Great Greener Kemnay Apple Bake Off: This is to take place on the 10^th October at 10am at the Community Garden, please come along with your homemade apple products and these can be anything made from apples (nothing alcoholic please) (also could you make a list of ingredients). Or if you want to just taste what is on offer you are welcome to come along. The entries will be tasted and judged by those present at the event and there is a trophy to be won. I look forward to seeing you there.

AGM: Our AGM will take place on 10^th November at 7.30 in the Village Hall Friendship Room; we hope to provide a film or talk for after the AGM and we will let you know as it is arranged. 

Community Garden

Activity morning: There will not be an activity morning this month as we are having the Bake off on the day, please if you are able to help out at other times, the paths need weeding and dead heading can start. 

Paths Group

Place of Origin 20^th Anniversary: To celebrate this anniversary, the paths group has been setting up a self-guided trail using QR codes which are placed on posts around the site and these inform the user about; this art project, the ecology, geology, the quarry, the people of Kemnay and the village. 

The trail was opened on September 26^th by Lady Kate Saltoun, Deputy Lord Lieutenant Aberdeenshire, we also had one of the artists John Maine, poems relating to the quarry were read by Ian Dow, a Kemnay Loon whose father worked in the quarry. There were around 80 people there, 60 of them processed to the top with John Maine stopping at strategic points, giving information to the audience about the artists thinking behind the design. Robert Howie played his pipes for the journey. At the top, there was more from John Maine, a poem from Ian and a talk from Andy Henderson the Quarry manager on the history around the quarry.

We are very grateful for the support of Breedons for funding this project, also the Kemnay Mens Shed and especially David Wyness for constructing the noticeboard and help with the posts and also Alastair Simpson with the printing of the poster.

Bulb planting: Next event for the Path Group is on 1^st November at 10am, meet at the Place of Origin, please bring gloves, a dibber or trowel.

MP visit: We had a visit from Andrew Bowie MP to Greener Kemnay, Gabby, Sue and I met him in the community garden on a sunny morning.  We informed him of what Greener Kemnay does, explained the problems that we are facing (especially the energy group) and then we went on to the local issues we are having with the council/SEPA. I did think he went away better informed, hopefully he takes some of the things we were talking about with him to his new position of Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (here’s hoping).

Great Greener Kemnay Apple Bake-off: This is to take place at Birley Bush Community Garden on the 10th of October at 10am, please bring along your baked, boiled or bottled apples (nothing alcoholic please) for tasting (please include a label with all your ingredients). It should be a lovely occasion, where we can celebrate the apple.

Trustees Needed: Greener Kemnay really needs to find more trustees to help us continue our work, we are only asking for one and half hours, once a month from 7pm on the first Tuesday of the month and if you know anyone who would be suitable, please ask them to contact us.

Community Garden

12th September Activities morning: We look forward to seeing you at our activity morning from 10-12 where we are planning to weed the paths and sort out the compost bins. Our trail camera is now working so the deer and the badgers are getting their photos taken.

Paths

Volunteers have been working all year on the paths, choosing names for them, gathering information, raising money for the signs and post markers

Place of Origin 20th Anniversary celebration:

You are invited!

Opening of the new Place of Origin Trail
 Saturday 26th September
 10.00am
 Place of Origin, Kemnay

Come along as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Place of Origin and officially open its new self-guided trail.

The trail uses QR-coded posts, positioned around the Place of Origin. Scan the codes with your phone to discover more about:

 The ecology of the site
 The artist’s vision
 The people of Kemnay
 The geology of the area
 Kemnay’s quarrying heritage
 The history and story of Kemnay village

Come and explore this special place, learn something new and celebrate 20 years of the Place of Origin with us.

Activity morning: Saturday 8th, meet at 10 at the Gardens, all tools provided, bring gardening gloves, waterproofs and something for your tea break. Jobs to be done, weed paths, cut back trees, strim around fruit bushes to allow access and improve the access at the main gate.

Apple day: Community Garden invites you to enter any homemade apple products for tasting on the 10th October (keep this date free, more details to come).

Paths Group

Work party: This will be on Friday 14th August at 6.30pm, meet at Place of Origin car park and we are hoping to prepare the site for the September celebration.

