Spring is here! And more importantly, the kids are back at school!!!
Thank the powers that be.
With restrictions being gradually lifted and the vaccination programme sweeping through our midst the mood has changed here in the valley, there’s a definite buzz and being next to the school, we can feel the excitement in the air as parents are freed from home schooling and skip merrily off into the sunshine.
Along at the site we had to stay closed for a few weeks because of the ridiculous snow and -10 temperatures we had in early February, so it was frustrating for us that we couldn’t really do much on the ground but now we’re back and starting to plant stuff. This week we planted some globe artichokes, tomato seeds and chilli seeds for the propagators and we’re chomping at the bit to get more stuff out.
But for the most part we have all been weeding, weeding and weeding. Mostly in cold, wet and mud but we feel like we’re on top of it all now. Our volunteers have remained cheery through it all and been a brilliant team. Here’s Meg after one of these days looking like she stepped into a puddle up to her middle.
A little light relief to all of this mud has been a zoom willow hurdle workshop provided to Friends of Higher Ground and our volunteers by Ruth Thompson of Sylvan Skills and Deni of Forrest schools, and funded by Northumberland College woodland crafts. It was a lovely way to spend a morning and I learned a thing or two that I can use all of the biomass that we have growing on our site for next Autumn. We’re getting so used to doing everything virtually now, I wonder how we will all adjust back to actually being in the same room as other people? Anyway, here is the resulting hurdle which I don’t know what to do with so is just sitting looking pretty for now.
So thank you very much to Ruth and Deni, and to all who have helped us tackle the weeds, and here’s looking forward to warmer, sunnier, happier times ahead.
