im finding organising the well meaning and competent but busy into an effective unit on a mission with a timetable set by the seasons far more difficult than expected but fund raising,getting folk willing to assist with technical stuff and gathering assorted volunteers to help has been far easier than i expected.
the clearing about 20 medium sized willow and leylandii trees ,planting and pruning window is mid nov to mid feb with at least a month out for the mid winter festivities at a good guess gives about 8 weeks of intensive practical stuff and all the necessary agreements, tree orders,funds etc etc need to be in place in time(2 months ish).
there is a lot to do in a couple of months in both phases but if we get there i recon organising the practical bit will be the easier stage of the job.
OtleyLad
Joined: 13 Jan 2007 Posts: 2737 Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
Posted: Sat Sep 05, 15 4:41 am Post subject:
We're still waiting to sign the lease. I'm hoping that we will meet with the council in the next 2 weeks and then we can start digging. I've taken 2 weeks off work so I can now prod the council to get on with it.
We've now drawn up a detailed plan of the site and already talked to half a dozen other local groups who are up for contributing (with time and/or money).
Today we're going to hand out leaflets in the local market to promote our bid for the local Voice Your Choice funding ballot. As we make more noise we are getting more enquiries from people who want to join us (some who really want to contribute and others to follow. I'm hoping that we can end up with a core team of about 6 reliable, committed, optimistic, pro-active people who can push it all forward. Well, I can dream.
Yesterday I got an email from someone who wants to sponsor a tree - this is our scheme to raise money over the long term. You can sponsor a tree and get your name on it (though thats optional). We can get an awful lot of small trees on 2.5 acres. We've just mentioned this on the website - so people are taking notice.
Its going to be a long term project - I'm prepared for that.
we just had our first face to face committee meeting on site,lots of stuff clarified and i think we are all singing in the same key if not in harmony yet
it looks like all is well so far,we still have quite a way to go but after a bit of a push it looks like the engine is running.
Dpack, hope the car park extension is favourable to you. Glad you have got everyone together and going the same way. Otleylad, good to get your first tree sponsor. A good way to go.
i think the old trees are newton wonder one of the local apple experts thinks they might be and the description in this id guide matches what i have in bits on the table and the age/location etc of the trees
Nice to have an identification. Slightly off topic, but the farm shop I patronise are going through their early varieties now, so we seem to be on to a different one each week. Makes a change from a choice of just one or two varieties.
OtleyLad
Joined: 13 Jan 2007 Posts: 2737 Location: Otley, West Yorkshire
it is worth remembering that small trees can become big trees and having to thin "memorial "trees might cause bother in a few years.
To avoid this we're saying to tree sponsors that they can select from a limited list of trees. Also any fruit trees will be grafted onto dwarfing rootstock - so we can get more into the available space.
We've got a date now in (2 weeks) from the council to discuss the lease - so hopefully when thats sorted we can actually get our hands dirty.
the final draft of the constitution is done and 4 copies printed to sign and i have 3 decently tweaked snaps to go with some qorfs (what are gorfs?) for the facebook page
gorfs are words typed in near darkness
fingers and hoofs crossed we should be up and running properly quite soon.there is still lots to be done and for every task completed i find two more i can see we might get to work during this winter's planting and pruning season.
im hoping once we are up and running to have a go at finding out what the volunteers have in terms of skills ,resources and inclinations.we are well into double figures for volunteers so between them i hoping for cake ,some storage space near the site and a pick up truck
the other good thing about sorting this to "officially"running is that we can then go fully public ,seek more funding etc etc .(or more work as i think of it )
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