November at Thornham

We have to admit it has been a bit of a grey and drizzly week at Thornham, however the school from Bramfield enjoyed a sunny and happy day doing our team building course.

The winter is a good time for maintenance and the Thornham Owl Project have over 180 bird of prey boxes which they have to check over the winter. The project which works alongside us at Thornham Field Centre put up boxes they have made in the locality. They are for birds of prey.

Each box is numbered and monitored and when the chicks hatch they are weighed and measured (by licensed handlers) Check out more pictures on the video below:

Tuesday 21st October 2008

Autumn Colours
The national news is full of the wonderful colours of the trees this autumn because of the sunny weather. It is well worth coming to Thornham to see for yourself.

There are still a few flowers left in our wild life garden which you can find by the Field Centre Office. This garden is maintained by Tim from the Upper Waveney Valley Project and his volunteers. The garden has been made to give visitors and school groups some ideas for what they can do to garden to attract wildlife and how to grow vegetables in raised beds and containers. Tim has just been given a green house and he is busily planting sweet peas for next year, he has also made a compost area to rival that on Gardener's World!

Take a short walk along the surfaced path to the Thornham Walled Garden. The clients in the garden have been working very hard to harvest the fruit and vegetables which they make into jams, jellies and chutneys. It is interesting to wander amongst the fruit trees looking at the labels, they are old fashioned varieties such as Lord Derby, Lady Henniker, Lord Lambourne, Newton Wonder.

Several of the Walled Garden clients enjoy cooking and today were making
flap jacks and short bread biscuits.
For more details about Thornham Walled Garden see our web site www.thornham.org.uk


Half Term Activity
Don't forget to come to our Birding Banquet on Monday 27th October. This activity is organised by Thornham Walks and the Upper Waveney Valley Project. Come and make your own bird food and feeders. We will start with a walk to collect berries and seeds which will be added to a lard and seed mixture and put into various feeders for you to take home to feed the birds in your garden. Start 2.00 p.m. ends 4.00 p.m. meet in the main car park. The cost is £3 per child (accompanying adults free)

An autumn walk at Thornham

OCTOBER 2008
At Thornham you can take a gentle stroll along the surfaced foot path or pick up a Thornham Walk's map from the car park and go further afield. The cattle are still on the Park, they are prize winning Limousins (with one or two Belgian Blues) they will soon be taken in for the winter.

Follow the path as it meanders through the woods, you may see
spindle

a few blackberries, although they are nearly over

there should still be some haws

and some sloes

look out for fungi, it is quite a good year this year. You might like to come on the Thornham Walks Fungi Foray on Sunday 19th October (booking essential, please ring 01379 78345)



When you reach the Walled Garden, it is worth having a look inside. The garden is maintained by the clients who come to the garden for horticultural therapy. They range in age from 15 to over 50. Some clients enjoy mowing the grass, some pick the fruit which is sold to visitors and in a shop in Eye. Some have their own vegetable plots. Cooking is a popular activity and fruit and vegetables grown in the garden is made into jams, jellies and preserves to be sold to visitors. They make delicious soup and apple cakes for their own lunches.



Return to the surfaced path and take a look at the Folly. Look carefully and notice that it is made of recycled pieces from the local church.

Wander off the path along one of the grassy rides, or return to the car park. We do hope you enjoy your autumn walk at Thornham