Fishpond Wood for tasks and training: 25-10-2016

If you have ever wondered how charcoal is made then you would have done well to attend an excellent training session that six of the NCvs, along with three other interested parties, opted for this week. Peter Brambleby, the owner of Fishpond Wood, was teaching us how to use a small, purpose built charcoal burner to turn wood into charcoal. This is an ancient woodland skill that was used as long ago as the 1100s, by the monks from Fountains Abbey, in Old Spring Wood a little further down the valley. James had also provided an oil drum (thanks to Nidderdale Motors) to try a more 'home made' approach.

For those readers who are interested in the theory you can find out how to achieve success by visiting this WikiHow webpage; this Steward Wood website or watching this Youtube video. For others who prefer to buy their charcoal at the local garage the photos below will show you what we were doing.

First the 'Midi' burner had to be moved to a suitable 
 levelled spot in the wood - not too close to a tree 
and definitely never on top of a peat bed!!
The round metal tube was placed on its four vents.

 Next some pieces of wood were placed on the 
base of the burner to act as 'joists' upon which 
the smaller pieces could be arranged.

 Then it was every man for himself whilst many trugs full of wood 
were emptied, in layers, on the joists.

The burner was half filled and set alight with a firelighter.

 Then - more wood was piled in as quickly as possible.

We had to then wait for the smoke to change colour from 
white (signifying that it was full of water)...

....to a grey (signifying that the wood was really starting to burn 
- or that the Nidderdale pope had been elected). 
Then the lid was put on....

...and the two movable chimneys were placed in two of the vents.
Every so often the chimneys were swapped around.

After that we had to wait again until the lid had 
settled down on top of the tube and could be sealed with sand.

During our waits we got busy with James's oil drum, 
following his instructions carefully.

We went through a similar process - without the chimneys.

Capping the drum off with its lid proved to be problematic 
as the lid fell inside the drum once it expanded with the heat. 
Not to be beaten, Osian simply covered it with  soil to seal the top.

Once the burners were fully working and closed down they had to be left for at least 24 hours. We have been promised a photograph of the outcome once they are emptied and it will be posted here for all to see which of the two kilns worked better. What we are hoping for is something that looks like this:

Here's some that Peter made earlier.

Whilst this was all going on, elsewhere in the wood seven other NCVs were busy clearing the fallen sycamore leaves from the access paths and continuing our work of clearing rhododendron from around mature trees. The charcoal trainees joined them during the afternoon. Again - photos show their progress.

Tut tut - the path to the ice house is really in need of sweeping 

before the leaves compost down into mud on our nice new gravel.

Thanks Ruth - that looks a lot better.

An impenetrable forest of rhododendron branches surrounded us.

No problem - we'll soon have that lot out of the way!

Gradually a beautiful tree is revealed...

...and a tangled mass of cut rhodies is transported 
down the slope to the side of the pond, ready for burning.

Now you can see right through to the back of the tree.

Back at the barn Phil and Jan were busy sharpening tools 

and cutting 8 old pallets down to make bug hotels.

 

Any spare wood was cut up for the log burning stove.

IMPORTANT NEWS IMPORTANT NEWS IMPORTANT NEWS IMPORTANT NEWS

The NCVs have been nominated for a 2016 Harrogate Council Group Volunteering Oscar (Wildlife Category)!!

The result of the nomination will be announced at a ceremony on Friday 28th October. The group is pleased to have been nominated and are keeping their fingers crossed that they will be successful. Perhaps non NCV readers could join in with this sure fire way of ensuring success? More news at the weekend.

Ros E.