Coppicing Course Passed!

One of the best courses ever! Over 3 weeks 5 days of practical exposure to coppicing woodland in need of regeneration and preparing materials into produce (bean poles, stakes, pea sticks, walking sticks, etc).

Here are just a few photos from the course run by the Greenwood Centre in Coalbrookdale, near Ironbridge:

1. The area is a mixture of neglected coppice and parts that have been brought back into rotation.  Most of the work was carried out in the neglected coup, removing larger trees to the ground to encourage fresh growth from their stools and opening up the canopy to provide increased light levels.

















2. For larger trees different methods of cut were used and here we can see how a hinged cut allowed for safe felling.  These stumps were then reduced to ground level to encourage basal root grpwth, increasing future coppicing material to be produced.

3. From the coppiced timber, produce is sorted into their end uses.  Here we can see I have sorted pea sticks, progs for hedge-laying, rods and bean poles with some potential interesting pieces that may be used in chair-making or for walking sticks.

Stage One of Outhouse to Studio Conversion Completed

In the first of what I am sure will be many, many stages the inital preparations of scraping off flaky paint (probably ancient lead-toxic) from rafters and perlins then brushing and hoovering these was completed today:

The aim is to convert our outhouse into a studio/office where I will be free to draw and create to my heart's content all things Garden Design.

Oh, if you are wondering yes there was one huge spider and many small ones and I am not a spider fan!

Large cobwebs were therefore sucked up but I bet the spiders are still lurking!

Stage Two begins tomorrow morning with the treating of the timbers with woodworm killer/wood preservative.  Check back soon to see if I survive.