About the Project Stories
After 18 months of discussions and agreements from the landowner, Mr Nixey, the Parish Council and our funding partner, The Chiltern Conservation Board and with a line-up of very eager volunteers, we were finally ready to embark on the actual ‘hands-on’ restoration of Donkey Lane Community Orchard.
As the Orchard was hugely overgrown with waist-deep, thick-stemmed brambles, thick ivy overgrowths, general brash and fallen tree trunks, the number of volunteers at the first few working parties had to be restricted. After a health & safety chat and distribution of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), each person was given some tools and a place at the centre of the small cleared area to start clearing; radiating outwards. The plan – to find the known 20 old apple trees and the Chinnor Plum and with a great sense of purpose and adventure, the work began!
As well as the trees, and at least 30 years of accumulated rubbish, we knew there was an underground den and treehouse. When the ‘den’ area was cleared and inspected, it was found that some of the supporting timbers had been removed and the roof had collapsed. This would be something we would have to deal with and make safe. A structural survey was carried out on the treehouse and it was found that the floor was rotten and unsafe. Another potential hazard to sort out!
Whilst clearing brambles and ivy from the ground several things, apart from the trees, emerged; glass, this had to be and still is, the biggest find, from old windows, car windscreens, broken beer bottles to some very thick pieces of opaque glass – perhaps from old milk bottles.
There were some ceramic finds of small broken pieces of green, blue and white pottery and two treasures; a 1950s bee ornament and a small metal cast replica of Concord. Could any of this give an indication to the lives of the early inhabitants of the orchard? Maybe; we’re still waiting to find treasure!
The work in the Orchard in the first three months was phenomenal. We found the 21 fruit trees and more! Some of the trees were totally hidden under a heavy ‘blanket’ of ivy and some of the taller trees had so much ivy on the canopy, they were in danger of toppling over in high winds. Some of the trees had already fallen over and looked dead.
We had to take down the treehouse and infill the ‘den’ and in time, will make use of the wood and other materials to make wildlife habitats throughout the Orchard.
Those first few months were pivotal and the sense of achievement and pride by all was truly felt. The Orchard had gone from being extremely overgrown and almost impossible to get into with the fruit trees hidden and virtually no view of the surrounding area, to most of the fruit trees cleared of ivy and brambles as far up as possible. With the discovery of the fruit trees and, referring back to the 1877 map, it is possible that these could be the trees in the original photographs standing in the garden of the cottages over 150 years ago.
The work was tough, exhausting, back breaking but we all loved it. It was a real pleasure to see all the smiles. Amazingly, in the first three month, our volunteers gave an extraordinary 361 hours of their time working in the Orchard and collected over 50 bags of accumulated litter as well as a ‘pile’ of materials to use in the Orchard.
Whilst we haven’t found any ‘physical’ treasure yet, the biggest treasure is the Orchard itself. In clearing the ivy and opening up the trees to the air and light, the fruit trees responded brilliantly by giving us a beautiful display of blossom.
With the amazing response given from nature to the work done, we were delighted to open the Orchard and share it with the community with our first ever blossom day in April. Something we had not thought possible when we started work only a few months earlier.
This is only a snippet of what’s happened at the Orchard. There is still much to do and we hold regular working parties on the 1st Tuesday of the month 10-1pm and every 3rd Saturday of the month 1-4pm. Anyone is welcome to come and join us or just to have a chat and find out more about the Orchard.
If you would like to know more about the Donkey Lane Community Orchard project or get involved, please contact Linda on 07973 788993 or email greeningchinnor@gmail.com.
Linda Brawn January 2022
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