Newquay Community Orchard
Newsletter / May 2015 / Issue 7
NEWSLETTER
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!
It is…well, with us at the Orchard
anyway! We have had a great
month and it looks like May will
be just as good…or even better!
Our volunteers finished the
pallet fence and planted all the
strawberries so hopefully we are
in for a treat in summer when
it’s harvest time…strawberry
tart, strawberry smoothies or
just plain straight from the plant
maybe with some ice cream..?!
Yummy…!
They have also created a 4 bed
rotation, having dug out four
planting beds near the compost
area. The principle of crop
rotation is to grow specific groups
of vegetables on a different part
of the vegetable plot each year.
This helps to reduce a build-up
of crop-specific pest and disease
problems and it organises groups
of crops according to their
cultivation needs.
So far we have sown and planted
lettuce, pak choi and root
vegetables. In the greenhouse
we have started cucumbers,
tomatoes, sunflowers and
pumpkin. Volunteer and tree
sponsor Jackie has kindly given
us a second greenhouse which
we are now putting up…thank
you so much!
The brigade from Newquay
Community Fire Station has been
on site to visit and lend a hand…
they have filled our 1000L water
butts and are happy to help
out regularly on Wednesdays.
Fabulous news as we have quite
a bit of physical work ahead
of us like continuing with the
ampitheatre and starting on the
tyre wall around the community
growing space… for some
reason quite a lot of female
volunteers are booked in for
these days.
On Earth Day the Green
Party visited us to plant some
herbaceous perennials , we have
created a wildflower bed with
some beautiful wooden discs,
build shelves with coat hangers
for the volunteer shed, spent a
lot of time watering our trees due
to the lovely weather and after
a lot hot hard work we treated
ourselves to a spontaneous
bbq organised by some of our
volunteers.
For this month we are putting in
a small pond but for you who are
already getting their fishing gear
ready… unfortunately there will
be no fish in our pond. We are
trying to attract newts - fish will
just deplete the food source and
natives won’t be attracted to the
pond if there are fish in it. Also,
we don’t have capacity to put a
pump in to oxygenate the water
or means of protecting them
completely from cats. We will
end up harming them rather than
caring for them unfortunately so
for your dinner we am afraid you
will have to stick to the harbour or
your local fishmonger.
We will start with the under
planting of the forest glade
beds (the bottom four layers),
sow more vegetables in our
4-bed rotation, continue with the
ampitheatre and start on the wall
around the community growing
space with the help of our
local fire brigade and Glendale
Services, sow more wildflowers
and maintain the site.
JOIN OUR FUNDRAISING & EVENTS TEAM.
We are now structuring the
work for our volunteers a
bit more so everyone can
choose what area they would
like to be involved with.
Whether you would like to
work within your comfort
zone or challenge yourselfwe want to bring out the
best in you!
There will be different
volunteer teams ( you can
join as man teams as you
like!) for site maintenance,
educational workshops,
mental health, fundraising
& events, administration...to
name a few.
We would like to invite you
to join our FUNDRAISING &
EVENTS TEAM. We already
have a few events lined up
but are looking to organise
more - especially during
summer, both on and off site.
Roles will include market
research, promotion, event
co-ordination, fundraising,
budgeting, etc. , to help
ensure the smooth and
efficient running of our
events.
You don’t just get to use
and improve existing skills
but also gain new ones have
the opportunity to gain
an SEQ (Social Enterprise
Qualification) for free!
If you are keen to be part
of our Fundraising and
Events Team please email
us to info@newquayorchard.
co.uk by Friday May 8th
2015.
We look forward to hearing
from you!
I CONCEIVE THAT THE LAND BELONGS TO A VAST FAMILY OF
WHICH MANY ARE DEAD, FEW ARE LIVING, AND COUNTLESS
NUMBERS ARE STILL UNBORN. - NIGERIAN CHIEF
www.newquayorchard.co.uk
VOLUNTEER
Q&A
This is Laura, our sunshine
volunteer. Laura definitely prefers
the sunny days on site as she is
used to nice weather from her
home country, Spain, where she
worked as an Environmental
Technician before coming to
Cornwall to improve her English.