Place Of Origin Celebration: This is on 26th September, meet at the Place of Origin car park at 10am. On the day there will be a guide walk + a talk on the quarry and fun activities for the kids.  Come and help us to celebrate The Place of Origins 20th year, try out the new self-guided trail (find out about the artists’ vision, the ecology of the place, the people of Kemnay, the geology, the history of the quarry and our village). This work and event is supported by Breedons, Positive Steps and Greener Kemnay. 

It’s Your Neighbourhood: Kemnay had a visit from the It’s Your Neighbourhood assessor on the 20th June. She was amazed at the lack of graffiti and litter and also loved Community Garden gate and appreciated how dry our soil is although we’ve had a lot of rain. She thought the weed and plant team were covering a huge area. She was with us for a full 2 hours. Kemnay was looking its best in the sunshine. She sent her feedback very quickly and the team were rewarded with a very good result of Level 4 – Thriving (out of 5) and this is a very impressive result considering the size of the team. The It’s Your Neighbourhood team are looking to go up a level, to do this they need your help and if you could give some time please contact Sue Wainman.

Community Garden

Fence: The fence has been painted; The Mens Shed was a huge help in this endeavour providing 10 volunteers and they got it all painted in 2 hours. It was a good effort by the community in Kemnay providing replacement fence panels and lots of paint and this clearied a bit more space in lots of sheds.

Next Garden Activity Day: The Community Garden activity day on 11th July from 10 to 1pm. We would like help to keep the paths weed free, cutting back the growth and if you could just give us an hour of your time the Birley Bush volunteers would be grateful.

Path Group

Work party at the Place of Origin: The group had a better turnout to an evening work party that was held on a Friday of last month, they were able to finish clearing the stone circle area and now most of the stones are emerging from under growth.

20th Anniversary celebration of Place of Origin: The Place of Origin trail is started to come together, we have been promised support from Breedon.  The trail and the information board in the car park is in being designed and we now could do with help putting it all together. Please contact Richard (lamplugh@btinternet.com).

Community Assembly Revisited: This event run by NESCAN on the 30th May was to look at how villagers see the future of the village going and what we like to happen there. This was a follow up event, to one that took place last year and we are expecting the final report before the summer. It was gratifying to hear Greener Kemnay talked about, with a lot of what we do being praised.

Birley Bush Community Garden

Activity Day: This is on 13th June at 10 – 2, we are going to paint the fence and please bring a kneeler and large paint brushes. We are hoping to provide bacon butty at about 12, we really could do with your help and look forward to seeing you there.

Pollution: The trees along the lane, also up from the red container and the ground cover have died or severely stressed and this area is thought to be polluted. We have reported this to SEPA and hope for some action soon.

Paths Group

Celebrating the Place of Origin: The celebration on the 27th September, it is hoped to have the opening of the self-guided trail, a tour of paths, talk about the quarry and then followed by light refreshments. Watch this space for more detail.

Work party at Place of Origin: On 12th June at 19:00, meet at the car park, we are hoping to tackle Granite Way and the stone circle. Please bring thick gloves and any bush cutting implements you might have.

Kemfest information event: Greener Kemnay will be at the Kemfest information event at Kemnay Village Hall on 17^th May from 10:00am-2:00pm.  All the groups attending would be happy to hear your thoughts and you can join in their activities.

Bird Song walk: This is a Kemfest bird song walk on 10^th May from 9:00am to 10:30am, this is starting from the Community Garden, meeting Jenny Spratt there.

Community Garden

Polytunnel: We have now replaced the polytunnel that was damaged last winter. We replaced it with a different type and hopefully the snow will not build up on the new tunnel. This was put up with the help of Kemnay Men Shed which sped up the process and it is looking good.

Trail Camera: We have purchased a camera trap with help of funds from The John Adam Trust this has been set up in the woodland adjacent to the community garden and we look forward to seeing what is recorded.

Community Garden Work party: We have a work party next weekend on 9th May, we are really needing your help and if you could give us some time between 10:00am – 12:30pm we would be grateful. We are looking to get the fence repaired and ready for painting. We also need to do work on the path, weeding it and cutting back the vegetation from the paths. Along with this we need to get the polytunnel ready to plant.

