Laying the path (photos: Left – Paul H.; Right – Tom H.)
Left: The completed path (photo: Tom H.); Right: Laying turves (photo: Paul H.)
We worked in the Wimpole Hall gardens, restoring the 18th Century service path by laying chippings and planting. We also turfed some areas that had had chicken pens on them. A sign explained what was going on. Paul H. and Tom H. have more.
Bringing in the waste plastic (photos: Left – Paul H.; Right – Tom H.)
Chipping and measuring (photos: Left – Paul H.; Right – Tom H.)
We started by clearing plastic from the fields. Once that had been done, we spent the rest of the day processing chippings with Simon – feeding material into the chipper and measuring the amount of wood left over by various hedging methods. Paul H. and Tom H. have many more pictures.
We’ve done similar work before in 2009 and in 2010.
We helped Callum at Wimpole Farm with a new project that he’s starting. This will bring in a lot of new chickens into the farm – the ultimate aim is to supply eggs to both the restaurant and to the public. Our job was to help get as much of the required fencing for the pens up as possible. (Thanks to Janet S. for the photos above.)
This was an unusual task, not on a National Trust property, but in the children’s section of the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens. Paul H. writes: …The main tasks were preparing paths, spreading woodchip over paths, removing a tree stump, building a willow tunnel, levelling ground and creating clear edges to beds. (All photos below are by Paul; he has many others.)
Digging out the stump
Building a willow tunnel
A great start to the New Year with 13 members attending. As there were so many of us we split into two groups. One group went up to Cobbs Farm and refurbished the wagon which gives rides to the public. Our task was to sandpaper down all the wooden areas (insides, outside and seats), and varnish them. Also we swept the wagon clean.
The other group worked in the main ‘exit’ barn on the Farm, sweeping away all cobwebs and dust, followed by emulsioning the walls. More cleaning and painting was also done in the next door barn.
A few people also went into one of the paddock areas and took out some fencing posts which had previously been put in! (Thanks to Andy T. for the photos.)
Left: Varnishing the horse carriage; Right: Finished! (Photos: Andy T.)
Left: Trying to work out how to use the fence remover; Right: Painting the horse barn (Photos: Andy T.)
(Alison writes:) We were helping out with the Christmas Event, selling chestnuts in the stable block, helping manage the ‘Santa’ queue, and helping out in the restaurants at the farm and the main restaurant. It was a very busy day, lots of children came to see Father Christmas in his stable grotto and there was a brass band playing carols.
Left: Some of us selling chestnuts; Right: Alison - one of Father Christmas's helpers (Photos: Andy T.)
The brass band and dining hall (Photos: Andy T.)
(Tom writes:) James Selby, the Warden, met us at the visitor centre and we walked to some dense bushes of hawthorn. We were cutting them down to about 5 feet and burning the off cuts (longer than what was left!), It was a cold day so having a fire was much appreciated and very enjoyable seeing how much hawthorn had been cut back. James worked with us the whole day and we even had free tea and cake for the first time ever. (Ed.: Paul H. has more pictures.)
Left: Heidi lopping back hawthorn; Centre: Richard feeding the off cuts to the fire; Right: Barbala (first task) amongst the hawthorn
We worked with Phil, the head gardener (photos: Kyle V.)
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