Hazel Gathering

Tues 23rd Feb

Today we went to the woods to gather the hazel to make the stakes that hold the straw bales together.

Everyone had a go at going into the woods and cutting the straight shoots from the hazel trees. It was so pretty with the catkins blowing in the breeze.

The wood needed to be stripped at the ends and shaved.

A makeshift shaving horse was created and instruction on how to use a draw-knife given.

Booters and Student ambassadors all managed to make a massive pile of stakes ready to spear the bales together.

There is something very theraputic about shaving wood, a very worthwhile activity that has created some new materials for the build. Even the shavings were dried and used to light the woodburning stove – nothing is wasted.

Great work.