Course News in Brief

News in Brief

Janet Sandys-Renton has left and we wish her all the best for the future.

Julie Aalen was appointed in June as office administrator after helping in the Longport office as a volunteer. Born in Chichester and brought up on a farm, Julie worked for over 20 years for Barclays Bank, finally as financial services unit manager. Julie is a cheerful and helpful member of the office team; do pop in to meet her!

Christine Standing has moved from a desk in Longport farmhouse to one in the building from Lavant but continues to work as the school and group bookings secretary: being close to the heart of the education department is definitely a help for this task. Carol Smith, who was most helpful in the office, has now reverted to her volunteer role.

To enable staff to fulfil their roles efficiently and as an aid to improving the availability of information the Museum is planning a new computer network between Longport farmhouse, the Goodwood granary, the Downland Gridshell, the Library and the building from Lavant. Computers will also be upgraded. To help improve our customer service voice mail facilities will be built into the existing phone system. An investment in technology is needed, especially with the Gridshell shortly to come on stream.

Other new faces at the Museum include Doug Green, who started as a volunteer but was appointed earlier this year as relief duty officer and works as warden every third weekend and at special events. Doug's weekends here, walking around the 50-acre site and perhaps covering more than five miles a day, are very different to weekdays, when he drives for Ivy Wines!

Carol Brinson's husband Malcom has taken a sabbatical as a music teacher at a school in Kuwait and Carol is accompanying him on the 10-month trip, causing her to relinquish her position as duty officer. Guy Viney has been appointed in her place. Guy has been working part-time with Mike Wall in cataloguing and organising the Museum's collection prior to its transfer to the Downland Gridshell. We look forward to seeing Guy more often as he takes on this second part-time post.

Out in the Garden

The star of the lettuces this year was a variety called Fat Lazy Blonde, grown in the Poplars and Walderton gardens. It was an outstanding success, as was American Curled, also grown there. Of the root vegetables green-topped white carrots have done very well: they are the size of small parsnips and have a mild flavour.

The onions at Bayleaf failed miserably, partly due, I’m sure, to the poor quality organic setts we had this year. They never really got going despite some TLC from the gardening team. The marigolds were in short supply as well, and as these two plants do particularly well together this may have had something to do with it. However, all is not lost as both Walderton and Pendean gardens produced good crops, so we will have plenty to string.

The Carling peas, 16^th century variety, did very well at Bayleaf and we’ve saved a lot of seed, hoping to grow them at Poplars next year. We may find ourselves having to net the young brassicas next year. The last couple of seasons pigeons have descended on them in the early morning and despite our best efforts to protect them, most have been decimated.

Museum Helps new Woodland Craft Enterprise Start up

Paul and Chris are running their own independent business on the Museum site. In return they are providing interesting demonstrations of the skills involved in turning underwood into many useful things. As part of the initiative they will care for the Museum’s charcoal burning camp. This year they have completely refurbished the camp which illustrates the construction of a traditional earth charcoal kiln and features a reconstructed charcoal burner’s hut complete with furniture. A modern metal kiln is used to produce charcoal for the barbecue market during the summer season. A new exhibition interprets the camp for visitors.

Paul says he and Chris are the modern equivalent of the traditional woodsmen and colliers who were once numerous and made their living from coppice woodland, cut regularly on a rotation and managed to provide raw materials for many products. Chris adds that although traditional products are their mainstay, modern tastes have led to new items being added to their repertoire, including garden furniture and chairs made from shapely branches and hazel supports for garden plants.

"The Woodland Craft Centre is a prime example of the Museum encouraging local rural craftsmen," says Museum director Richard Harris. "Through our building exhibits, rural craft courses and practical initiatives like the woodland enterprise and the re-opening of the local post office, the Museum can make an important contribution to the local rural economy at a time when it needs particular assistance."

Paul and Chris’s products can be bought through the Museum shop or direct from them on 01243 811553

Paul and Chris load the modern metal kiln to produce charcoal for sale to customers and through the Museum shop.

The Museum’s annual tree dressing takes place on Sunday 2 December offering visitors the chance to join in this festival whose origins go back to ancient times. 

An early morning fire begins to melt snow on the roof of Bayleaf Farmhouse early this year.

Visitors can take part in the lantern-making workshop (bring a jam jar and a night light!), watch morris dancing, listen to fireside story telling, plays and songs, and finally, join in with the lantern procession and spiral dance around the tree as it is dressed. Mulled wine and mince pies will be served.