Cob walls and all!
http://shepherdscothealinggarden.ning.com/
http://shepherdscothealinggarden.ning.com/
Meadow Orchard, behind Hornsey Health Centre
Street: 151 Park Rd
City/Town: Crouch End London N8 8JD
This open land behind Hornsey Health Centre on Park Road in Crouch End has been designated for community use by the NHS and is being managed as a community garden, orchard and wildlife conservation site by local volunteers. The site offers a safe, peaceful and inspiring natural setting to simply enjoy being in nature, to meet people, to get involved in activities and learn new skills. The overall aims of the project are to promote health and wellbeing of the local community, to provide opportunity to learn about sustainability and to protect the unique wildlife habitat. You can join as a member for an annual subscription of £10/£5 concession.
Volunteering
We are open for general workdays every Saturday from 10.30am to 4pm and Fridays 10.30-4pm for eco-building, plus additional days for events and workshops for specific projects. Help is always needed and we welcome a diverse range of people of all ages and ability. Children are welcome on site but children under age 15 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult.
We now have a small team of site supervisers to facilitate the Saturday workdays who have received training from BTCV - Kate, Bethan, Mary, Patrick and Rachel.
Activities that take place include:
- gardening and food growing
- tree planting and tree care
- composting
- wildlife habitat management, e.g scything, clearing bramble and pathways, transplanting saplings, dead-hedge laying
- eco-building and cob-building
- developing site infrastructures
- bee-keeping
- education workshops
- arts/crafts such as mosaic making and wood-work
- observing nature and wildlife talks
- celebrations and community events
We are building a community hut using sustainably sourced materials and natural building methods such as cob-building and straw-bale building. We have ongoing volunteer days on Fridays plus other days on Sat/Sun as advertised for people to get involved and learn skills in natural building, which is a very fun and social activity. All ages are welcome so please come and join in. The completed building will be a resource for the local community for workshops, events, classes, body therapies etc to complement the overall aims of the project.
This project is a collaboration with other Haringey based organisations, Cob in the Community, the Selby Trust and What is Architecture. Cob in the Community lead earth building activities and themed events to educate people about the wonders of building with this versatile and free resource beneath our feet. Wood Works Wonders based at the Selby Trust build using reclaimed timber and provide education opportunity for those unemployed to gain skills in carpentry. What is Architecture specialise in participatory community architectural design and have helped with the design and detail specifications for the project.
Wildlife
An ecological survey of the site was undertaken in May 2010 by London Wildlife Trust. We were given advice on how to protect and enhance the delicate wildlife features of this land, which is a site of Grade 1 Importance for Nature Conservation. The undisturbed meadow grassland is a unique feature in a London urban setting and a mosaic of five different habitats supports a rich biodiversity of wild plants and flowers, insects, spiders, trees and bird-life. There are locally rare yellow meadow ant-hills, which are part of the food-chain supporting bird life, including the green woodpecker (an endangered species in Britain). At least 14 bird species are found here including blackcap, song thrush and gold finch, at least 62 wild plant types including 13 grasses, 16 species of tree with a great wealth of English oak. Plus, delicious wild blackberries that also provide shelter and forage for mammals, birds and insects.Permaculture
The site design and development is inspired by permaculture principles. We conducted an initial site survey and permaculture design and have a fruit orchard around the site which is in development using forest garden principles of plant guilds. We have an organic vegetable and herb garden with both annual and perennial plant beds, plus a polytunnel for seedlings and other crops. We also now have three bee-hives and are practicing natural bee-keeping methods.
Contact details
To get in touch by email meadoworchard@virginmedia.com or phone 07947 617563.
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