Iain and David provided the professional instruction, and the feedback is that all found it very useful and the venue excellent.
It is hoped to repeat the event next season.
One of the keys to successful hedge laying is having properly sharp tools !
Masterminded by Iain, a tool sharpening course was held at West Chiltington recently, with 10 attendees gaining a valuable insight and hands on experience about sharpening a bladed tool.
Iain and David provided the professional instruction, and the feedback is that all found it very useful and the venue excellent. It is hoped to repeat the event next season. One of the keys to successful hedge laying is having properly sharp tools !
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11 cutters responded to the request to attend an impromptu coppicing day at Horsted Keynes on 13 October.
Tim had a done an excellent job identifying the coppice - a flailed mature hazel hedge, and gaining permission to cut from it. Despite the poor weather forecast it stayed dry for most of the morning, with 380 binders and 70 stakes gathered, which means that the next 2 SEHLS events are pretty well supplied for stakes and binders . Although patchy, alot of the binders harvested were of gold standard quality, having grown very straight and long. There was a teach in about how to tie up bundles , although personally I need more practice. Many thanks to those who attended , it was a fun , productive long morning. Next coppicing event is at Wakehurst Place Ardingly on Saturday 19 November- SEHLS members please email me at [email protected] An excellent day at Worth school, near Crawley, where 35 cutters laid a total of 191 yards.
It was un-seasonally warm and sunny, but the hedge was well found by Frank and was ideal double planted predominantly hawthorn and some blackthorn. The backdrop of Worth school was impressive. Around 10 trainee cutters made their debuts for the Society and soon got the hang of things under the expert guidance from trainers, overseen by Training Officer, Gary Moore. Excellent literature was given to all cutters, which re-affirmed the requirement to ensure pleachers and heels are covered over (to prevent new shoots being eaten by livestock). The completed hedge looked very consistent and of a high standard- well done to all those who did their bit. Thanks must go to Frank, Tim, Gary and trainers, without whose efforts the day would not have gone so smoothly as it did. The farm manager at Worth was very pleased with the completed hedge. Tool sharpening course on 16 October is the next event, with Pre- Nationals Practice at Wittersham on 22 October Following on from the 2021 inaugural charity event at Rotherfield Farm, Alton , a similar event was put on by NHLS , with proceeds going to Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer and the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Around 70 cutters attended, from all over the country and regional styles, including from Ireland. The weather was kind, but the hedge was not being a motley hawthorn hedge, old brittle and a mass tangle of briar and rose. Gwyn, Mark , Iain and Matthew flew the flag for SELHS and completed 40 metres, which was twice what we intended to. SEHLS cutters were one of the last to leave the hedge around 5.30pm, so a good work out for the season ahead. Not sure how much hedge was cut/ money raised / if a world record was broken and will advise when this information is to hand |
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March 2024
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