The herb garden at Cae Bodfach is actually called ‘Cae Ysbyti’. Cae Ysbyty means ‘hospital field’ and was a flower rich meadow field where sick animals would be taken to self medicate by grazing on the wild flowers. Grace Maycock working with Sector 39 had a vision for Bodfach’s Cae Ysbyty two years ago and…
Read MoreThe grass in the Community Forest garden at Cae Bodfach has grown up good and tall. We have been mowing paths through it every couple of weeks and the pathways are looking lovely. We purposefully don’t cut some areas as long grass is great for wildlife. It provides good habitat, food sources and shelter needed…
Read MoreLocal Materials Last week at Cae Bodfach Hannah and I strengthened the circular dead hedge inside the herb garden using the left over willow. So simple yet so effective. Using local materials or those which you have to hand makes for a far stronger and more sustainable design. The willow was grown onsite, coppiced and…
Read MoreThis winter we have planted over 400 native trees and shrubs at Cae Bodfach with local volunteers, MENCAP and Llanfyllin high school students in the form of shelter belts and hedgerows. Go Team! A mixed variety of native tree and shrubs including Hazel, Dog rose, Blackthorn and Elder were planted to fill in the gaps…
Read MoreA very interesting day at the river with Dewi Morris, Emyr Jones and the Llanfyllin High School Sixth Form. Today we learnt how to make ‘soft river revetments’ using bundles of brash, galvanized wire and sweet chestnut stakes. This low tech, low cost solution to improving degraded and eroding river banks has multiple benefits including…
Read MoreWe have been coppicing the willow hedge these past couple of weeks at Cae Bodfach. In permaculture we like to say “every element in a design must perform at least 3 functions.” We have had multi functional uses and yields from the willow hedge that was planted in Cae Bodfach only three years ago. It…
Read MoreJust wanted to say a BIG THANK YOU to Alan Hughes of D.A.Hughes Forestry (www.dahughesforestry.co.uk) for kindly donating a huge bag of good quality wood chip to the community orchard. We have re-mulched the dome and herb garden pathway with it. And another BIG THANK YOU to Merve and Ann for the loan of their…
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