If you don't like the weather, wait a bit...

We've had a busy and fun week at Windmill, with lots of visitors and good work done.

It started on Wednesday, with a visit from Breathe Easy North Nottingham to have a look at how we are set up to make gardening easier for those with mobility and other physical problems. We have tools for those with reduced strength or reduced wrist and hand movement, and a seed sowing gadget for those with lack of finger sensitivity. We also have raised beds and potting tables at different heights, and a lot of the paths are wheelchair and walker friendly. We're also very proud of our wheelchair-accessible compost loo, which got the seal of approval from the group, including passing the "sniff test"!

The Breatheasy Gang!

Ellis and Dan fired up the Kelly Kettle and provided hot drinks for everyone - much appreciated as it got quite chilly. The group tried out a range of equipment and prepared and planted up a variety of seeds for us. They've also promised to come back later in the year to help us harvest the crops.

We finished the day building the raised beds to go into the polytunnel - with Ellis doing a brilliant job, and almost at the end of the day, we found a flint that looks very much like it's been worked to make a blade - which would be wonderful - evidence that this area has been in use for a really long time!




Ellis carefully assesses the raised bed area before beginning his stirling work!



And hey presto! The beds are complete and the children are having a great time with their planting!

Helen waters the tomato plants which she grew in her bedroom from seed and mulls over their condition

Then on Thursday a class from Robert Shaw Primary joined us to help plant up the polytunnel with tomatoes. They worked really well - with groups also doing some really careful weeding and planting up some of the high raised beds for us. They've asked to come again, and we will be delighted to have them back - they were such a super group.

The children doing a fantastic job, very kindly weeding our raised beds!

Helen, Ellis and Helene then helped finish off a second raised bed in the polytunnel. It's now planted up with more tomatoes, and we have an area of cucumbers too. Unfortunately all the plants have suffered a bit because we were waiting for the polytunnel to be finished and didn't pot them on, as we thought we'd  have been ready before now. Still, with some tender loving care, we hope they will thrive.

Helen poses with tomato plants

All planted up!