next task days
Over 16 years and sufficiently mobile? Then bring a packed lunch and enjoy a day working out in the open countryside in good company, and giving something back. We meet on the second Tuesday of the month for 9:30 and aim to clear up and finish the day's task by 15:00. The meeting point changes between the lane leading to Mount Fancy Farm or Underhill Lane (worst road now repaired and driveable - with care) leading to Shutes Farmhouse, depending on where the task is located in the reserve. There is of course no toilet or running water provision on site but nature can provide many opportunities if the need arises.
No prior experience or skills required. Simple hand tools will be provided and guidance given as appropriate. The tasks are varied, depending on the habitat, season and weather. The ground is rough, uneven and there are always soft wet areas around, so stout footwear and waterproofs are essential.
No prior experience or skills required. Simple hand tools will be provided and guidance given as appropriate. The tasks are varied, depending on the habitat, season and weather. The ground is rough, uneven and there are always soft wet areas around, so stout footwear and waterproofs are essential.
For our 10th Taskday on Tuesday 8th Oct we will meet up at Shutes Farmhouse, the very top end of Underhill Lane at 9:30. This time we will be coppicing hazel stools. Cutting down the stems, trimming off the side branches then creating a pyramid of twigs around the levelled stool to protect the new growth from deer grazing.. It is important to keep cutting these stools on a 10-15yr rotation. If left they get too old then die if then cut. Many wildlife forms evolved to live within the rotational cropping of hazel. The added bonus is that it will release a veteran oak and give it more light to prosper. Plenty of varied work for all skills and abilities.
As usual tea/coffee. tools and guidance as required are proved, just bring stout footwear and your enthusiasm!
As usual tea/coffee. tools and guidance as required are proved, just bring stout footwear and your enthusiasm!
C~For our ninth taskday, it will be the last bracken cut for this year. A final re-cut at the mound at the top of the site followed by re-cutting a section lower down the slope, by the gate, which has got too leggy. If time permits then we will move on to tackling brush/sapling growth surrounding a soakaway area back near the mound, so a little bit of everything on the day. A mix range of tools and skills using scythes, loppers or slashers, and bowsaws.
Join us at Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30, tools, tea/coffee and guidance if needed are provided. Just bring water, stout waterproof footwear and most of all your enthusiasm!
Join us at Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30, tools, tea/coffee and guidance if needed are provided. Just bring water, stout waterproof footwear and most of all your enthusiasm!
For our eight taskday on Tuesday 13th August we get to do something different. Part of transect route (Section 8) walked weekly had to be abandoned as it had become too wet to walk.
A new route to replace that abandoned part has now been agreed. Our task will be to follow the yellow flags, marking out the route, clearing a 1.5M wide path of undergrowth, saplings (cut as close as possible to the ground to minimise trip hazards), overhanging branches and to remove two horizontal branches blocking the route. So a little bit of everything using loppers, scythes or slashers, bowsaws and supporting Ian with his chainsaw. When it gets cleared then marker posts need to be driven in and there is always plenty more bracken to tackle. So it should be very enjoyable and varied day for all of us.
Jojn us at Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30 and we will provide the tools, tea/coffee and guidance if needed. You need to bring water, stout waterproof footwear (yes it is still a wet area) and most of all your enthusiasm!
A new route to replace that abandoned part has now been agreed. Our task will be to follow the yellow flags, marking out the route, clearing a 1.5M wide path of undergrowth, saplings (cut as close as possible to the ground to minimise trip hazards), overhanging branches and to remove two horizontal branches blocking the route. So a little bit of everything using loppers, scythes or slashers, bowsaws and supporting Ian with his chainsaw. When it gets cleared then marker posts need to be driven in and there is always plenty more bracken to tackle. So it should be very enjoyable and varied day for all of us.
Jojn us at Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30 and we will provide the tools, tea/coffee and guidance if needed. You need to bring water, stout waterproof footwear (yes it is still a wet area) and most of all your enthusiasm!
After a shaky start we are good to go on Tuesday 9th July with our seventh Task Day. A clash of coincidences had left us short but now a first aider has been found to attend. So do come along to Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30 where you will shown where to park.
