Friday, 25 September 2015
The Pumpkins are Coming!
You may already know that we love pumpkins at Windmill! Coming up we have our Annual Pumpkin Celebration, this year actually on 31st October. If you can make it, we'd love to see you! If you'd like to come to one of the workshops we are running to carve the amazing pumpkins for the event, please let us know. There will be carving on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so come along and we'll show you how we do it, and let you use some of our amazing tools.
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Summer Garden Party 2015
It's going to be a great day. A chance to taste foods from all over the world, to make ice-cream by pedalling a bike, to eat pizza fresh from the clay oven, to play games, to try some crafts, to see what our artists Crissy Perez and Sally Tyler have installed in their "Garden of Delights" and to enjoy the wonderful place that is Windmill Community Gardens!
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Doing a Bit of Titivating
Some years, we'd be getting all kinds of seeds planted and things would be growing already, but not this year. We've been having a proper "don't forget your thermals" Winter, with a prolonged cold snap that has left us all appreciating the small fire we light when it gets really chilly. The cold has also given us a bit of extra time to do some general sprucing up of the site, so today we gave the pot area a makeover.
We are pretty sure that one of our major problems in the pot area is due to squirrels or other wildlife eating our damsons and either discarding or caching the stones in the blueberry pots. This means we have a lovely array of little damson trees (and a few really large ones) growing out of our large planters. The blueberries that are supposed to be the main feature, have been having to compete with these vigorous growers. Last week the pots were too frozen to do anything, but today we bit the bullet and managed to restore the blueberries to their rightful places.
We also discovered that some of the pots had turned into couch-grass farms! It took a lot of fiddling to remove the spaghetti of roots, but we finally managed it!
Whilst we were playing with the weeds, Brian was getting on with the preparations for the bottle screen. Ellie helped to do the last bits of painting, and it's now ready for putting the bottles on, weather permitting.
In the orchard, Mac and Hassan did a grand job cutting back some over-grown hedging and using it to plug the last gaps in our defences.
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| Vanessa and Rachel tackle one of the blueberries. |
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| Ellie and Vanessa separating the damsons from the blueberry roots |
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| Just a little of our couch-root collection. |
Whilst we were playing with the weeds, Brian was getting on with the preparations for the bottle screen. Ellie helped to do the last bits of painting, and it's now ready for putting the bottles on, weather permitting.
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| Brian sets up the last few planks for the bottle screen |
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| It's normally hard to feel blue at Windmill! |
In the orchard, Mac and Hassan did a grand job cutting back some over-grown hedging and using it to plug the last gaps in our defences.
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| Mac and Hassan give the orchard a haircut |
Lunch was a bean chilli with lots of our own produce, which went down a treat. Hopefully next week we can get the bottle screen finished and start actually planting some stuff. Fingers crossed for a bit of warmth!
Friday, 6 February 2015
Lovely Light Nights
Light Nights? At this time of year? In cash you didn't notice it happening, it's an initiative of the City Council to get us out into town in February. The idea is to have lots of beautiful and interestingly lit art and design. The Council also had a competition for community groups to create light installations from reused and recycled materials, which is very us, so we joined in, using and adding to the wonderful punched tin lanterns that we've been gradually accumulating. We also used the soda can lanterns we made for Old Twelfth Night and volunteer Joyce made some fabulous lanterns with old glass jars and recycled-wool used to knit covers for them.
We were given a brilliant location - outside St. Peter's Church (near M&S in town), there is a raised area with some mature trees, which has a raised stone edge. The edge was the perfect size for us to be able to put a lantern on each stone block. The we tied string between the trees so we could hang up lanterns and arranged Joyce's creations, with their flower and insect themes, on the ground in the gap.
A team of volunteers helped Tracey to light the lanterns with tea lights, and then keep them lit until the event finished at 10am. Once they were all lit, we were able to relax and enjoy the reactions of the public, fortified with a chocolate and ginger cake that Tracey whipped out from somewhere!
It was wonderful to see how much passers-by enjoyed the lanterns. Lots of them made a point of looking at each individual design, and we were a huge hit with photographers, who were out in droves.
At the time of writing, it doesn't look like we won, but we had such a good time watching other folks enjoying all the hard work of volunteers and visitors who made our beautiful lanterns, that we almost forgot there was a competition. We'll certainly have raised our profile!
Many, many thanks to - Rowan, Joyce, Matt, Karen, Anna, Jeremy, Claire, Hassan (and son!) and all the folk we knew who made a point of visiting to wish us well.
