13th December 2020 – Danbury Commons
This Sunday we were back to Danbury Common for the first time since March! In addition to scrub clearing, this
Read moreThis Sunday we were back to Danbury Common for the first time since March! In addition to scrub clearing, this
Read moreThis Sunday’s task took us up to Mount Pleasant farm, on Dunwich Heath. We were given two tasks to do:
Read moreSunday was our second post-‘furlough’ task, and we returned to Lower Barn Farm in Dedham. We didn’t quite pick up
Read moreIt had been a long wait – and Sunday we returned to volunteering, at beautiful Dedham Vale. It was great
Read moreGreat to be back at Danbury and working with Ranger Alex again! We are helping to improve the balance of
Read moreIt was great to be able to get together again for a weekend away from the usual patch of Suffolk
Read more‘Us hardy few’ (including Judith!) travelled to an extremity of our patch, for a task at Dunwich Heath. Despite some
Read moreAnother great task turnout, with nineteen volunteers, including two new people for our visit to Ickworth. Our aim was clear
Read moreWe took a bumper workforce of twenty three volunteers to Fenbridge, for our first task of the year. Such was
Read moreOur last task of the year saw many of us make the trip up the Suffolk coast to Dunwich. Here
Read morePossibly a first ever trip to Lingwood Common, a neighbour of Danbury Common, to thin out this patch of woodland.
Read moreA return to Bourne Mill after 2 years for a site-tidy. Everything was a little damp, which gave Team Craske
Read moreIt barely seems like yesterday we were uncovering the dahlias in the walled garden at Ickworth; in fact it was
Read moreOur fourth task working in the Albana this year to remove the inner box hedge along the path. Another long
Read moreA return to the eastern belt of woodland on the Melford Hall estate – the first in about 6 years!
Read moreBack to Ickworth this week to continue the removal of the hedge along the inside of the Albana Walk. A
Read moreOur annual task of clearing the Mill Pond of overgrowth was a great success, with large amounts of reed mace
Read moreWork continued on this task to remove the inner hedge from the Albana Walk. Steady progress was made in cutting
Read moreIn the Albana there is a long, tall hedge that needs removing, so who do Ickworth call upon to get
Read moreOur third wildlife surveying task of the year, this time at Danbury Common. Some extra work was also carried out
Read moreFirst time back to Dawns Covert for over three years, and it was great to see it teaming with wildlife.
Read moreBack to the walled garden again, this time to finish off the canes and string around the dahlias, and to
Read moreBack to the walled garden today to continue working on the dahlia beds. Most of the dahlias had now woken
Read moreA totally different type of task this time. We went on the hunt for wildlife in the meadows/fields at Dedham
Read moreIt was time for the dahlias in the walled garden to be uncovered, and this job fell to SNTV once
Read moreA new type of task this week for our second trip to Danbury Common this year. The main purpose of
Read moreLots of cutting back and tidying up of fallen trees on today’s task. The hedge-line needed a trim to allow
Read moreThe entrance to Sutton Hoo’s overflow car park was a bit lumpy and had the wrong kind of matting underneath
Read moreBig task of the day: remove the double box hedge from around a dead tree, ready for someone else to
Read moreThis task involved playing our part in the planting of 2000 trees in a relatively recently acquired area of Flatford.
Read moreOur visit to Orford Ness gave the group a couple of unique task opportunities. First was a smaller team that
Read moreBack at Ickworth for some laurel bashing this week. This task was in lieu of the originally planned task of
Read more5 weeks on from the last task at Pin Mill, we returned to continue the clearance of the woodland. The
Read moreOn SNTV’s first visit to Danbury Common in about 20 years (according to Andy!) we were able to make a
Read moreFor our last task of the year, and our annual Sausage Sizzle, we were at Pin Mill. The job for
Read moreA return to coppicing along Geraldine’s Walk in front of the main house. We coppiced an area here on our
Read moreThis was the first time we had worked at Fen Bridge for nearly 4 years (the last time was March
Read moreA great turn-out today, and fortunately Rob & Josh had plenty of work to keep us occupied! The hedge along
Read moreOn a very warm October day we convened on Lower Barn Farm for a ‘slash and burn’ task. The job
Read moreThis was the long-awaited SNTV working weekend away at Henman Bunkhouse in the Surrey Hills. Twelve of the group descended
Read moreOne week later than originally planned due to poor weather conditions, we returned to Flatford Mill for our annual clearance
Read moreWe were very pleased to finally return to Dunwich Heath for a task for the first time in many years.