Then enjoy the day in a wonderful setting, doing as much or as little as you can manage doing the pleasant relaxed task of cutting bracken. What better excuse is needed than to spend a day in the open air, doing something worthwhile and in good company? Tools, tea/coffee and guidance where needed all provide for free.
Then enjoy the day in a wonderful setting, doing as much or as little as you can manage doing the pleasant relaxed task of cutting bracken. What better excuse is needed than to spend a day in the open air, doing something worthwhile and in good company? Tools, tea/coffee and guidance where needed all provide for free.
This Tuesday 11th June, our sixth Task Day, will be the first of the easy summer jobs, cutting young bracken. We will be working at the top end of Mount Fancy, so glorious views, weather promises to be good and the work is easy. Best done by using a scythe, which we can help you to master, but anyway you like so long as the bracken stem is broken. Such an important task to help keep our wonderful grass and flower meadows open. do come along and give it a try, Tools, tea/coffee and company all provided for free. Join us at Mount Fancy Farm for 9:30, it does help if you let us know that you are coming!
Tuesday 14th taskday has been CANCELLED
The fifth taskday of this year, Tuesday 14th May, will be the last of the winter work tasks. Meeting again at Mount Fancy Farm itself, I'll be there to guide where to park, for 9:30. We will be working within an area known as 'soakaways', these are wet grassland areas which gather water before it runs-off. As you can imagine they are wet, often soft under-foot and beloved by willows. We will be cutting down these young growths so those very special wet loving grasses and plants can thrive. If we are lucky the willow can be dragged to where there will be a fire, otherwise we have to be sure to stack any willow off the ground to stop it re-rooting. Usual handtools, loppers, bowsaws, pruning saws, pitchfork and maybe a scythe to clear the undergrowth. Recent dry days have firmed up the ground within the reserve to a welcomed and noticeable degree, but, we will be working in a known wet area!
For the fourth task of 2004 we will be meeting at Mount Fancy Farm again at 9.30am, working until 3.00pm. We will be continuing with the task which we started on our March work party, tackling an area of birch and willow saplings and undergrowth below the bog/pond at Mount Fancy. If we clear that area and have sufficient time left we will then move on to an area where hazel coppicing has been started, and continue with more coppicing, and covering the cut stumps with the previously cut brash, to give some protection to new growth from the resident deer population.
Bow saws and loppers will be the order of the day, with perhaps a little scything once we have an area cleared of saplings.
Bow saws and loppers will be the order of the day, with perhaps a little scything once we have an area cleared of saplings.
Our third task day of 2024 will be on Tuesday 12th March and this time we will meet at the Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30. Ian will be there to guide you where to park. The primary task is to rake up the bracken windrows formed last year, or the cut bracken (not the fallen bracken) and take to one heap. There are two separate areas to be raked but you will be shown where. This is a first time, so very much an experiment to see how it goes, it should be a doodle. As we only have two rakes and pitchforks, the rest of us will be cutting down more young saplings and stacking nearby. We will be cutting in a wet area and because of the recent rain, it will be very wet and soft, so wellies would be a good choice. As always there will be some bramble mixed in with the saplings, so gloves are essential. Tools, apart from the rake/pitchfork, bow saws. loppers, pruning saws and a slasher or scythe to clear the undergrowth. A good mix of work for all skills then.
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The second task day of 2024 will be on Tuesday February 13th. This time we will be meeting and parking in Shutes Farmhouse for 9:30. We will be taking down young stems to clear a path for the ponies so they do not use the bridge. Then haloing a splendid veteran old tree or two. Nice easy work. Tools mainly bowsaws, pruning saws, loppers and slasher or scythe to clear the undergrowth. We will be stacking any arisings. If there is a good turn out, these initial task get completed then we can move on, to another patch where we have worked before, and extend cutting the saplings there.
The first task day of 2024 will be Tuesday 9th January when we will return to the same place as last time to finish clearing the area. Once again meeting at Mount Fancy Farm itself for 9:30 where we will be there to direct the parking. The worst of the bramble has been tackled, just a few outlier clumps to cut and then the mounds of old grass/sedges, which are easy to cut. In addition the two twin stemmed sliver birches to take down and process. If the weather holds we can burn the brash again. A mixed bag then, more scythe work, log saws, loppers to clear and pitchfork to carry to fire site. Work for all abilties then.
