Our March volunteer weekend saw more cob being added to the new oven by Bex, Nick H,and Zsuzsi and a new outdoor firepit constructed for the coming summer by Alan, Nick R, Richard, Jake and Zac. A drum of charcoal was created in preparation for the iron smelting session planned for May - plenty more will be required so this may be a frequent task this Spring. Chrissie's birthday provided the opportunity to celebrate with a treacle tart after a hard day's work.
Ann spent both days binding off the edges of seams on tunics for our stash of period costumes. There are plenty more to finish so all help is very welcome.
Earlier in the month Richard and Marc had supervised the lifting the new chicken coop up onto its sturdy base.
Repair work was undertaken on the roof edge over the old cob oven, the winter rains having badly eroded the cob strip below the thatch. Wattling was added in preparation for a thatch to be added, lined with cob to prevent sparks catching the edge alight. Following the success of the heather thatch on the chicken coop, the material was used again on the roof of the small wood store beside the oven. Richard now hankers for the same treatment for his bodger's shelter where the winter has taken it's toll on his brushwood thatch.
Still too early to plant out in the vegetable plot that was worked down last month.
