K College had asked to come, like they did last year, for two Fridays in a row and we were counting on them to help us gather it all up and have a bonfire. On the first Friday ten students with tutors and teaching assistants from the learning disability group arrived in the big van and set to work with enthusiasm.

K College's 'Big Van'

The rows between the road and the shed were cleared by the end of the morning and the bonfire was burning well.

The following Friday three girls joined the group.  The sun shone brilliantly and, with new volunteer recruits from the neighbourhood, we soon got through a whole lot more work.

Baked potatoes provided a suitable end to the day's work .....

.... and everyone went home satisfied.

Farewell to the Big Van - and thank you!

There is still a lot of debris to be picked up and disposed of at the Scathes Wood end of the plat so another bonfire day will be scheduled.  It seems a shame however to burn everything so wands are to be offered for sale as plant supports and the twiggy prunings as pea-sticks. Proceeds to go into the project's funds.
Tell your gardening friends!

                                                               

           

IGHTHAM MOTE COBNUTS RESTORATION PROJECT

FOR SALE!

                                                                                                                                               

                                                           FOR YOUR GARDEN!

                                     

    

                        HAZEL WANDS:  make ideal plant supports.

                        PEA STICKS: prunings from the cobnut trees: ideal for peas,                                                                            French beans and sweet peas to scramble up.

                        email: snow.drops@yahoo.co.uk  or ring 01732 761466

SUGGESTED DONATION IS £2 PER BUNDLE – PROCEEDS GO TO THE RESTORATION PROJECT. 

Ightham Mote Cobnuts Restoration Project is a local community project.  Helpers are welcome; to get involved or find out more, ring or drop us an email.