She is also a very talented
hobby photographer and her
shots from our volunteer BBQ
and our Easter egg hunt clearly
show her skills. Between making
the most delicious Spanish
tortilla and teaching our young
volunteers the Spanish words for
“wheelbarrow” and “watering
can” she found time to answer
some questions for us…
read the local paper and there
it was…Newquay Community
Orchard on the front page! At
the same time, my housemates
and Volunteer Cornwall
mentioned the project…. the
Orchard was everywhere!
patience with my English, and I
feel happy every time I go. I feel
very lucky for being able to be
part of this team.
2) Why did you get involved?
It has to be apple pie. Also, few
weeks ago I tasted a pasty with
apples...delicious!
Because I love the outdoors and
nature, and everything related
to environment. I think we all
like to rediscover the pleasure
of eating homegrown fruits and
vegetables. I worked on a small
orchard in Madrid with people
with disabilities, it was a great
experience and I wanted to
continue similar work.
1) When did you get involved
with Newquay Orchard and how 3) What is the best thing about
did you hear about this project? the orchard?
I got involved in February this
year, when I came to Newquay
from Spain to learn English. I was
looking for an environmental
project to be involved with. I
WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
AMELIA BERKELEY
Creative Design Manager
Janka interviews Amelia, our Creative Design
Manager
This is Amelia- not just one of my best and
longest friends but also mum to little Felix
and wife to Luke. Needless to ask how she
got involved with the project but as most of
her work is behind the scenes I am bursting
to know what exactly does she do for the
Orchard…
J: Hi Amelia… you must be superwoman!
Working your paid job, running around after
a little toddler, putting up with Luke AND
volunteering for the Orchard..! Most of your
work is done behind the scenes and we all
just see the beautiful end product…could
I have to say it’s definitely the
people. From my first day at the
Orchard they have been so nice
and helpful! Everything is easy
with them, they have a lot of
you tell us a bit more about what exactly you
do?
A: Haha, yes it is full on but I really enjoy it
all! For the Orchard I do the logo and all the
branding. I do all the graphic design stuff
so all the ads and flyers, newsletter & social
media graphics…basically I make things look
pretty.
J: You do! We have had lots of compliments
on our logo, newsletter and flyers so you are
obviously doing a great job… what’s your
background as it all looks very professional?
A: Thanks, I have a degree in Graphic Design
and have been working freelance for the past
seven years. But for the last year I have been
doing this full time which enables me to be
at home with Felix as well as work.
J: So you are volunteering for the Orchard by
doing something you normally get paid for!
A: Yes but I love being involved with the
project and giving back to the community
who welcomed me with open arms when I
first arrived in 2006.
J: Wow, that’s how long we have been
friends…time flies! So what do you get up in
your (probably rather spare) free time?
A: I like keeping fit with yoga and zumba,
walking along the coast and beaches as I
love the sea… I am planning to dip my toes
back into the surfing world this summer.
J: Fabulous, thanks for your time and I shall
see you in the water hanging 5 then…
To check out some of Amelia’s work visit her
website: www.ameliaberkeley.co.uk
BE GREEN, BE ENERGY, FEEL SPRING, JUMP, TRY,
GROW, INSPIRE, CREATE, BLOOM, SUN, BELIEVE....
4) What is your favourite food/
drink that contains apples?
5) How do you imagine the
Newquay Community Orchard in
10 years?
I imagine that it will not only
be a wonderful and colourful
orchard, but also an important
place for Newquay. This orchard
has plenty of people with lots
of great ideas about education,
health, sustainability, etc...I
do believe that with so many
talented people and a strong
support from the council and
local authorities everything is
possible!!
VOLUNTEER OF THE
MONTH:
JOYCE BIRCH
This is Joyce, our volunteer of the month.
Joyce has been with us since we first
went on site. Whether it was clearing
the site, washing the greenhouse glass
or helping put up the volunteer shedJoyce is not afraid to get her hands dirty.
When we ran out of nails while putting
up the volunteer shed she ran home and
rummaged through her garage to bring
some on site! During tree planting session
Joyce brought her whole family to the
Orchard who all sponsored and named
trees and when the vegetable beds were
being planted she donated some lettuce
she had propagated at home to plant.
