The Supershed is Officially Open!

The official opening of our new Supershed! Thanks so much to the Sheriff of Nottingham, Merlita Bryan, for doing the honors and cutting the ribbon. We also have a huge number of people to thank for the creation of the shed, which was built for us bespoke, by James Trickey and a team of willing volunteers who he taught a wide variety of skills along the way. Funding for this much-needed building came mainly from the Health Lottery, with additional help from Castle Cavendish. With prices rising everywhere, the funding was only just able to stretch due to the generosity of many local suppliers who gave us discounts and freebies, including Lomax, Wickes, Permaroof, UK Timber's local sawmill and Irony (metal fabricators). Thanks to all!

We're really looking forward to having a useful space for cold and wet weather, which we know will help some of our volunteers to keep coming over the winter months instead of being isolated, and improve our ability to be a welcoming space for the whole community!

February at Windmill Gardens

 February at Windmill Gardens

 

The Hellebores and Snowdrops are out at last and the first Broad Beans are sprouting, so spring is on it's way.  Today I planted our first peas in the polytunnel.  We have to grow them suspended in lengths of guttering to prevent the mice having a feast.  However snow is forecast for Valentine's Day, so we are not being too hasty.

Our main work over the past few weeks has been coppicing the hedges and using the cut branches for poles or dead hedging.  We take the old dead wood out of the hedge first to burn, then replace it with new.  We have nearly finished cutting back the totally overgrown hedge at the boundary of our new plot.

Fortunately the man who rents the allotment on the other side of the hedge is a professional hedge cutter, so we hope that he will fell and cut back some of the trees on the other side, which are blocking the sunlight.  The pond and bog garden have been full of water for about two months, so should make a good home for wildlife.  We are still in the planning stages for planting, but we are collecting bricks for raised beds.  We are also preparing the top corner for a grass area and performance space.  The corner where the shed is, is going to be used by Growing Forward, Clare and Vic's mental health support project.  It will provide a safe space for their clients.

Meanwhile, James and his crew have been getting on with building the outdoor classroom.  I think it's looking pretty good, especially the cedar cladding.  The walls and roof have been been insulated and lined with wood.  They are just putting in the folding doors at the front.  James has reclaimed some pine boards from a skip for the flooring, so everything is well under control.  We are just waiting to see if we can get funding for the finishing touches, like the ramp and wood burning stove.

So we are well prepared for a new growing season, in another couple of weeks we will be preparing beds and planting seeds.  In the meantime we will be educating a class of school children on Friday, on the human digestive system, using home made props.  Great fun! 

Rosie Jarrett 7th February 2022

 

MASHUA

Mashua, along with Yacon and Oca are all edible tubers, once grown by the Inca's.  We planted all three at Windmill this year, but only the Mashua survived.  We fear that the other two might have been weeded out by over zealous gardeners.  The Yacon has a plant that looks a similar to a Dahlia and the tubers are long and brown.  The Oca plant has a lot of trefoil leaves that spread across the ground and smaller white and red tubers.   The Mashua grows upwards and has leaves, a bit like a Nasturtium, but smaller and more "frilly".  The flowers are small and yellowy orange, and the tubers are mainly white and quite small.  The taste is like a strong radish.  They can be eaten raw, but I prefer them in a stir fry as the taste mellows.

YACON

                   

OCA

MASHUA

Rosie Jarrett 6.12.2021

Wreath Making by Candlelight

Thursday 9th December at 7pm

Pay by donation

To book, please go to our Facebook page, or email wcgnottingham@gmail.com

(18) Wreath making by candle light | Facebook

 

 Our new meeting shed!

James and his band of willing volunteers have been working hard on our new meeting shed.  It's a wooden structure with a raised floor and veranda at the front.  You can see the roofing fabric, which is recycled rubber, similar to a pond liner.  There will be two opening skylights in the roof and windows at either end.  We are also hoping to get doors with windows for the front, which will be opened up in hot weather.  The rest of the outside will be clad with cedar paneling.  We are still looking for funding for cladding on the inside of the walls.  We are hoping to insulate it really well to reduce the need for heating, however we will probably need a wood burning stove as well.

  Once the building is complete, it will be used for visiting school groups and regular gardeners when the weather is inclement.  We are also discussing having a workshop once a month.

Rosie Jarrett 25.11.2021

It's the most wonderful time of the year - for Pumpkin Lovers!

Pumpkin Celebration day is coming soon!

Please join us for fun activities, good food and a chance to use our specialised carving tools to create your own carved masterpiece. There are prizes for the best ones, and for the largest and the strangest pumpkins and squashes that turn up. There will also be games and crafts and lovely pumpkin food to taste and apple pressing as well! We'll have our Spooky woods set up to look around if you dare, with a cosy story telling hut with one of the Nottingham Story Tellers on hand to entertain you.

We will be mostly outside, with canopies to shelter under if it's wet, so we'll hopefully be quite Covid safe, but if you aim to carve in the polytunnel, we hope adults will consider wearing a mask.

See you there!

Indian Summer Evenings

Some people have been telling us they would like to be able to drop in to Windmill a bit later, so we're staying open until 6pm for the next 3 Thursdays - 26th August, 2nd September and 9th September.

If you fancy paying us a visit, Carly will be on hand to help you with a few fun activities and making a snack. Hope some of you can visit!