Transition Town Dorchester had an inspiring meeting last month – we had a roomful of people who are interested in cultivating a small space in the new (yet to be put up) polytunnel and who came to share their ideas about the polytunnel and also about the new farm site. The fence is up, and now is the time to start making it as beautiful as the old farm once was.

We pruned our apple trees in the Poundbury orchard and were amazed to notice that some of the willow wands we randomly stuck in the ground by the fence about five years ago are now 15ft tall trees. We need to keep them under control by stripping branches off, so we are full of inspiration for more willow planting, e.g. a fedge - a cross between a fence and a hedge, which involves pushing willow wands into the ground and weaving them together loosely like a fence when they have grown a bit, then leaving them to develop into a hedge. And we may even resuscitate our basket weaving skills!

On a sunny day we checked that our bees still have food. Bees were flying out of all but one of the hives (the weakest colony) but we need to provide them with enough to eat until spring flowers start blooming in earnest, otherwise the entire colony might die. With the latest news of disastrously declining insect populations ringing in our ears, we are filled with zeal to cram the new farm with insect friendly plants and flowers.

If you would like to join us for our weekend workdays at our community spaces, or would be interested in space in the polytunnel, email info@transitiontowndorchester.org

KATE FORRESTER

TRANSITION TOWN DORCHESTER