Energy Group

Course: The Energy group are developing workshops for the village, to help people to retrofit energy saving measures into their homes. At the moment they are looking for ways of funding these.

Just Transition get together: 30^th May from 10:00am to 4:00pm at Kemnay Village Hall Friendship room. Last May’s session was very enjoyable with lots of ideas put forward on what the future should look like for Kemnay and its residents.  The setting up of a charity and working towards a development trust for Kemnay is included in the day. Cuppas and Lunch provided by the organiser NESCAN.

Paths Group

Place of Origin work party: There was a poor turnout to our last month’s work party, we did manage to get 10 bird boxes and 2 squirrel feeders up around the site. We also manage to tackle some of the growth around stone circles by the car park, there is still more to do and hopefully this can be done next time.

Trail Camera: Monymusk Thrift shop has given us money for the purchase of two trail cameras for the Place of Origin, we are hoping to place these on the squirrel feeders and look forward to seeing the results.

Kemfest at Place of Origin: Saturday 16^th May between 1:30pm – 3:30pm, meet at Fyffe Car Park for activities around the Place of Origin and discover more of the place.

See the Email below for a course that may be of interest.

Hello Birley Bush Community Garden, 

I hope you’re well.

I’m reaching out because I’d really like to open a connection between our projects. 

We’re developing an 8-acre community land project just the other side of Craigearn, alongside a wider GrowFree learning community.  This is a site we bought alongside Lorna Forsyth and she suggested that if I get this email to you today you might be able to discuss it at your meeting tomorrow.

There are similarities with what you are doing, and yet our projects are also quite different — both volunteer-led, rooted in local people, shaped by care, and also connected outward through the work you do.

There’s something really important in these kinds of spaces, and I have a sense we could learn from each other and potentially support each other over time.

Together in Nature – May Immersion (15–16 May)

As part of what we’re doing, we’ve been developing something called Together in Nature — simple, experiential learning outdoors that explores how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the natural world.

It’s not formal training or classroom learning. It’s more of a shared, practical space where we explore things like:

· how we stay resourced when we’re holding a lot for others

· how we notice and work with our own nervous system in real time

· how connection and attunement show up in everyday human interaction

· and how being in nature can support all of this in very direct ways 

We have a couple of other similar projects joining, and I would like to offer a guest place for our May 2-day immersion – Friday 15^th & Saturday 16^th – to a member of the Birley Bush Team as you are so local to us. 

It feels particularly relevant for people working in community gardens or similar spaces, where so much of the work is relational, informal, and often quietly held.


An invitation

If it feels of interest, I’d love to offer a place for someone from your team or volunteer group to come along in May.

It would simply be a chance to:

· experience the work

· see if it has any relevance for your context

· and begin to get to know each other a little, with no expectations beyond that

From there, there could be the beginning of some useful connection between our projects.


You can read more here:
https://www.grow-free.com/TinN2026

The group will be a mix of people from different community and care-based contexts.

If someone can make it, rather than go through the booking page above, they can use this participation form, or I’m also very happy just to have a quick chat or hear your thoughts.

Burnett Arms Closed: Sadly, the Burnett Arms is now closed; this where a lot of the Greener Kemnay meetings have been taking place. We will need to find a new place to meet, especially for the Greener Kemnay Trustees meeting as we like to have this meeting open to the public.

Trustees: We are still looking for trustees to join the Greener Kemnay management team, we meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm   If you know of anyone who could give up around 1 ½ hour of their time, to help us make decision on Green issue for village, please suggest they come to the meetings or call Richard on 07967439109.

Paths Group

The Place of Origin work party 26^th April at 10.00: We would like to continue the good work we started last year with another work party, this time we want to finish off the stone circle and some path work around the site. Please bring; gloves, work boots and something for a break. We will provide some tools, if you have small saws, loppers or any tool you think would help us to do the job that would be helpful.

I hope you agree that the last work parties have made a great difference to the Place of Origin, we need to continue with this.  The number of folk seen at the top has certainly increased.

Sunday 26^th April 10a.m. to 12.30 

Meet at the Fyfe Park carpark

Enquiries to  07967439109

Energy Group

Taking stock: After their successful heat loss project feeding back results in a well attended meeting at the village hall, the Energy group are taking stock over the next few months and examining the way forward. 

