Thursday 29/6/23 Eddie had sharpened the loppers at home, today he used them to cut up Hemlock which had been pulled up and left in the compost bay. Eddie brought rubble sacks so we bagged up the weeds and loaded them into our trailer. Hemlock is highly poisonous and can’t be burnt, so we need to dispose of it safely.
Emma dug up tall weeds in front of the brick stacks, as we'll need to access bricks for repairing our wall soon. Emma then went to the wildflower meadow and pulled up lots of large Hemlock weeds which were difficult to pull out, next season we'll remove them before they grow so big. Emma managed to remove the weeds without damaging the wildflowers. While working there, a pair of Red Kites flew overhead. I have added wildflower pictures to a gallery of the meadow in flower.
I cut up and bagged everything Emma pulled up while Eddie gave the round table another coat of paint, strimmed around the wildlife habitat and new trees, then filled the bird feeders. I tightened up screws in the insect hotel bases as some were leaning over again. Emma and I ate some ripe Cherries from the tree, the birds usually eat them before we get a chance. While we were having lunch outside, a helicopter flew over.
I checked the Common Bistort (Lollipop) plant I put in a few weeks ago, it has now taken as there is a large leaf growing. We didn’t need to water anything today as we had heavy rain overnight and in the morning, fortunately it brightened up while we were working.
I found the mains adaptor for the small display screen in the visitor centre which normally runs on 12 Volts from the solar panel, but we may need to use it in the Community Centre at Narborough Fair on our bone mill stand, showing the water wheel turning and the wildflower meadow slideshow. I tested the adapter and screen using the mains inverter.
On our way out we loaded up the rest of the Hemlock from the wildflower meadow, there were 19 sacks which filled the trailer. We took them back to the skip at The Maltings.
Friday 30/6/23 Eddie, Ryan and I did some community work by clearing the church yard of brambles, nettles and overhanging branches, we also strimmed the path around the pond and litter picked the area. We then went out and cut back the public footpath beside the church and houses which was overgrown with Ivy, nettles and overhanging vegetation in places.
Thursday 6/7/23 We saw a Duck with 6 Ducklings at The Maltings. I cut the grass along the riverside track on the way to the mill, then cut the paths through the wildflower meadow again, I also cut the river bank next to the wildflower meadow.
Eddie and Ryan strimmed and mowed the grass in front of the wagon up to the river, Eddie then mowed the large lawn while I planted another Bistort (Lollipop plant) next to the Lupins.
Ryan noticed our birds drinking bowl was in the river, he hooked it out using the long rake and I put it back in the feeding station, held in with garden wire to prevent it blowing away again. Ryan and I were eating Cherries from the tree which are now ripe and sweet.
We went to the wildflower meadow and Ryan tightened screws in the insect hotel base as it keeps leaning over. I then mowed a new path to access both tunnel ends.
Anne Marie brought Cosmos, Lavender, Larkspur and Lambs Ears and planted them near the tunnel exit and wildlife habitat, then weeded and watered the various gardens including around the small Oak tree.
Eddie took the push mower across our bridge and cut the footpath and grass area by the gate frame. Ryan and I strimmed around the bench seat, notice board and grass area opposite our bridge.
We all had lunch outside at our table and discussed having a stand at Narborough Fair on Sunday 16 July. In the afternoon Ryan and I sorted out finds and displays ready to take to the fair, we put aside some of the large metal items from the outdoor display, plus a few of the explanation signs used on open days.
Eddie added metal brackets to the round table to stabilise it, then painted the legs black to match the top.
Graham Bartlett
Interactive Plan Activity Green Grant Wildflower Meadow Volunteer Previous Next
