The winds have come and gone, along with a brief power cut and so we have been out assessing the damage this morning.
The winds have blown a few trees down in and around the farm, with one unfortunately landing on the roof of a barn and puncturing holes through the metal roof. The Sawpit Wood, being in the bottom sweep of the Medway valley, is fairly sheltered and has had very few trees down. The shelter and the woodshed have remained intact. One old crab apple tree has snapped, which is sad. But we feel reflective that we planted 10-15 crab apples in The Children's Forest last year, so they will continue to grow nearby.
A few older limbs have been torn out of some trees and others have fallen along the edge of the woodland. These have been made safe. The main evidence of the storm is small twigs and dead wood covering the woodland floor. This provides a good 'crunching' sound as you walk the woodland paths . Alder cones have fallen decorated the bridge over the stream. The children coming to the woods this week will be involved in woodland management, by getting involved in the collecting of the dead wood and moving of the sawn up fallen trees. This will be great as small firewood for the groups to practise firelighting with and also as animal habitats when collected and piled up.
The calm after the storm has also allowed us to find one of the seasons most delicate beauties; the tiny red flowers of the hazel tree. They are always a joy to find and a reminder of the scale of the woods, from the mighty oaks to the miniature flowers.