Free range hens learn woodwork
Jul 18th, 2007 by Jenny
This month I went to a very green hen party. It was a really exciting weekend, with all the spice of other hen parties I’ve been invited to – but the hens I met at this particular girly gathering were distinctly free range – and the weekend was more fun than any other hen gathering I’ve so far been to!
Ten of us shared three cars, and went camping for a weekend at Bore Place in Kent, where the Commonwork Trust www.commonwork.org run weekend courses in ecology, willow weaving, hedge laying, brick making and all sorts of other things, along with an organic farm, extensive gardens and nature reserves.
We took a two day course in green woodwork and willow weaving, where we learned to make all kinds of useful items from waste wood and willow. I made a mallet and a salad server using axes, shaving horses and a whittling knife. Jane, the bride leading the party, made a rounders bat and a planting dibber using a pole lathe.
And the next day all of us made beautiful obelisks from willow canes – mine is now on my allotment where I intend to use it as a bean frame.In the evenings, we sat outside our tents watching the sun go down on Bore Place’s beautiful gardens.
One wet evening we borrowed wellies from the farm, and followed a footpath around the edge of the estate to walk into the nearby village, where we enjoyed a lovely pub dinner. We walked back (in a somewhat wiggly line) by torchlight and fell into bed very tired, but having thoroughly enjoyed our woodland walk in the darkness.
Coming home from a long weekend with new skills, useful wooden tools I had made myself and lots of new friends, I felt that this was one hen party that had been really worthwhile. Jane, whose wedding is now fast approaching, really enjoyed a weekend away from the planning. And all the girls learned something new as well as getting to meet each other before the big day.
The whole thing, including a share of the petrol, our campsite, our food, our materials and our tuition by Underwoodsman John Waller came to a grand total of £130. Not bad for a weekend away with two days of expert tuition in woodwork thrown in!