Malcolm on Pole Lathe

Malcolm spent all day demonstrating the pole lathe and making several spurtles and other turned items.  For those of you how don’t know a spurtle is a stirring stick most often used for making porridge.  The pole bobbing up and down acted like a magnet to draw in the crowds. 

Craft Skills

Once drawn to the stand they were able to observe the rest of the gang, making plant labels, walking sticks and crafting letter openers. The table was full of items made by the members and this created a talking point.  Many people expressed interest in the Woodlanders and the work we do to conserve and protect the woods. 

Sales Table

 As well as buying the items we had to sell, we gained several new members, it is hoped that some will be able to join us in the wood next winter when the coppice season begins.  Unfortunately due to other commitments Tottington Woodlanders were only able to demonstrate on the Saturday of this 2 day event.  Perhaps next year we will have the people power to do both days.

Treasurer Presentation

The Woodlanders celebrated a very successful year at our AGM on 26th May 2010.  During the business section we heard about the continued achievements of the organisation.  Our main conservation efforts this winter have been very successful despite a  cold and wet season.  These two elements reduced our work days and consequently increased the challenge to complete the tasks we had set ourselves at the end of last year.  With the diligent work of our regular band of volunteers, and a monumental effort from the 2nd. Durrington Sea Scouts at the end of the season, we completed almost all of the allocated work.  Malcolm expressed the thanks of the Woodlanders to all those who have helped.  Our local Countryside Rangers did some sterling work clearing the pond and mowing the meadow on the mounds.

The Summer season was also a great success.  We attended a number of shows and events last year and they were all very satisfying.  Not only did we sell a phenomenal amount of product, but we also gained new members, new volunteers and were able to engage in various educational activities.  Our annual Botanical Survey continues and thanks to the Sussex Botanical Recording Society were expressed.

The existing Committee was voted in for another year with the exception of Brian, our Treasurer.  He has been a member of the Woodlanders almost since its inception and the Treasurer for many years.  He has now decided that it is the right time for him to stand down.  A formal presentation was made to him following the conclusion of the main business.

 As is our tradition the second half of the evening was devoted to a guest speaker.  This year we were treated to the wonderful images from the local wildlife photographer, Neil Fletcher.  Neil is a renowned artist with  strong local connections.  He has a great understanding of the area around the Adur Valley, and the natural history it contains.  He will be displaying some of his art at the Henfield Garden and Arts Weekend (see Events).

Community Support Officer

Bluebell

A number of people have shown interest in the appearance of the bluebells each year.  This season has been held back by the weather; although is catching up now.  The bluebells are about a week late, but the earlier spring flowers were 2-3 weeks behind.  The net result of this is that everything is now out together!  Producing a fabulous display.  The early Primroses, Violets, Celendines and Wood Anemone’s are still making a fine display.  We also have the Early Purple Orchids, Goldilocks Buttercups and Campions joining in.

The May Bank Holiday Weekend is an ideal opportunity to see the wood at its very finest.

Beanpoles and Pea Boughs

Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)

The 2010 Floral Survey started on 12th. April.  Members of the Sussex Botanical Recording Society and Worthing Natural History Society led the session.  We are concentrating on Cant D, Cant T and the mounds east of the pond.  The two Cants were coppiced this year and the mound was mowed in the autumn.  We tend to survey those areas which have been worked most recently to ensure that the flora regenerates satisfactorily.  We are not including the small area in Cant A, which was coppiced, as it will be included when the rest of the cant is surveyed.

Due to the cold winter the woodland plants are slower to show signs of flowering than in previous seasons.  However, there are plenty of  flowers to be seen.  In particular the Wood Anemone’s ( Anemone nemorosa) are especially brilliant at the moment.  Cant’s C and D are both carpeted in white.

In the northern end of the wood there are numerous clumps of Town-hall clock (Adoxa moschalellina).  This diminutive little plant is particularly charming at the moment.  With it’s four flowers at the cardinal points and the fifth one on top it certainly resembles the Town-hall clock of its name.  There is a particularly fine clump just left of the first bridge after the kissing gate on the northern boundary path.

Town-hall Clock (Adoxa moschatellina)

Lesser Celendine (Ranunculus ficaria)

Early Dog Violet (Viola reichenbachiana)

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)Lesser Celendine (Ranunculus ficaria)

The survey will be continuing throughout the summer.  The next session will be on Monday 3rd. May 2010, meeting at 10:00 next to Small Dole Village Hall.  If you would like to attend please contact us to check on final arrangements.

Cut Wood Mountain

  Those of you who regularly visit the website will know that we had fallen well behind with the coppicing due to the weather.  Our target was to cut all of Cant D by the end of March, and that was fast becomming an impossible dream.  About half of the Cant remained to be cut, with only four weeks left of the season; much of which would be devoted to tying up product. 

Enter our very good friends from the Second Durrington Sea Scouts.  One of our regular youth days was scheduled for the 6th. March so we decided to ask the Scouts just to cut as much as they were able, and not to sort out the product.  They managed to produce three moumental piles of wood, which the Woodlanders sorted.   The picture above is just one of the piles, and probably not the largest.  During the weekend of the 6th. and 7th. the regular coppice team sorted the cut wood, leaving a small pile to be processed next weekend.

We have almost caught up with the work, and will only fall short of our target by a small margin.  Our sincere thanks go to the Second Durrington Sea Scouts for all their hard work.

After a lot of hard work we are now able to launch our new website. Those of you who have been supporters for a long time will recall our old website with the yellow background and brown writing. Although it was a good site which served us well for a number of years it was not easy to manage and articles quickly became outdated. We have retained some of the older articles, mainly in the Archive Pages, to provide an historical perspective.

The new site has a more modern appearance and is flexible enough to be managed by an editorial team. This means we should be able to keep a more contemporary presentation. It also incorporates a number of features which the old site did not. In particular there is an option to post comments to articles as they appear. Previously the only way of contacting us was through the Contact Us form. We have retained this for general enquiries and comment, but we would welcome views about specific articles. It is hoped that there will be sufficient interest to generate a positive dialogue around the topics presented. We would also welcome articles, photographs and comment from our wider audience.  Our new calendar of events will be managed and updated regularly.

If you have any information which you think should be included in the calendar please send it to us using the form below.  We hope you enjoy the new site and look forward to any feedback you may wish to offer.

Cutting Coppice

  After cutting several coppice stools they sorted the wood.  This is where the real skill is – deciding what to keep and what to throw away.  This is particularly important because the charity relies on this income for essential costs.

Using Loppers

Sorting Product

During the day the oil drum kiln was loaded with wood cut by the boys and lit. They were given a talk on the ancient craft of charcoal burning and the various uses for charcoal both in the past and present day.

Kiln Burning

They don't call him Smokey for nothing

Cutting Coppice

When the trees were cut the Guides sorted it into our regular products – mainly Beanpoles, Stakes,  Pea-boughs and Etherings (binders used when laying a hedge); and for themselves Gadget Wood.

Sorting Product

After a busy morning we stopped at midday for a well earned break and baked potatoes.

Lunch Break

Baked Potato

…..And for those of you still puzzled by what Gadget Wood may be, it is used to make camp furniture, especially for kitchen use.

The following picture is a draining board and bowl holder at use on camp.  It is near the end of the week and is starting to show signs of wear, but that is the joy of green woodwork – you can always make another one!

Gadget Wood In Use

Our sincere thanks go to the 1^st. Midhurst Guides and their Guiders.