Lee Moody

Flicker

Authored

Freezer moved aside, brambles slashed back, me and my allotment buddy were left with a further pile of organic debris on the plot. I'm very keen not to add to the mess...

I imagine the more weathered stacks could be great for the soil if left or composted. We need lots of compost! However, with no power for a shredder to break down larger material, and little hope of making good enough compost straight away to decompose seeds, we decided to start a bonfire instead.

A huge pile: small old branches; twigs; fallen leaves; moss; and green nettles which punctuate at the perimeter. I lean against it, leg outstretched. My boot appears tiny.
One of multiple piles of organic matter on the plot, boot for scale.
Sawn logs arranged neatly to allow airflow around kindling which is placed on top. The kindling has started to light.
My allotment buddy knew what was up and bought along some kindling and a firesteel (YouTube) – wow, they're a thing, very fun. Kindling alight.
A small fire consisting of a few logs.
Finally, a sustained fire.

We eventually got a fire going but found everything was too wet. One of us would have to be there all night without more dry wood to build up the fire quickly – or, like, petrol.

Long story short, we put out our little camp fire and left the mountains of matter for another day. We'll try again in dryer weather, when the hedgehogs have finished hibernation.

A mossy, old branch atop of of the piles. Mushrooms and fungus fruit from its damp, peeling bark.
Some of the stacks have been there awhile and have delectable fungus in fruit. I'm enamoured by this scene despite The Last of Us.

We won't burn it all. I'd like to leave a smaller, permanent pile at the back for the benefit of the plot, its wildlife, and its humans. 🌿