Read moreThis task at Melford Hall was mostly maintenance jobs – weeding, edging, and picking the copious amounts of fruit growing
Read moreToday we returned to the Italianate Garden at Ickworth to continue removing the box roots and to dig out a
Read moreWeather conditions for this task were very different compared to the previous few weeks! In fact, I think the wind
Read moreWorking inside a greenhouse on a day with temperatures approaching 30 degs C didn’t sound very appealing, but fortunately the
Read moreWe returned to the Ness to tackle the Red Valerian, something we worked hard on last year. It was clear
Read moreWe returned this week to Ickworth’s walled garden to continue working on the dahlia beds. A month ago we lifted
Read moreGreat to be back at Sutton Hoo, thanks to new ranger Jonathan! We had the task of replacing steps along
Read moreWe can’t reflect on this task without remembering the weather! Another lovely day to be working outdoors, at the beautiful
Read moreAfter an enforced break from tasks, we were keen and happy to be back with loppers and bow saws in
Read moreOn this task we returned to Lower Barn Farm to continue the hedge-laying and the cutting back of the growth
Read moreFirst visit of 2018 to Melford Hall saw us helping the property with some smaller jobs that needed doing as
Read moreOn this task we returned to Lower Barn Farm for the first time in awhile. We worked on the hedge
Read moreSecond task in a row where we did some coppicing – we’re getting good at it! This time it was
Read moreOur first task of the year was coppicing at Ickworth, working in Geraldine’s Walk, not far from the main house.
Read moreA visit to Moorats Park in Dedham for this task saw us working to repair a section of fence, including
Read moreA very cold, frosty start to our last task of 2017. We worked at the far end of Dedham Hall
Read moreA great turnout of volunteers on a lovely sunny day meant we were able to really attack the exterior hedge,
Read moreSecond visit of the year to Bourne Mill in Colchester to do a site tidy. Most parts of the grounds
Read moreA day of laurel-lopping! The saying that many hands make light work was never truer than today, as a hard-working
Read moreThis week it felt great to get back to a classic slash and burn task! We were on the heathland
Read moreA change to the original programme saw a number of us convene on Orford Ness for our second task of
Read moreThat time of year again! This task was the annual clearance of the mill pond at Flatford. This maintenance is
Read moreThird task in a row at Ickworth, but this time we were working in the walled garden, weeding/clearing a couple
Read moreAnother session cutting back the hedge along the Albana Walk, and this week we finished it! Well, the field side
Read moreMore hedge-trimming along the Albana Walk this week at Ickworth House. We’re making good progress! Well done to everyone who
Read moreAdam kindly hosted a BBQ at his house after the task at Orford Ness, and it was very much enjoyed
Read moreThis week’s task was a rare visit to Orford Ness to tackle some Red Valerian that was unwanted. This Red
Read moreWe returned to to the hedge on the Albana Walk that we de-brambled approx 6 months ago. It needed a
Read moreOn a very hot day, we gave the barns at Bridges Farm a coat of paint to help protect them
Read moreIt was nice to spend a day as a group without actually having work to do! A great turnout for
Read moreTwo quite different tasks awaited us at Ickworth this week. One group got stuck into chopping some laurels down to
Read moreA great task for the gardeners this time!! SNTV were welcomed back to Melford Hall, to help prepare for Long
Read moreAnother busy, well attended, task in the Dedham Vale. We cleared and burnt some scrub already cut down, replaced a
Read moreWe spent a gloriously sunny April day planting snowdrops and daffodils, the former in the Walnut Grove, the latter on
Read moreNot many photos from me this week as I got there mid-way through the task. However, plenty was still accomplished
Read moreNot many photos from me this week as I got there mid-way through the task. However, plenty was still accomplished
Read moreA great turnout today meant that we were able to complete a job that had previously been started by the
Read moreOur first visit to Melford Hall this year. Two main tasks today: move snowdrops off the path in Lord Somerset’s
Read moreThis was our first trip to Bourne Mill in Colchester in over 4 years, and we were tasked with giving
Read moreWe went to Kyson Hill to “manage the view”, which was basically to clear the scrub and trees at two
Read moreWe had a good turnout for our last task of the year at Dedham Hall Farm. The job for the
Read moreToday we split into two groups to tackle two completely different types of task. One group went back to continue
Read moreOn our first working visit to the Guildhall in Lavenham, we were tasked with reclaiming a garden which is attached
Read moreA return to Pin Mill to continue the coppicing we started on the August bank holiday. Everyone worked hard cutting
Read moreIn a change to the advertised laurel bashing, we instead were given the task of starting to de-bramble the hedge
Read moreDespite a lower turnout than last year, we managed to get a lot done today at Kyson Hill. The morning
Read moreTime for the annual mud bath once again! Despite our efforts last year, the reed mace in the mill pond
Read moreOn Sunday we had just about perfect weather – sunny but not too hot – to tackle the pesky laurels
Read moreThis week we entered the woodland at Pin Mill to coppice the trees. Although some of the trees are not
Read moreWe had two main jobs to tackle today, along with some other important work being done. On our last visit
Read moreFor this task we once again worked on the maintenance of the walled garden, lending a hand to the regular
Read moreOn a very hot day, a smaller group of us than usual worked at Bridges Farm in Dedham to give
Read more