No comments yet

Signage, Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston gig, and growing aspirations

You will have noticed that we have had the contractors in last week to widen the main entrance. This was a Highways condition of our original planning permission when we applied to build the education centre.  It will be another gate width with a second metal gate, a duplicate of what we have there already.  In due course, our Tuppenny logo will be embellished on both gates by a blacksmith.  Tomorrow, on Monday 30th January, the contractors will return to start the dropped kerb work outside our driveway.  We will also have proper signage erected at the entrance and to the east of our perimeter line. Tuppenny Barn outside signage has been a sorry tale of real frustration over the last few years and we know how bad it is. We have applied on several occasions for signage planning so here’s hoping third time round it is completed with the necessary Council approval!

Last night, I went to watch the extremely talented Miranda Sykes and Rex Preston at the barn, the first gig this year for the Music@theBarn team. They played to a packed house and what a treat we had! They went down a storm, quite rightly so with the quality of the music they produced. Claire Falla, with assistance from David Holmes, has put together an eclectic programme of 9 gigs for this year with the next being Joe Topping on Sunday 25th Feb. Our website has details of all other Music@theBarn gigs.

Tomorrow, on Monday 30 January, I will be sending off the final orders for seeds, bulbs and tubers for all our growing aspirations for 2017.  It is always an exciting time planning for new growth with old favourites and newcomers to be tried out. Lindsey and the growing team have just about finished the large fruit bush pruning job and Antonio has planted a new batch of Autumn Bliss raspberries to give us more fruit in the early autumn time. The asparagus tubers are due to be re-planted this week and we will start marking out where the first of the new flower growing beds are to go. We will be able to use some of the soil that has been taken out of the entrance area by the contractors so a timely recycling action!

Chantelle’s fish filleting afternoon session for next Sunday has now sold out. She will be running another Sunday session on 19th Feb for those who missed next weekend.

I know that there are quite a few supporters of Sarah Hughes, our District Wildlife Officer within the Tuppenny community. She has done some amazing work at Tuppenny Barn and is currently planning the next phase of our hedgerow improvement to the south of our land. She will be lowering the hedgerow to where it was previously pollard, with the mature Ashes being left (but some overhanging branches removed) and a mature Hawthorn. She is creating a wildlife corridor, in visibility of the Educations Centre, but softened with the mature trees and a laid hedgerow in between. The next volunteer working party for this will be in March, further information to follow.  Sarah is also about to do a parachute jump with her daughter Maddie, in memory of her mum, to raise money for St Wilfred’s Hospice who have supported their family. To help them in raising their target of £500 you can go to http://bit.ly/2kgBxc6. I know Sarah would very much appreciate your help in this great cause.