NOVEMBER IN THE COUNTRY
National Tree Week
25 November – 3 December
It’s fair to say that trees are important; they create oxygen, purify air and support countless species of wildlife. All this means they’re worth celebrating: cue National Tree Week. Organised by The Tree Council, the UK’s largest annual tree celebration sees the conservation sector, volunteer groups and tree-lovers come together to help our trees. Here are three ways you can get involved:
1. Learn “Protection starts with connection,” says The Tree Council. Find trees in your area and get to know them – feel them, sketch them, identify them.
2. Share Talk to friends and family about your favourite trees and why they are important.
3. Plant Plant a tree or hedge in your garden, or join a community tree-planting event.
5 November
Hedgehog-friendly bonfires
“Remember, remember hedgehogs on the 5th of November!” The Wildlife Trusts ask that we think of our spiky friends on bonfire night. Hedgehogs hibernate over winter, hiding under piles of leaves and logs – such as bonfire stacks. To avoid harming a hog, build a bonfire on open ground (not on a pile of leaves) on the same day you’ll light it, and check it before lighting. See our hedgehog feature, and find out more at wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-check-your-bonfire-hedgehogs
Plodcast highlights this month
Get active in nature
Have you heard the Plodcast? BBC Countryfile Magazine’s weekly escape into the countryside is hosted by Fergus Collins. New episodes include: roaming the Ardennes Forest in northern France, exploring a fairy glen in County Down and taking on a charity half-marathon in the Wye Valley.
AUTUMN RECIPE
SPICED CIDER
Spiced or mulled cider is just the thing to serve around a roaring fire. It warms you up from the inside and is so simple to make.
SERVES 8-12
• 2 litres medium-dry traditional (hard) cider
• 500ml apple juice
• 100g light brown soft sugar
• Thickly pared zest and juice of 2 oranges
• 8 bay leaves, torn
• 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into thin wedges
For the spice bag:
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 8 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods, bashed
• Cinnamon stick, broken in pieces
METHOD
1 Pour the cider into a large pan. Add the apple juice, sugar, orange zest and juice, bay leaves and apple slices. Place all the spices into a square of muslin (cheesecloth) or clean cotton cloth, draw in the edges and tie the cloth up with string to form a sealed bag.
2 Drop the bag into the cider. Set the pan over the fire and bring the liquid up to a very gentle simmer. Remove it from the direct heat and let it sit and infuse for 5–10 minutes. Serve hot, ladled into cups or glasses.
MAKE DO AND MEND
HOW TO DRY WALKING BOOTS
Few things are quite as thrilling as waking up on a November morning with the prospect of a refreshing autumn walk ahead. But this feeling of jubilation can quickly dissolve when you discover that your boots are still sodden from your previous day’s outing. Next time you’ll remember to dry them properly, you tell yourself. But how? Here are some important dos and don’ts…
You will need: shoe brush; newspaper
1 Brush off as much dirt as possible from the boots and remove the laces and insole. This may sound like a faff, but the individual parts will dry more quickly when separated.
2 Stuff your boots with lightly scrunched balls of newspaper to absorb excess water, replacing the paper every few hours.
3 Leave your boots in a warm, well-ventilated room or outdoors (if it’s not raining). Do not put your boots on the radiator or in front of the fire. The material will dry too quickly and may crack.
4 Once your boots are dry, re-lace them, insert the insoles and you’re ready to go!