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| Some of our fabulous lanterns |
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| Some of Joyce's beautiful jars and the soda-can lanterns in action |
We were given a brilliant location - outside St. Peter's Church (near M&S in town), there is a raised area with some mature trees, which has a raised stone edge. The edge was the perfect size for us to be able to put a lantern on each stone block. The we tied string between the trees so we could hang up lanterns and arranged Joyce's creations, with their flower and insect themes, on the ground in the gap.
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| Our stunning location really made the lanterns look wonderful |
A team of volunteers helped Tracey to light the lanterns with tea lights, and then keep them lit until the event finished at 10am. Once they were all lit, we were able to relax and enjoy the reactions of the public, fortified with a chocolate and ginger cake that Tracey whipped out from somewhere!
It was wonderful to see how much passers-by enjoyed the lanterns. Lots of them made a point of looking at each individual design, and we were a huge hit with photographers, who were out in droves.
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| Some of the lanterns in action |
At the time of writing, it doesn't look like we won, but we had such a good time watching other folks enjoying all the hard work of volunteers and visitors who made our beautiful lanterns, that we almost forgot there was a competition. We'll certainly have raised our profile!
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| Did someone say there was a cake?! |
Many, many thanks to - Rowan, Joyce, Matt, Karen, Anna, Jeremy, Claire, Hassan (and son!) and all the folk we knew who made a point of visiting to wish us well.
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Amazing Staying Power!
I was really impressed today by the hardy bunch of volunteers who stayed on despite the snow!
We were trying to get the long-awaited bottle fence done, but the snow held us up as we needed to paint preservative on the wood before fitting it all together, and it was too wet and cold for the paint to dry. However, un-daunted, the wonderful group helped us to prepare the plastic bottles to put on the fence, and to create some more ice lanterns, which we will be displaying on Light Night on Friday 6th, outside Marks and Spencer by St. Peter's Church.
We also managed to cook Tracey's famous pumpkin risotto with some of the last of our winter squashes (the ones you need an axe to open, but they taste good!). Only problem was that we were working in the polytunnel, so we needed to use the gas-bottle stoves. In this temperature, the gas stops coming out of the canisters after a while, so we had to recruit warm-bodied volunteers to put the spare canister under their armpits. That meant that when the gas got a bit weak, we could just swap over the canisters. It took around 5 swaps, but the risotto got cooked, and was pronounced delicious!
Mac and Greg did a great job outside, whilst the rest of us were cowering indoors, cutting brambles to create a better barrier in an area where our fencing is a bit poor.
We also made very sure to top up the bird food, as the forecast is for really cold weather, and it can be the difference between life and death for them.
Thanks to everyone from Gateway to Nature who worked on, and to all our lovely volunteers. We're hoping we can make the fence next Thursday, so if you fancy a go, come along and see. We think you'll like what we make!
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| Is that Jon, or an abominable snowman? |
We were trying to get the long-awaited bottle fence done, but the snow held us up as we needed to paint preservative on the wood before fitting it all together, and it was too wet and cold for the paint to dry. However, un-daunted, the wonderful group helped us to prepare the plastic bottles to put on the fence, and to create some more ice lanterns, which we will be displaying on Light Night on Friday 6th, outside Marks and Spencer by St. Peter's Church.
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| Some of the wonderful lanterns that will be on display on Light Night outside M&S |
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| Making more gorgeous lanterns |
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| Plastic bottle beads, all ready to thread on the fence |
We also managed to cook Tracey's famous pumpkin risotto with some of the last of our winter squashes (the ones you need an axe to open, but they taste good!). Only problem was that we were working in the polytunnel, so we needed to use the gas-bottle stoves. In this temperature, the gas stops coming out of the canisters after a while, so we had to recruit warm-bodied volunteers to put the spare canister under their armpits. That meant that when the gas got a bit weak, we could just swap over the canisters. It took around 5 swaps, but the risotto got cooked, and was pronounced delicious!
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| Checking the risotto - need to keep the lid on to keep the heat in, in this weather. |
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| Lunch in full swing. 11 happy people got fed. |
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| Brian's the new sheriff in town - and reports that the hat keeps his head nice and toasty! |
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| Gabby proves she's a gem by washing up. Though she may have just been taking the chance to get warm hands! |
Mac and Greg did a great job outside, whilst the rest of us were cowering indoors, cutting brambles to create a better barrier in an area where our fencing is a bit poor.
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| Mac and Greg - "natural security fences r us". |
We also made very sure to top up the bird food, as the forecast is for really cold weather, and it can be the difference between life and death for them.
Thanks to everyone from Gateway to Nature who worked on, and to all our lovely volunteers. We're hoping we can make the fence next Thursday, so if you fancy a go, come along and see. We think you'll like what we make!
