First signs of Spring

Allright, its only early february, and theres quite a bit of winter left yet, but, the year has definitely turned and things are already starting to move if you know where to look. My chickens have realised and have just started laying again.

Back at Roundhurst on the edge of Black Down the Snowdrops are looking fantastic.

The Hazel flowers are starting to open as well, which is great news for the bee’s as by March hazel pollen will be a really important early food source for them.

The male part is the catkin (the yellow hand like structure), this is where the pollen is produced. The female flower is the tiny red thing just to the left of the catkins. Female flowers on a hazel are so small and delicate most people don’t even notice them. I took this photo in one of the many hedgerows we have planted over the last few years, they are really starting to come into there own now and have a lovely mix of species growing in them.

Up on Black Down the first few birch buds are starting to swell and at the weekend I heard a woodlark singing on the heath, music to anyones ears. We are a way off from them nesting but I did think I would share this picture with you that I took last year, I happened across the nest as I was walking across Black Down and was lucky enough to have a camera in my pocket, I took this and then carefully left so as not to disturb them. In the centre in amongst the heather you should be able to make out a small clutch of woodlark eggs.

A visit to Partridge Green

This morning we have been over to Partridge Green to meet Ben Law at the site of one of his current projects. There were a few particular details we needed to look at that were relevant to the building we are working with him on, but also the build there is at an interesting stage and it was a chance to see some of what we are letting ourselves in for.

This building has a roof made of sawn cedar shingles, which lends a different feel from the split chestnut we will be using, I suspect our roof will have a much more rustic look. Ben and his team are currently working on the interior of this building, constructing the straw bale walls.

They are great insulation, and give a really nice feel to the finished walls when plastered over, one of the details I particularly like in these buildings are the big window seat alcoves which fit into the straw bale walls.

The dimensions of the walls and the openings in them are all based around the dimensions of bales of straw, meaning that the bales should slot nice and easily into place. The bales are held together with sweet chestnut spikes as well as being firmly held in place between the main frame and the exterior studwork.

Here you can see where the bales have almost reached the roof, at this point sheepswool takes over as the insulation, filling the spaces between the rafters.

It was really interesting to see another of Ben’s buildings taking shape, it also make me think about the timber we have been working with and where it will be going in our building.

On the way back the skies started to clear on what has been an otherwise pretty grey day and I couldn’t resist stopping off at one of our coppice Woodlands at Roundhurst Common on the edge of Black Down. Towards the north of the woods there are the remains of a tiny old cottage, and spreading out from what may well once have been part of its garden is one of the prettiest patches of snowdrops I know of in the area. Just as I suspected the first few flowers had started to open.

In a couple of weeks time there will be the most fantastic carpet of snowdrops in this corner of the wood.

Just round the corner at Roundhurst Farm a community vegetable garden has been established by a group from Transition Town Haslemere. Its a beautiful place to go and spend a bit of time and the project is looking for more people to get involved,  if you live locally and would like to have a go at growing your own veg you can find out more at : http://transitionhaslemere.org/newsite/participate/landshare-group