Soup & Trees

We've had an amazing few days planting trees with 51 people 2 dogs and 1 field mouse. Long days preparing breakfasts, planting trees, guarding, staking, cooking soup and eating cakes made by kind friends and family. We ate a circus pig, cooked hot-dogs and had home-made apple crumble. I think everyone enjoyed catching up with old friends and getting to know new friends while sharing food and writing messages for loved ones on tree guards leaving all feeling tired but certainly fulfilled and perhaps a bit emotional.

Joe with Mouse

Tree Planting Plan

Despite some minor distractions like having to fix the pipework on the caravan so that our top team of planters could stay in it over the weekend, the driving rain on Saturday and the four wheel drive Delica requiring rescuing  from a boggy part of the field... I think we're through the worst of it. It's taken four solid days of planting, which isn't too bad when you see just how much of a difference it has made to the field.

Admiring the hard work in the field

We want to thank everyone who has come to visit and help at any stage. The field has come alive with a swathe of green tree guards, it will be fascinating watching the field change shape and eventually become a woodland. Anyone who has helped is more than welcome to come back and visit to see the changes through the years.

Lots of trees...

This is what 2000+ trees looks like

Tree Induction

Our day started with a call from the neighbour, sheep were in the front garden eating the lawn. Shortly after we had another neighbour, the owner of the sheep, call round to collect them.

Sheep in the garden

 After that we had a call with the designers of our heating system who are trying to help us tweak and optimise our system. This all left us late for the arrival of Malcolm from the Woodland Trust who was due first thing to help us mark-out ready for planting trees. After watching us scoff down a hearty breakfast of porridge and a mug of tea we set off to mark the three planting zones.

Zone 1: Major Trees - Oak (200), Sweet Chesnut (150), Ash (550), Alder (250)

Zone 2: Minor Trees - Crab Apple (50), Silver Birch (250), Rowan (150), Wild Cherry (100)

Zone 3: Woody Shrubs - Hazel (300), Willow (50), Blackthorne (50), Hawthorne (75), Spindle (75), Holly (25), Elder (25).

After marking planting zones a lorry timely arrived with four pallets containing guards, stakes, spirals, canes and trees.

 Malcolm took us down into the field with a pack of guards, some stakes and a handful of Oak trees to show us how best to plant the trees.

Initially we expect the trees to roughly double in size every year.

Sally with our first tree, an Oak

Safely guarded, planted using Grandad Virgin's old spade.

Our first cluster of Oak Trees

After an hour or so the woodland starts to form.

PARLOUR BARN TREE PLANTING :o)

As you may know we've been talking about planting a woodland for some time and, having got ourselves organised, we'll be doing it from Friday 10th to Sunday 19th February.

With the help of the Woodland Trust we have lots of trees (2400), canes, stakes and guards being delivered on Friday 10th.  Before this, our friend from the Woodland Trust, Malcolm, will help us mark out our woodland planting areas across the bottom half of the field and up the far side, leaving us with the task of planting and maintaining the trees.

We'll be at it all week, starting with hedge planting on 11th and 12th, the first weekend, before moving into the main field area from Tuesday 14th. 

… we think this week may unintentionally coincide with half term!?!?!? …
And so we wonder, and would really appreciate it, if anyone is free to help?  We want to make it as fun and as interesting as possible and so will be trying to give out as much info as possible, feed and water you of course.

If you are free over any of the period and would like to come down to help and learn how to plant trees, the different varieties, their uses, and have your own tree in the woodland then let us know and come down.  Kids, friends etc are all welcome… lots of things for the kids to do.   The tractor will no doubt be assisting us too  :o)

We'll be planting from 10-12.30pm, breaking for lunch, planting from 2-4.30pm, then tea and cake. 

We have space here at the house, in the caravan (toasty with wood burner and heater) and at the flat if you'd like to stay (obviously the accommodation will be on a first come first served basis but we'll have to prioritise those lending a hand)


TREE PLANTING PARTY

We'd love to see as many of our friends as possible and celebrate the tree planting amongst other things so will finish the week with a party on Saturday 18th February.

If you fancy having lunch and cake between planting a few trees, and a fire and beer afterwards then let us know. 

It will all be a little weather dependent… if it's pouring down or the ground is frozen it will make planting let alone a fire a bit difficult so we'll keep you posted.