10 days to go and counting ...

In the last post I mentioned pruning the apple trees at Chester Farm but we all turned up for instruction and the trainer didn't turn up.  He had forgotten!!  Well it has now been re-arranged.

A slight panic from me as I was relying on this lesson to write up for you here on the blog because I haven't done anything 'crafty' this week - too busy!!

However I was saved by the bell, so to speak by another session on land conservation today!

The 'Yellow Brick Road' from last week

Well this path has grown, with a new name -

 

 

 

.. and now winds through the wood that is on top of the old Roman walls.

I am not sure what these buds are going to be but I couldn't resist taking a picture.

The wood pile has gone -

but there is now a pile of wood chips that I helped to diminish.

Our organiser has now learnt to drive the tractor and she and I filled the trailer with more wood

and I went for a walk to see what else had been done

I think fairies live in this tree as it is so gnarled and there are little doors!

Wood piles for small mammals and insects 

and I found the badger sett but couldn't get closer and the public will not be allowed here -

The mound of earth in front denotes badgers

The reason for all this hard work by the volunteers is because Chester Farm opens to the public on 1 May! 

However yesterday I was bone washing and when I arrived (a little late) there were trays of bones drying in the sun, but I was surprised to see a long human femur.

This Roman was about 6' in height

I decided to wash this -

Top half of a horses head!!

It was extremely difficult because I couldn't get it into the bowl and eventually I washed it under the tap with a bowl below to catch the soil.  It was heavy!!

The underneath  

All the finds are recorded in bags - this is a 2014 find, 1030 is the map reference for the site map and then each part of the animal is recorded.  These are also animal bones but I don't know what, as the bones are quite chunky and thick.  Cattle perhaps.

I also washed human bones but after a heavy horse head, I had an infant; so sad.