We have updates regarding the exciting Biochar project, Ashby Spa WI have visited for another Christmas Craft session, a Besom has made it's way to the British Museum, and much more.
David Gravett - Membership Coordinator
What's In this Woodfueler
December Woodland Management Dates
HCWG Nest Box kits - Wirksworth
Biochar
The biochar project is well and truly underway with the delivery of the “Kontiki” kiln at the last Hub session in early October.
It was a wet day, but after a long journey from Wales the kiln arrived by trailer. Manufactured by “Kontiki Wales” Tony Davies helped the team unload the kiln and gave brief advice on running a burn.
We have started a small sub-group of interested members who would like to be involved with the pilot project being ran in conjunction and funded by the National Forest. The first firing of the kiln is planned for the 3rd November (an event has been created on the booking system) when we will start the process of learning how to use the kiln and manage the biochar produced. There are lots of aspects to the pilot including:-
- Safety & assessing risk.
- Management of feed stock and water, (the first large water collection “IBC” has been installed to collect rainwater, and we have another which we need to site),
- Portability of the solution
- Timings
- Resource requirements
- Biochar volumes
- Product handling/sales.
If you would like to be involved, please let me know and I’ll share the project details.
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email:
Christmas Crafts at the Hub
After two sessions, where we welcomed our friends from Ashby Spa WI, we are now moving into production of Christmas Items to sell in a number of local outlets. Again, this season we will be making the popular Reindeer and Snowmen, plus Christmas stars and a new addition of a rather cute smaller snowman. As previous years we invite all members to come along to these sessions to help. We already have orders from local outlets so any help you can offer will be much appreciated.
You can make items for yourself and then contribute to the team effort to get our stock ready for sale later in November and December. It’s always a lovely atmosphere and great fun. No experience is necessary as we have lots of members familiar with making these items who are more than willing to help and guide. Sessions are available on the booking system.
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email:
December Woodland Management Dates
December Woodland Management sessions go live to members at 6pm Wednesday 1st November. As always, if a session is full and you would like to attend, please add yourself to the waiting list. While this doesn't guarantee you'll get a space it does give us an indication of demand.
As always, if you are booked onto a session or are on the waiting list and can no longer attend please book off as this could allow another member the opportunity to attend a session.
David Gravett | Membership Co-ordinator
email:
Besom Sales
We have had another year of strong sales of our Halloween Besoms or witches’ brooms. There are more and more Halloween events being held these days and our brooms go down a treat being such great value. The effort from everyone to separate birch brash during sessions makes the gathering of materials a great deal easier. I delivered a number of nest box kits to a community group in Wirksworth (they saw our kits at Timber Festival – see below) and from a casual conversation discovered an annual event called “Wirksworth Wizarding” There may be potential for the sale of our Besom at that event next year – they get on average 10,000 attendees – get stacking that brash we could be busy next year!
One of our new members, Anna, who works for Up An' At 'Em! History took part in a Halloween event at the British Museum where she was put to trial by the witchfinder several times over the weekend. It was great to see Anna using a Heartwood Besom as her transport mode of choice at the event. That’s the most travelled Besom to date!
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email:
HCWG Nest Box kits - Wirksworth
We were contacted by “Wild Roots Creative” a voluntary community group in Wirksworth who met some of our members at Timber this summer. They were looking to purchase a number of our nest box kits for a community activity earlier in October. As my wife and I often take a drive up to Bakewell we offered to drop the nest boxes off at their base which is on a railway carriage on The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. They were delighted that we took the trouble to drop them off in person. They sent us a photo of the boxes made-up a few days later at their event.
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email:
Community Woodland Project
Some may recall that the Pick Triangle taster type events HW ran for the NFC last season were visited by Emma Andrew and Kevin Taylor from the charity “Rural Community Council” (RCC) who were wanting to learn about Community Woodland Groups.
The National Forest Company and RCC are collaborating on the project to create 10 Community Woodland Groups that’s been in flight for around a year. One such proposed group is in the Tatenhill and Rangemore area, just West of Burton upon Trent. At Zoe’s suggestion, Emma contacted us to ask if setting that group up was something we could offer support for.
Graham made a site visit with Emma and Kevin earlier this week and formed the opinion that this is exactly the type of setup activity HW could support, and we’d previously indicated to the NFC we were happy to do. Further updates to follow when the detail of this specific woodland is understood and a local community engagement event has taken place.
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email:
Winter Birds in your garden
Birds add such an extra dimension to our gardens, so we should always consider them when choosing our plants and planting schemes. Winter poses lots of challenges for the birds, so anything we can do to help them in even small ways can make all the difference to their survival.
Food is the obvious priority for all birds, but species have different needs, so making sure we have the variety of food available will give the birds the best chance and also bring colour and life into our gardens on cold winter days.
Feeding birds with seed and nuts will ensure they have a reliable source of energy, the key word here being reliable. If you do decide to feed garden birds try to ensure the feeder is always topped up. You will notice that the birds tend to arrive in mixed flocks, moving from garden to garden. If your feeders are empty the energy used to visit your garden is wasted (plus you will soon fall out of favour and the birds will go elsewhere). High energy feed such as Sunflower Hearts or suet pellets provide the highest calories - the birds know this and will prefer your feeder to one with simple mixed seed.
At this time of year lots of migrating birds arrive in our gardens. You will notice an influx of Blackbirds suddenly descends on your garden. They love to forage in the leaf litter under shrubs and plants, so don’t be too quick to tidy everything away. You will have noticed the number of worms and grubs you find if you do remove leaf litter from your borders. They also love rummaging through bark chips if you have these as a path or mulch, so we have to forgive them a little when they scatter it on the patio or the lawn.
Berries and fruit are crucial to many species and this year we look to be having a bumper crop on most of the shrubs and trees. Blackbirds and Thrushes can make light work of your holly berries just weeks before Christmas, so that lovely laden bough you had your eye on can be stripped in an afternoon if they set their mind to it. It’s usually the red berries that are taken first, so growing other shrub varieties with yellow, orange or even purple can help provide a longer feeding season.
Leaving windfall apples on the ground also gives a long-term food supply. It’s surprising how long apples remain on the ground, with the bruised ones usually being consumed first as the sweet bruised fruit is more tempting than the hard under-ripe parts of the fruit. If you decide to throw out the wrinkled apples from the fruit bowl give them a bash to bruise them first.
Aside from food water is vital for bird health, both for drinking and bathing, so make sure there is always water especially during cold frosty snaps.
Kevin Banton | Heartwood Chair
email: