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Tuesday
is the main gardening
day
at Orchard Barn during which Steve and other volunteers work on, and
develop the
vegetable growing area. These comprise of a series of no-dig raised
beds - Hugelkulture style. Paths are sheet mulched to discourage weeds.
Compost is home-made in giant heaps and make great use of natural
materials that we have an abundance of. Vegetables are either enjoyed
by volunteers or sold locally to help balance the costs involved in the
project.
'Helping with the garden always provides me
with the opportunity to learn something new and environmentally
innovative.' JP Moats Tye, Combs
'What more could a garden-lover want than
to spend a cold blustery February morning in the calm shelter of the
new
Orchard Barn polytunnel, sowing peas into homemade compost, with the
robin
singing his little heart out in a nearby tree.' MN Hadleigh
New volunteers
welcome - either with, or without experience - please email sarah@orchardbarn.org.uk or
phone 07766-054042
Our
gardening project makes best use of hand tools and an
organic approach.
There are
many advantages in these traditional, low-tech ways of working:-
- Chemical free vegetables
- Increased fitness
- Collaboration and skills
development
- Quieter - we can talk, or listen
to the sounds of nature
- Kinder on the wildlife
- No polluting fumes
- Slower, mindful - helps counteract
stress
- Keeps old skills alive and
practiced
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Gardening
Volunteers Sean and Garry construct a deadwood 'hedge' using home grown
Ash brash. Deadwood makes good privacy screens and wind breaks. They
are free to construct as they make good use of brashwood. Construction
of a deadwood screen creates extra habitat for mini beasts and birds.
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