Hedgelaying season starts in November!
This year we’ll be laying the middle section of the hedge that divides barn field from buttercup. You may have noticed the brambles along the edges have already been cleared in preparation. This hedge has got a lot of elm, plenty of which is already dead, but the suckers thrive when they’re given light and space. It’s on a bank with ditches on either side and will be laid in the Devon style.
Laying the hedge keeps it stock proof, which isn’t something we need to worry about on the meadow, but it has a whole list of conservation benefits. Preserving this traditional skill is also excellent exercise and a cooperative, social activity.
Our volunteers are having a refresher course the first week in November, but if you’re interested in having a go, we’ll be out between 10am and noon, every Thursday, from the 11th onwards (weather permitting*) until the end of February. We welcome new volunteers, whether you come once, or year after year. You can find the volunteer coordinator’s contact details on the contact page, or message us on any of our social media channels. If you’d just like to have a chat about what’s happening, come along to the hedge on a Thursday morning and someone will be happy to answer any questions!
The hedge bonus this year will be some hedge creation. This is part of a project that has been funded by Somerset County Council as part of their climate emergency community fund. You’ll have a chance to come along and plant some baby hedge trees. Details to follow…
*We don’t go out in high winds or pouring rain for safety reasons (but also because it’s horrible) and for lack of boats, not if the meadow is flooded.
