Mallinson Ltd - woodwork courses in Dorset. Perfect short breaks for everyone.

We've had a few requests to run a short introductory weekend course, for those who want to just dip their toe in the water and see if green woodworking is for them without the commitment of having to use up two days of holiday for one of our regular Thursday-Friday courses.

That seemed a perfectly reasonable suggestion to us, and so as a trial we're going to be running a one-day course on Saturday, 3rd March. The cost is £130+VAT and places can be booked now by calling the office - 01308 485 111 - or via the web site.

Of course, it's going to be difficult to produce a great deal in the way of finished product in just one day, but we expect to be able to introduce all the main techniques we teach, including pole lathing, shaving horse draw-knifing and side axe use. And, as always, it'll be a fun and relaxing time too!

We Survived The Deluge

I'm never happier than when I'm out in the woods so I don't often say this, but it's quite nice to be back in the office right now - although only for a day: I need to dry my boots out! The last two weeks have seen two courses come and go in quite the worst weather you can sensibly imagine ... hurricanes, horizontal sleet and some local flooding too.

Now, I've always had faith in the hardiness of our parachute canopies, tents, braziers and the overall set-up down in the woodland workshop but all the same it's rather nice to have it all tested 'for real' as it were, and I'm delighted to say everything survived without any problem and everyone on the courses still had a great time.

I will say it was a bit muddy on occasion ... particularly on the (short) walk across the meadow to the woods where even the Landrover struggled a bit, ferrying Boo's always delicious lunches across to the new dining room. (By the way, for those who don't know, Boo is a local artist, a great cook ... and my wife.) I must give full marks to everyone who reluctantly left the comfort of their homes and workplaces and came down anyway, and I'm pleased to be able to report that they were all pleasantly surprised to find what fun it is to be in the unique atmosphere of the woodland workshop in the rain: huge log fires kept us warm and the parachutes and mess tent kept us dry. I was delighted to see participants carrying on working away after the 'official finish' time, with paraffin flares, LED lights strapped to lathes and a drop or two of red wine to help things along.

By the way, in all seriousness, if anyone reading this is thinking about waiting for summer before coming down for a course, you're really missing out. I don't think anything can quite beat being in the woods when the owls start at dusk.

Christmas gift certificates

I'm pleased to say our Christmas gift certificates are selling well. They do make excellent Christmas presents - and do remember that we can provide them un-dated and valid for any course, so that the lucky recipient can choose what and when suits best come the New Year. Order from the web site in the normal way, from the 'course booking' page.

Tree Of The Month

Now our new regular feature for the newsletter, Mace Brightwater's 'Tree of the Month. We are very lucky to have Mace as part of our team helping teach the courses, and I'm pleased he's going to be sharing his wealth of knowledge about trees and wood too. I'm looking forward to reading this feature in coming months and hope you enjoy it as well.

The Horse Chestnut

For a tree with an image so quintessentially English, the 'spreading Chestnut tree', redolent of the peaceful English village green, is actually a newbie in Britain, introduced from the Balkans as recently as 1633.

The trees were initially grown in great gardens and estates for the spectacular flowers; Capability Brown had 4,800 planted at Tottenham Park in Wiltshire; a spectacular mile-long avenue in Bushy Park designed by Sir Christopher Wren, became the focus for 'Chestnut Sunday', where people would gather to promenade and picnic beneath the blossoming trees.

The origin of the common name 'Horse Chestnut' is unclear; some people believe it derives from the inferiority of the conker to the edible Sweet Chestnut. In its native Turkey, however, where the same name is used, conkers are still fed to horses as a medicinal food, and many other medicinal uses for animals and humans are still being discovered and developed.

The Horse Chestnut has long since leapt the fence of the deer park and become a familiar tree of both countryside and town, but you may have noticed them particularly this year as their leaves turned colour and began to fall in late summer.

Unfortunately they are under attack by a triple whammy of drought, pest and disease. Having been stressed by three dry winters, the trees are suffering badly from simultaneous attack by a pest, the leaf miner moth, whose larvae eats the leaves, and a disease known as bleeding canker. Frighteningly, the problem is now so widespread that botanists are beginning to compare the problem to Dutch elm disease.

The loss of these trees would leave huge gaps in the landscape, so what can we do to help the Chestnut population recover? Leaf damage by the moth weakens the tree and makes it more susceptible to disease, but infected trees will probably revive the following year, with a little help. If you have a Horse Chestnut tree in your garden, take action now to control the pest population. As the moths lay their eggs on the leaves, it is essential these are gathered and preferably burned, or composted under 10cms of soil or 15cms of other plant material. Happy bonfire building!

Mace Brightwater

Christmas Courses

With Christmas fast approaching, our December courses are focussing on Children and the Christmas holidays. There are two courses, both for adult and child. The first, on the 18th, is for making Christmas presents; the second, on the 28th, is for every adult and child that would like to spend some good quality 'one on one' time together between Christmas and the New Year. It is a special time of year, and we hope we can help you make the most of it.

As usual, places are strictly limited so do book now - by phone or via the web site in the normal way.

And I think that's all for now. As always, I look forward to seeing you down here in the woods - and don't forget those Christmas gift certificates!

Thanks for reading

Guy and the team