Cherry Wood Project Week Ashwicke  25-04-14

One of the main projects was building a roundhouse using cob and Larch rounds.

The cob – a mixture of sand, clay and straw took a great deal of effort by three teams of bare – footed cob makers.

They started with 11 tons of sand, they dug the clay out of the ground. They ran out before they got to the roof line, another team had  made the circular wall plate.

 

I was helping a team of light tube makers. Cutting bottles up and then sticking them back together with aluminium tape and then covering in foil. They were then build into the walls.

Not quite the expensive stainless steel tubes as seen on ‘Grand Designs’ but a recycled replacement with a zero carbon footprint. You cannot beat that!

Thursdays is volunteer day during the course season and is well supported. The project weeks are amazing. The Saturday they had 50 and the new cook Jeanette had her work cut out trying to feed the crowd.

Tim is increasing the animal diversity with these new oven ready chickens as well as the usual rescue battery hens that provided my breakfast.

I was very comfortable sleeping above the timber store – what a very pretty doorway.

There is a wide variety of buildings at Cherry Wood, all made from the forest.

The picture does not do this living willow structure justice.

The cast iron bath (to the right of this shot) has a fire pit under and the willow forms the screen for outdoor bathing.

Just one of the many cakes cooked in the wood fired oven during the few days of my visit.

The cakes fed the sea of tents on the ridge.

Also the hammock dwellers.

Another project apart from the coppicing of course was this pig enclosure. 

Just one more roll of wire and there will be grunting in them there woods!   

Merlin – one of last year’s apprentices has started to refurbish some very good handmade Japanese pull saws. I tried two of them out, the teeth vary in pitch to help with starting a cut and then fast cutting. He will be at the Ball.

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