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| Tracey makes a bid for the "silly hat of the session" title that Joyce won last week. |
Monday, 26 January 2015
Mobbed Monday
7 volunteers arrived today, full of energy to get a good mornings work in. That's exceptional for a Monday in January with a lazy wind (that's one that blows right through you, rather than bothering to go round!), so we hope it bodes well for the coming weeks. There is always so much to do here, and getting a good crowd in makes all the difference.
First we all gathered in the fruit cage so that we could help Dan, Danny and Jason revise fruit bush pruning, finishing off the last of the bushes in the process.
After that we all moved on to smaller jobs. Hassan potted up the red and yellow willow cuttings that we grew in a bag bed last year, whilst Vanessa and Rachel bravely tackled the bindweed roots. The Dans and Jason went off to plant up some gooseberries that had grown when we layered the plants last year, and Joyce went to clear the hazel coppice in the orchard. The Dans and co joined her and we coppiced the older hazels for the first time. It seems strange to just cut a tree down almost to the ground, but we know it will respond by sending up lots of new growth. We can burn the wood we cut down as well, and apparently Hazel has more calories for weight than Willow, so it should be really useful for the clay oven once it's seasoned.
The Dans and Jason got a lesson in how to use a flint and steel to light the Kelly kettle, and soon managed to make this wonderfully efficient gadget provide enough hot water for everyone to enjoy a well earned cuppa. The break got even more interesting when Hassan produced a box of chocolates! It may not have earned us the healthy eating points, but the chocs definitely boosted morale and productivity, giving the Dan's enough energy to tackle planting some onion sets in the polytunnel, whilst Vanessa and Rachel moved the Autumn raspberries that have invaded the fruit cage. The pruning gave us some nice cuttings, so Hassan and Joyce set those up in the bag bed.
All in all, a very good morning!
First we all gathered in the fruit cage so that we could help Dan, Danny and Jason revise fruit bush pruning, finishing off the last of the bushes in the process.
After that we all moved on to smaller jobs. Hassan potted up the red and yellow willow cuttings that we grew in a bag bed last year, whilst Vanessa and Rachel bravely tackled the bindweed roots. The Dans and Jason went off to plant up some gooseberries that had grown when we layered the plants last year, and Joyce went to clear the hazel coppice in the orchard. The Dans and co joined her and we coppiced the older hazels for the first time. It seems strange to just cut a tree down almost to the ground, but we know it will respond by sending up lots of new growth. We can burn the wood we cut down as well, and apparently Hazel has more calories for weight than Willow, so it should be really useful for the clay oven once it's seasoned.
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| Vanessa beats the renegade rasps into submission |
The Dans and Jason got a lesson in how to use a flint and steel to light the Kelly kettle, and soon managed to make this wonderfully efficient gadget provide enough hot water for everyone to enjoy a well earned cuppa. The break got even more interesting when Hassan produced a box of chocolates! It may not have earned us the healthy eating points, but the chocs definitely boosted morale and productivity, giving the Dan's enough energy to tackle planting some onion sets in the polytunnel, whilst Vanessa and Rachel moved the Autumn raspberries that have invaded the fruit cage. The pruning gave us some nice cuttings, so Hassan and Joyce set those up in the bag bed.
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| Joyce and Hassan set up the cuttings |
All in all, a very good morning!
Thursday, 22 January 2015
Wonderfuel Day
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| Windmill - where even the wood-boxes are happy! |
Thanks to the lovely folk who turned up at Windmill today to help us harvest and process our fuel wood. We try to use wood from our own site and only harvest enough for each year. The trees we pollard or coppice grow again, so the system is designed to be sustainable and carbon neutral. We've now got a nicely sorted array of different sized sticks and logs in the wood shed thanks to the hard work. Joy's hat was an added bonus! Thai-style pumpkin soup for lunch round the fire, and artists charcoal ready for purchase, if anyone wants some. Productive day!
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| Rachel tries the high pruner, with Vanessa riding shotgun with a safety rope |
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| Hassan finishes the reorganisation of the woodshed |
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| Joyce channels her inner Smurf |
Thanks to newbies Vanessa and Rachel for working like trojans and mastering the Zubat high-pruner, to Hassan for rope rigging, wood shed sorting and fire wrangling and to Mac, Joyce, Brian and Ellie for sawing, lopping, secateuring and sorting the branches into submission. Well done all!
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| Lunch! |
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| Vanessa sharpening the loppers |
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| Rachel rocking the hard-hat look |
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| Biscuit tin charcoal again |
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| Ellie gets going with the saw |
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| Mac and Joyce get lopping |
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