We can always count on Joyce and would
like to say Thank You for being part of our
fantastic team of volunteers!
www.newquayorchard.co.uk
HEDGEHOG QUIZ
It is Hedgehog Awareness Week this month (3rd-9th
May) so let’s check your hedgehog knowledge
1) What substance are hedgehogs spines made from? a) Keratin, b) Bone or c) Ivory
2) What kind of insect lives on a hedgehog?
ASK NEILL ANYTHING
3) What is it called when a hedgehog sheds its baby Orchard supporter Ann from
Scotland asks:
a) Tick, b) Flea or c) Termite
spines for adult spines?
a) Quilling, b) Spineing or c) Prickling
4) What are hedgehogs favourite foods?
a) Centipedes & millipedes, b) Slugs & worms or c) Beetles & bugs
5) What is a male hedgehog called?
a) Boar, b) Bull or c) Buck
6) What scientific ‘Order’ do Hedgehogs belong to?
a) Erinaceomorpha, b) Carnivora or c) Rodentia
7) What is a hedgehogs living behaviour?
a) Crepuscular, b) Nocturnal or c) Diurnal
8) If threatened, what do hedgehogs do as self defence against predators?
a) put up its front paws, b) dig a hole to hide in, or c) roll up into a ball
9) Hedgehogs are born without the initial capability to do this:
a)smell, b) see or c) hear
10) How do hedgehogs hibernate?
a) in groups, b) in pairs or c) alone
My Camelia’s leaves are starting
to turn yellow around the edges. I have given it some food (fish,
blood and bone fertilizer) but it is
still not looking right and it hasn’t
really grown since last year. I was
wondering if I should dig it up and
plant it in a pot with all ericaceous
compost plus some food. My soil
is mostly clay based, although I did
prepare the soil before planting it
in the ground.
Neill says:
It sounds like magnesium deficiency.
Best give it some Epsom salt and
leave it where it is for the time being
and keep an eye on her. The salt
may take a while to take effect, give
it another couple of weeks and then
maybe try it in a pot.
SLOW-WORM (ANGUIS FRAGILIS)
Often mistaken for snakes, they
are actually legless lizards and
distinguished by their eyelids
and ear openings. Adults are
smooth and shiny with a grey or
bluish belly. The female is brown
with copper or red markings
on her back ad black or brown
sides. Some have a dark stripe
along the middle of the back.
The male is greyish, brown or
copper-brown, typically without
striped but occasionally with
blue spots. Juveniles are silver/
gold with black or brown sides.
Most active at dusk, slow-worms
eat slow moving prey such as
slugs, worms and snails, as well
as the odd insect or spider.
Adults emerge from hibernation
in March and mating takes place
between Mid-May and late June.
Habitats for slow-worms are
gardens, parks and rural areas
where small invertebrates are
found. Slow-worms shelter
under stones, logs or corrugated
iron sheets in sun, rather
than basking, and are fond of
compost heaps.
Slow-worms can be locally
abundant and likely to be the
most commonly seen reptilein
Britain, but are at risk of habitat
destruction. They are protected
by law, making it illegal o
deliberately kill, injure or sell
them.
ADOPT A TREE
We have now planted all of our
trees for this season, there will
be no more planting until winter
2015. However, as we had such an
overwhelming success with our tree
sponsor programme, we are now
offering a “Tree Adopting Scheme”.
You can adopt a tree (Woodland or
Cornish Heritage) which is already
planted and name it. You will
receive a certificate (if you come
on site to name your tree we would
love for you to sign our visitor’s
book) and you will be able to find
your tree on a map online (this is
currently in development stage) so
in years to come you can always find
your tree when you visit us on site.
If you are interested in adopting a
tree at the Orchard please email us
to [email protected]
DO YOU FANCY BEING INVOLVED?
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Join in and be a part of our community.
Quiz Answers: 1. Keratin, 2. Flea, 3. Quilling, 4. Slugs and Worms, 5. Boar,
6. Erinaceomorpha, 7. Nocturnal, 8. Roll up into a ball, 9. See, 10. Alone
WHEN ONE TUGS AT A SINGLE THING IN NATURE, HE FINDS IT ATTACHED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD. - JOHN MUIR
GOT ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SITE?
Events (music, theatre, comedy etc..),
do you have any questions?
you’d like, plants we could include? Or
Get in touch: [email protected] | Facebook | Twitter
www.newquayorchard.co.uk