This was a new date and place for our normal Easter Trail – in our Community Orchard. This meant that those who had never visited the orchard got a chance to enjoy it and hopefully return at weekends when it is open.
Category Archives: Events
Wassail Bourne Community Orchard 2019
The Friends of Bourne Wood, in conjunction with Bourne Borderers Morris, held their third Wassail in the community orchard in Bourne on Saturday.
Orchard Open Day 2018
The Community Orchard Open Day, organised by the Friends of Bourne Wood, was thoroughly enjoyed by those who came, and despite the weather forecast we had a sunny time! There was live music from Dean Hardy and Friends who play regularly at the Masons, Bourne and the Hare & Hounds at Haconby. They played two sets of lively music – a mix of Irish, Folk, Country and traditional tunes. People could either sit and listen, or wander and enjoy the ambiance of the orchard – and the children managed a little dance!
There were plenty of delicious cakes from the homemade cake stall, with teas and coffees to wash them down.
Children had craft activities to try, and a guess the fruit competition as well as traditional games, which adults also enjoyed, and became quite competitive. These were supplemented by a craft stall, second hand book-stall, and a plant stall. The Bourne Wood booklet was also available.
The Friends had picked some fruit from the orchard, both to show people the different types of apples and pears, but also so people could take some away with them for a small donation. There will be more punnets available for the next few weeks during opening hours in the orchard, on a Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm.
A huge ‘Thank You’ goes to Dean Hardy and the other musicians for their entertainment and to all our other volunteers who helped set up and look after the stalls on the day. The event was supported by PPL PRS Charity and Community Discount Scheme. PPL PRS licences the use of copyright music across the UK, giving businesses and organisations the permission they need to play the music they want.
The Friends next event is a Fungi Foray on Sunday October 21st, at 2pm in the main car park.
Photographs by Steve Goddard
Children’s Activity Afternoon 2018
We had a lovely sunny and warm day for the Friends of Bourne Woods first children’s activity event in the Bourne Community Orchard on Saturday.
There were plenty of activities for children to try their hands at – painting butterflies which could fly in the wind, making caterpillars, building their own bug hotel to take home, and a treasure hunt around the orchard. Taking part in the treasure hunt gave the children a chance to win a copy of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ book by Eric Carle.
There was also the chance to relax in the orchard with some homemade cake and a hot or cold drink.
The children had great fun – making lots of noise, running around looking for clues and making a sticky mess! The event also helped raise awareness of the existence of the orchard, the need for volunteers to help tend it and funds to maintain it.
Thank you to all that helped on the day both setting up and during the afternoon.
Photographs Roland Smith
Mini Beast Hunt 2018
A large group of around 25 adults and children joined bug expert Dr Keith Porter to hunt for and identify insects in Bourne Wood.
We were blessed with fine weather as we have come to expect in this extraordinary 2018 British summer!
Before setting off, Keith demonstrated the various equipment we were going to use to seek out bugs and beasties. This included two types of nets plus beating trays. The latter is a framed square flat piece of fabric which is held underneath a bush to catch insects dislodged by striking a branch or bush with a stick.
We had a successful afternoon and found a wide range of insects and spiders on the margins of the main ride through the wood.
Ten species of butterflies were seen including several silver-washed fritillaries, which is Britain’s largest resident butterfly and particularly striking with its orange coloration and streaks of silver found on the underside of the wings.
At one stage, two brown hawker dragonflies observed us from above. This species is a large fast-flying dragonfly with distinctive golden-brown wings and which probably breeds in the ponds in the wood.
Other insects we encountered included several types of hoverflies, 7-spot ladybirds, shield and squash bugs and grasshoppers.
A Silver Y moth was captured and Keith explained that this day-flying moth was an annual immigrant from continental Europe. And finally, a very strange looking pale yellow-green spider was found. This turned out to be a crab spider. These spiders don’t spin webs instead relying on camouflage and ambush. They hide in flowers, where they prey on flies and bees. Some species can even change colour to match the flower they are on.
All in all, it was an interesting and enjoyable outing for the participants, and we are very grateful to Keith for sharing his expertise and enthusiasm with us.
Photographs Steve Goddard
Wild Flowers and Grasses Walk 2018
Around 20 people joined Dr Richard Jefferson for the wild flower and grasses walk he led for the Friends of Bourne Wood. It was a lovely sunny evening, and we had a gentle stroll looking at least 40 species of plant, grass, shrub and tree.
We started with some common shrubs such as Elder and Hazel, and then discussed Herb Robert and the origination of its common name (from an Abbot!). Richard described the difference between a Dog Rose and a Field Rose, and we looked at white clover and its cousin, red clover which is preferred by bees.
