Mud, sweat, and volunteers

You know those days when you wake up in the morning and it's raining so hard that it seems like it's still dark? This was one of those mornings, so it was very impressive that 7 GoodGymers still dug out waterproofs and welly boots and turned up to get stuck in at Marston Forest Garden. When I say stuck in I do mean it literally - clay soil makes a particularly sticky mud!

Marston Forest Garden sits on an allotment site which only a little over a year ago was overgrown with brambles. It is now taking shape nicely, experimenting with ways to garden in harmony with the natural environment.

Today's GoodGym team had a few different tasks: The ones with wellies dug holes and planted trees and fruiting shrubs (Loquat, black currant and red currant, almond and hazel trees), which I can confirm was definitely enough physical work to earn a chocolate brownie afterwards. We also wrestled cut branches into a better location (Ben getting stuck in with a handsaw for the 2nd weekend in a row), wheelbarrowed over several loads of cardboard and woodchip, pruned trees and raked up brambles.

We got VERY muddy, but actually not very wet, which felt like a win.

We look forward to seeing the fruits of our labours in 2021!