Making the most of Autumn

Once the expectations of summer have passed, this year we were treated to a few weeks of rare still, warm autumn days...fantastic weather to make the most of getting outdoors and harvesting natures bounty. The Keskowithyans Schools Partnership have been looking at food one of my favourite things with almost all of the schools coming to Poltesco for Forage and Feast Days. I have never seen so many nettles and sea beet willingly consumed in the stews prepared by the children!

  

Cooking seaweed flavored bread over the fire!

Discovering safe foraging and that green things don't taste so bad after all

Crushing scrumped apples to go into the apple press was a favorite activity

Another school taking advantage of the weather was Constantine Primary School who had a fantastic rockpool on Passage Beach and among other things discovered an eggcase complete with a live and moving small spotted cat shark inside!

Half term and we had our last event for the Windmill Farm Nature Reserve Project. Over thirty people turned up for a pond dip in the the pristine dragonfly ponds on the reserve discovering lots of beasties and some lovely large dragonfly nymphs ready to come out of the pond next year. Also on at Half Term was 'Scream its Halloween!' at Poltesco where families got the chance to make their own spell, have a go at the bat on a zip wire activity, bob wormy apples and toast an eye ball over the fire, there were lots of scary things going on!

Who would have thought wormy apples could taste so good!

Creating potions in bottles using goblin eye juice, death seeds and witches fingers...the consequences of these spells are yet to be seen on the Lizard!

Brave enough to put you hand in the feely boxes? 

Our last event of the year should be a cracker! Cricky its Christmas on the 5th December 1pm - 4pm will get you into the Christmas spirit were we use the natural environment as inspiration to make our Christmas decorations including weaving your own giant bauble! Activities for all ages. Give me a shout at Poltesco (01326) 291174 or email for more details claire.scott@nationaltrust.org.uk

Hopefully see you there.....