At Orchard Barn we are learning from the past how to build a greener and healthier future. Established in 2007, we are run by OBee Community Interest Company. Since starting nine years ago, we have worked with over 1600 trainees and volunteers in the restoration of our teaching centre. We like the hands-on traditional approach and have learnt so much about building traditional skills by doing so.
We are in rural Mid-Suffolk, UK. Our base is a 17th century timber frame barn is set in 1.5 acres of ancient orchard. Everything needed total renovation when we started and there is much of the site that is still a 'wildlife zone' (bramble thicket).
The renovation of Orchard Barn has taken us out into the woods looking for trees that would yield appropriate sizes and lengths of green oak to repair the old barn.
We have run courses in timber frame repairs that have given real skills and experience to a wide range of participants in our local community and further afield. At the end of these courses we were able to remove the temporary supports and see the timber frame barn standing proudly upright.
When the modern roof needed replacing we hand picked trees from the adjacent parish and ran more courses. This time in traditional roof construction taught by a local carpenter.
Our outdoor teaching area is surrounded by reconstructed cob walls. That's earth and straw stomped together. It's another ancient building material that lasts for centuries when kept dry, and has the advantage of being freely available and easy to make!
We've taught the local Brownies, Venture Scouts, community pub, local construction students, Rotarians, Young Farmers, home-owners and professionals such as architects and surveyors a wide range of conservation skills.
Now, as word is spreading we need to construct a new covered teaching space. This is what we are asking for your help and support to achieve.
Our proposed craft room will be constructed from local trees and local earth. It will be minimum impact on the environment and maximum skills development. It will help us continue to develop deep green building skills at grass roots level and embody the uniqueness of a vernacular building sourced from the local landscape.