Task Day 006 will be Tuesday 12th December. Access this time will be the next lane along towards Mount Fancy Farm itself. At the crossroads with Taunton behind you, head on, towards the A303, and take the very next righthand turn. Watch out, the signpost and the junction are concealed by the hedgerows. Once again follow it all the way to the very top where we will be there to guide you where to park. The task this time is easy, so it should be a relaxed day. Plenty of time to take in the splendid setting and to nibble a mince-pie or two. The low-lying bramble clumps are spreading and needs to be cut back and then carted off to where we can have a bonefire (wind permitting). If you can manage loppers or a fork this is the chance to give it a go. Working out in the open doing something worthwhile whilst enjoying the company, taking in the rich wildlife around and the satisfaction of completing the task together.
Task Day 005 will be Tuesday 14th November with access again from Underhill Lane. Take the lane opposite the Greyhound Pub then bear left after 200M and follow it to the very top. Parking will be in Shute Farmhouse where we will be there to greet you for 9:30. This task initially looks daunting, but with willing hands and little snips here and there, it will succumb to our attentions easily. We will be tackling a large overgrown Blackthorn tree which is tangled up with bramble. So gloves are essential! You might want to bring along eye-protection. Our Brown Hairstreak butterfly, which we need to encourage, prefers new second year Blackthorn growth closer to the ground and free of bramble. This overgrown tree provides no benefit but will send up many new growths for later years. It is expected to burn nearby anything we cut off. Come along, give it a try and take the opportunity to see other parts of our Reserve.
Task Day 004 will be 10th October with access from Underhill Lane. Take the lane opposite the Greyhound Pub then bear left after 200M and follow to the very top. Parking will be in Shute Farmhouse where we will be there to greet you for 9:30. The task this time is to clear the ground of bramble and sapling regrowth. Mainly loppers or some slasher/scythe work. It is in a hazel coppice area, so we will cut back any birch but leave to hazel stools, protecting them with twig pyramids. It should be any easy day, but rewarding if we can keep this special area open. .
Task Day 003 will be 12th September and will be further bracken management, but now the second young growth so it should be an easy task. If time allows and you are up for it there will still be plenty of old bracken left to cut and rake!
Access will be from Parsonage Lane, the very next crossroad on from Staple Fitzpaine (arriving from Taunton direction), easily missed. Follow this to the very end, do not take the left fork. I will meet you at the farmhouse, W3W:What3Words: ///spill.ruler.clays) and show you where to park.
This is an easy task day so do come along and see how you get on!
Access will be from Parsonage Lane, the very next crossroad on from Staple Fitzpaine (arriving from Taunton direction), easily missed. Follow this to the very end, do not take the left fork. I will meet you at the farmhouse, W3W:What3Words: ///spill.ruler.clays) and show you where to park.
This is an easy task day so do come along and see how you get on!
Task Day 002 will be 8th August and it is now confirmed that there will be further bracken management of cutting and raking. Access to the Reserve will be from Shutes Farmhouse, Underhill Lane, Staple Fitzpaine (W3W: lower.lighters.origin). We will meet up at the farmhouse for 9:30 as usual. Just a few extra hands doing easy simple tasks would make so much difference. Do come along and give it a tryout.
For our first Task Day we will meet up for 9:30 at Shutes Farmhouse, the far end of Underhill Lane. Go to the crossroads in Staple Fitzpaine, then take the lane directly opposite to the Greyhound, branching left within a couple of hundred yards, follow it all the way to the very end. This used to be the worst road in Somerset, but temporary repairs have now been carried out and it now drivable. I look forward to seeing you there.
COming? then join us or email us
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If you have not attended before, for insurance reasons, please do fill out the application form with those simple basic details.
To ensure there are tools for you and to enable us to plan out the task do please EMail me at Ian Walker [email protected] and let us know that you plan to attend.
To ensure there are tools for you and to enable us to plan out the task do please EMail me at Ian Walker [email protected] and let us know that you plan to attend.
