Winter Solstice

While the “greenest government ever” is busy making plans to concrete over the environment that sustains us and Bio University courses are being scrapped, small groups of people are making a stand – like the Forest Farm Peace Garden in Hainault.

It may be winter but a season’s work is still to be done, they are still busy harvesting vegetables and maintaining the garden for the winter. They continue to be open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am to 4pm through to Wednesday 21st December [Solstice] when there will be a hot lunchtime meal around the fire at 1pm before nature is left to fend for itself until Friday 6th January 2012.

There is lots going on in the new year:

2012 Orchard Skills Programme

The garden has received funding from Awards for All to run a year-long programme of workshops and open days about trees and orchards. Mira will be interested in this, no doubt. The workshops will run roughly once a month, focussing on activities and skills such as hedgelaying, gardening for wildlife, medicinal properties of British trees, composting, pruning and more. Several of the open days throughout the year will also be themed around orchard skills, like a tree-planting Open Day in March and a return of the popular Abundance Open Day in October.

Upcoming events are:

Sunday 29 January, 10.30am - 4pm: Hedgelaying workshop. Learn the theory and practice of laying hedges to create natural and effective borders which protect and support wildlife.

Sunday 26th February, 10.30am - 4pm: Winter Pruning workshop. Learn the skills for winter pruning of trees to keep your trees healthy and effectively manage their growth.

Information on further workshops will be forthcoming in the new year. Necessary materials and instructions are provided but do come prepared for the weather. There will be some hot refreshments, but please bring a packed lunch. RSVP-ing is crucial as places are limited. Contact by email  in order to find out more or to RSVP to either or both of the workshops

Tree Planting Open Day - weekend of 24/25 March (day TBC)
Join us for a day of planting trees at Forest Farm Peace Garden as well as the usual open day activities of hot food, plant sales, entertainment and activities.

Get Involved - join the Orchard Skills organising committee

In order to organise this exciting project, volunteers are needed to help plan it and make it happen. You don't need to know anything about trees- as long as you like them! We need all sorts of input- design and web skills, outreach and publicity, working with schools to organise tree planting activities, running the open days and workshops... but most importantly enthusiasm and commitment. Get in touch with Natalie, the Project Coordinator to find out about getting involved in the Orchard Skills working group.