The Woodlands.co.uk Blog - Working with Wood
Making Hurdles - Video Demo
One for all the coppicers out there … Andrew King makes a hurdle with hazel coppice for Woodlands TV. Read more…
Traditional Firewood
Watch Alan Waters give a fascinating and entertaining demo of traditional wood cutting in a Woodlands TV video.
Woodland Courses 2009 Pt 1
Now that you have your new 2009 diary, book some time to brush up your woodland skills or learn new ones. From the purely practical to the extremely esoteric, whatever you want to learn, there’s a course out there for you.
Cricket Bat Willow
Everyone knows that cricket is the sound of “leather on willow”, but it’s not any old willow. Cricket Bat Willow is a variety all of its own – Salix alba ‘Caerulea’. This fast-growing and straight-stemmed variety of willow produces wood that is tough but lightweight and does not shatter easily - ideal for cricket bats.
The Sussex Trug
In the days before plastic containers, the “trug”, a wooden basket, was the common way of carrying and measuring. They came in every size, from tiny up to a bushel. Although they were found all over the country, nowadays they are particularly associated with Sussex and Thomas Smith of Herstmonceux who “reinvented” this ancient style of basket in the 1820s using local materials. Queen Victoria made the distinctive, shallow garden baskets we are familiar with fashionable when she bought some at the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Pole Lathe Turning
If you’ve ever wanted to see a demonstration of pole-lathe turning you can see a good one on www.woodlandstv.co.uk.
What is Treen?
Treen is literally “of the tree”, objects made of wood. In the days before plastic, wood was the commonest and most inexpensive material for all the small household items we take for granted – bowls, spoons, boxes etc. Also wooden-handled tools and implements. Collectively, these came to be known as “treen”. In these days of mass production, there isn’t much reason to spend time carving these items except for the pleasure of working wood and the creative satisfaction of making something. Nevertheless, it is an increasingly popular craft and beautiful treen items are often for sale at craft and wood fairs.
Festival of the Tree 2008, Westonbirt Arboretum
Once again it was a pleasure to meet everyone who called in at the Woodlands.co.uk stand at Westonbirt over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Read more…