Looking at grasses we saw the perennial rye-grass which is used commonly in agricultural grasslands and sports fields, false oat grass, and tufted hair grass along with Yorkshire Fog. We then looked at the Wild Service tree (the symbol of the Friends of Bourne Wood), which is normally found on woodland edges, and the Wych Elm which is more resistant to Dutch Elm Disease.
We admired the beauty of the sprawling Wood Vetch, and the common spotted orchid, and looked at the unusual sight in the wood of Vipers Bugloss (not a woodland plant). We found corn mint which is now a rare plant (although it seems common in the wood), and marsh bedstraw.
Thanks go to Richard for an enjoyable and informative walk.
Photographs Steve Goddard
Wassail Bourne Community Orchard 2018
The Friends of Bourne Wood held their second Wassail in the community orchard in Bourne on Saturday in conjunction with Bourne Borderers Morris. A Wassail is a traditional custom to celebrate the apple harvest of last year, to reawaken the trees, and to encourage them to bear fruit this year. The rain had cleared by the time the event started at 4.30pm and a crowd of around 80 people had gathered to join in the celebration. Richard Jefferson welcomed everyone to the event, and then Bourne Borderers commenced the proceedings with a traditional Morris dance. Those attending were then offered a taste of either mulled cider or apple juice and some cake, before everyone sung the ‘Apple Tree Wassail’.
The gathering then proceeded into the orchard, led by Emily, the Wassail Queen, the way being lit with lots of candles. The trees were blessed with cider, and toast was placed in the branches for the robins, by anyone wishing to take part, while Vaughan Roberts played his violin. The trees were wassailed, with the customary poem, followed by lots of noise, with everyone present banging pots and pans, and cheering!
Once back on the hard-standing the Borderers danced again, and all joined in the ‘Here we come a wassailing’. The evening ended with the Mummers play.
The Friends would like to thank everyone for supporting this event, and especially Bourne Borderers for their help and support, and all those who provided cakes and helped out on the day.
Photographs thanks to Steve Goddard.
Orchard Open Day & Friends Birthday Party 2017
The Community Orchard Open Day, organised by the Friends of Bourne Wood, was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed by those who came. There was live music from Bourne Folk Club, who play regularly at the Masons, Bourne and Wishing Well, Dyke. They played two sets of lively music – a mix of Irish, Folk, Country and traditional tunes. People could either sit and listen, or wander and enjoy the ambiance of the orchard – or even dance as some were doing!
At lunch time the committee cut the cake celebrating 20 years of the Friends group, and this was shared amongst the helpers, with any excess supplementing the delicious cakes from the cake stall. Teas and coffees were available to wash them down.
Children could try their hands at pebble painting or picture colouring, and while waiting for these to dry were able to play some traditional games, which adults also enjoyed. There were also craft stalls and a plant stall.
The Friends had picked some fruit from the orchard, both to show people the different types of apples and pears, but also so people could take some away with them for a small donation. The Bourne Wood booklet was available
A huge ‘Thank You’ goes to Dean Hardy and the other musicians for their entertainment and to all our other volunteers who helped set up and look after the stalls on the day.
Photographs Steve Goddard and Richard Jefferson.
Fruits of the Forest Walk 2017
Around 25 people enjoyed a sunny Sunday afternoon walk looking at the fruits and nuts produced by trees, shrubs and plants within the wood.
The first shrub was an elderberry, with mention of using the fruit for jellies and syrup, and also the flowers for cordial, this was followed by a search for mast under the beech trees. Continuing we studied the dogwood, which has its cultivated cousin in many gardens, larch trees with their cones, and the common blackberry or bramble – which apparently has numerous varieties.
We moved on to look at blackthorn which produces the fruit sought after by so many to make sloe gin, oak trees searching for the many types of gall and hawthorn with its brightly coloured berries so attractive to birds. Various other species were discussed as we continued our way, including yew, guelder rose, rowan and crab apple.
On the way back we stopped to look at the wild service trees (which the group has as its emblem), these trees were planted on boundaries, have lovely white flowers in the spring and berries which can be made into jellies, although being brown in colour, are not very attractive or appetising!
Photographs by Steve Goddard
Easter Trail 2017
The Friends had a successful Easter Trail on Easter Monday. Children followed a bug trail, answering questions related to the beasties placed around one of the rides. This was followed by a dinosaur quiz, which the children knew the answers to – while the parents struggled! Over 60 children participated in the event, accompanied by their parents and grandparents. Everyone seemed to enjoy the good weather, and the test of their observation skills and insect knowledge.
Three Counties Dog Rescue had a stall and tombola, and were showing off one of their rescue dogs. The Friends provided drinks and there were plants for sale. The Friends were also selling their new booklet ‘Bourne Wood – A portrayal of a wood in Kesteven’ which can also be obtained at their next event – a Plant Stall in the Community Orchard, off Beech Avenue, Bourne on Saturday May 27th from 10am to 12pm.
Thank you to everyone who helped out at the event.