Shepton Beauchamp

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====== Meeting Notes 1st March 2012 ======

Notes on committee meeting held on Thursday 1st March 2012. Present:- Debbie, Roger, Ruth, Barrie and Mary. Also present were Malcolm and Denise.

Meadow:  A piece of grassland, esp. one used for hay: a piece of low well-watered ground, esp. near a river. OED\\ 
Leaze: Pasture. Chambers

Debbie, having been inspired by Sarah Raven’s recent TV programmes feels we should change the management of the grassland in Cowleaze, to make it more friendly to bees and other insect life. The group support this, and in fact we have been gradually working towards growing more wild flowers on the site. However, last year’s efforts to grow selected plants in the gardens of members, for later transplanting to the site, was generally a failure. Some mature plants were dug in, but most of the small plug plants have disappeared! We have also been scattering local collected seeds, and digging in selected native plants in the area east of the orchard, our initial wildflower area. This area is to be mown once a year in August/September, the grass left on the surface for seeds to fall out,  and then cleared away to compost after a couple of weeks.  High fertility is the problem, and small quantities of Yellow Rattle seeds were sown last autumn. We hope some will grow this year. 

The area under discussion is that cut and flailed last autumn. Ideally this would be cut very short, and the first few inches of top soil removed to reduce fertility. This was agreed to be too difficult and expensive to carry out with our very small number of volunteers, and we would have problems disposing of the soil. We have decided to act as follows:

1.	Spray nettles 

2.	 Cut grass short using our mower when weed killer has worked. Remove cut grass.

3.	Scarify the ground.

4.	Scatter wild flower seed mixture when these activities are completed. Allow naturally occurring grass to regrow.

5.	Plant purchased plug plants.

6.	Cut grass in autumn as used on initial wildflower area.
Debbie to investigate seed purchase (we agreed to source Somerset raised flowering plant seeds, with emphasis on nectar producing flowers). Debbie  to investigate plug plant availability, cost etc. List  of proposed plants to be presented to committee. Roger to spray; also to investigate hire of scarifier.  Rest of group to help in preparation and planting of site as quickly as possible.

Thanks to Keith, Barrie, Roger and Mary for planting hedgerow plants on site on two days last week. We have now filled the gaps in the hedging planted last year, and have a few in a “nursery” corner.

We are organising events on Cowleaze on2nd June as part of the Jubilee celebrations. We will need to be on hand on Friday to receive the Portaloos, and ensure they are secure. We will also need to start early on Saturday morning to prepare the gazebos, tables and chairs for our use. The plan is for a quiz/information hunt to take place from 11am onwards. Initial questions are being collected, and photos are being prepared. Question sheets will be distributed at Cowleaze, and returned completed by 2pm. These will be checked, and winners announced at the street party (perhaps) on Monday. The “bring your own” picnic will take place in the seating area from 12noon onwards. Roger and Barrie  to organise th e power source and connections for some music during the picnic  From 2 to 4pm the drumming workshop will run, with everyone welcome to join in a session. We will then need to clear away, and transport gazebos, tables and chairs to the Rec for the evening event. We will need volunteers to help set up, carry equipment to and fro, supervise the Quiz distribution and collection, and generally make the event work. Please can you tell us what you would like to do, and how much time you can give etc. 

Any suggestions for quiz questions etc gratefully received.

Mary Clarke, 2nd March 2012.