Wednesday 1st February
Jesse lit the fire for our Kelly Kettle using a firesteel but it took a bit longer today as it was difficult to find dry material to light. Last time we made it easy by using wire wool which burns very easily. This was Jesses last session with us as he was of to the Outer Hebrides at the end of the week.
After coffee we headed off to harvest the willow growing near the house. We cut several bundles and this will be used in the lantern making workshops later this month. It is always difficult to decide when to cut as the stems provide bright colour in the winter but leaving it late means that buds will have started to form. We then walked up to the willow arch that I made last year and cleared some of the growth around it. Some of the stems had grown so we carefully wove in where possible and trimmed back others. Afterwards we had time for a little footpath clearing work.
Next meeting Wednesday 10.15am, 8th February. I will be at our room in the Stables from 10am hopefully with a kettle on. We will move our room to the other side of the Stables and then will either start making some willow lanterns for the Snowdrop Festival or carry on with our footpath work. Bring Wellingtons if you have them, hope to see you.
Wednesday 18th January 2012
We started the morning with a short introduction to green woodworking, splitting some Beech logs from a tree brought down in the recent storm. We used some traditional tools, a froe and mallet for the splitting and then used a shaving horse and drawknife to shape the wood. It is a relaxing and quick way to work, making things such as bench legs and tool handles.
We then walked up to the Coach House to work on the footpath along the burn. Some of the handrails needed mending and some parts of the path are very muddy. We dug drainage ditches and laid down logs to make the path easier to walk.
Next meeting Wednesday 10.30am, 25th January. I will be at our room in the Stables from 10am hopefully with a kettle on. We will have a short session on green woodworking and then carry on with our footpath work. Bring Wellingtons if you have them, hope to see you.
Update 1
The first meeting this year of Cambo Green Gym was on the day after the storm had passed through. Quite a few trees had come down, several pines and a large beech and oak in the snowdrop woods and limbs of all sizes were scattered around. I had planned some willow lantern making but it seemed more useful to start clearing the paths so people could walk around without climbing over fallen wood.
Come and join us next week, activities will depend on the weather but may include more path clearing !
Green Gym
We meet every Wednesday morning to carry out a range of activities in the woods such as clearing and maintaining paths, trimming trees, checking tree guards and removing ivy, making bird boxes and harvesting and planting willow. There may also be time to learn simple green woodworking and woodland skills such as coppicing, charcoal burning and bench making. If it is really wet or windy we may work indoors but please come prepared with warm outdoor work clothes and strong boots, gloves are useful.
Meet at the Stables every Wednesday 10 – 1.30pm, tea and coffee provided and stopping at 1pm for lunch, bring your own.
Contact Jon Warnes, Woodland Educator
Cambo Institute mail@camboinstitute.com 01333 450 054