Community Garden

Polytunnel: The new polytunnel arrived this month. We must thank the Monymusk Boule competition for helping us with funds toward its purchase and we bought an 8 x 10 feet tunnel. The trenches are dug, we hope to put the tunnel up next Activity Day (see below), this will require all hands-on deck and we hope to see you there.

Camera Traps: We have purchased a camera (with the help of the John Adams Trust) for the garden. This will be put in the woods, along with a camera trap we have been loaned, and we look forward to seeing what wildlife is in the woods.

Activity Day:   11^th April from 10 am to around 2pm, please come along for as little or long as you like. These are the jobs we hope to complete:

· Putting up the polytunnel

· Pruning of dogwood, hydrangeas, buddleia etc

· Dead heading

· Emptying of compost bins

· Move the water butts closer to the Polytunnels

Poly tunnel: The frame and plastic have been removed to the recycling centre, we have the money (with the help of Monymusk Boules competition and from our own funds) now will be replaced with 8 x 15ft tunnel but a different type that will be more resistant to the weight of the snow and we are going to move it beyond Lorna’s enclosure.

Bird Boxes: 13 bird boxes have been put up in the woods, if you see any activity around them please let us know. 

Trail cameras: We had two trail cameras placed in the woods for a few days, these picked up the badger at the opening of its sett in the woods and we have asked for funds to purchase two for the community garden. Gail Noakes had spare fence wood and has taken it to BB.

May Event: This year we are having a break from putting on the May Event, instead we are going to have an enhanced activity Day with the hope to provide soup and light the barbeque lunch.

Activity Day 14^th March – Anne and Richard will be away, Richard has asked Mark if he can be there, empty compost bins, see who wants a raised bed.  Fill empty ones with flower seed. Sue and Lorna also can’t be there.

Energy Group

Retrofit Project update: 10 surveys have been completed

.

Retrofit Project information session: This was held on 26th February. He suggested that some ‘what if’ questions could be asked about how to fund retrofit work.

Air quality monitor would be useful to show the effect of faulty ventilation and using internal air take for woodburning stoves.

Path Group

Sowing seeds: On 7th March, we had a good turnout for sawing (Scotia seeds Mavisbank collection) and raked in wild flower seeds at Mavis Bench area and we are looking forward to seeing the wildflowers coming up.

Daffodils around the Place of Origin: The daffodils we planted last year are now sprouting and hopefully we will produce a great display.

Work parties: 25th April for the next work party at Place of Origin, we are hoping to finish clearing the Stone Circle area and look at areas where we could plant fruit trees.

Celebrations: 20th anniversary of Place of Origin: opening is in October, we are hoping to have the celebration on 26th September. We are planning to have guided talks, a children’s trail and also the opening of the self-guided trail.

Polytunnel: Unfortunately the polytunnel has collapsed due to the weight of the snow, it is not repairable and will need to be scraped. The BB group considered if we need to have a polytunnel at all or should we replace it but with a different kind and it was decided to replace it possibly with one of a different shape.  If you have any experience, and your one withstood this January snow it would be good to hear from you. 

Activity day: This month it is on Saturday 14th February, starting at 10am come for as little or long as you like.

Forecast is cold but dry

Jobs to be done.

• Remove plastic off the polytunnel,
• Dismantle the polytunnel frame
• Look at possible new site for a new polytunnel and measure up
• Examine what is required to repairing fence
• Remove Christmas lights and baubles from the trees.

Next meeting 24/02/26 contact me 07967439109

Energy Group

Home Energy Survey: 10 of the 15 houses have been surveyed, it’s hoped to complete the rest by the end of February.

Home Energy Survey Feedback: The Energy Group is having a meeting on 26^th February from 4.30 to 6.30 in the Friendship Room in theVillage Hall, this is to inform the village on how the survey went and also inform on how they go about having their home surveyed.

Equipment Loan: Greener Kemnay has loaned some of the surveying equipment that we are not able to use to NEFIT  for 3 years

Next meeting 17/02/26 at 7.30 at Lounge bar Burnett Arms.

Path Group

Seed sowing at Place of Origin: The wildflower seeds to be sown at Mavis’s Bench area on the 7th March, meeting at Place of Origin car park at 10am. We hope that families would like to help us with this task, the more people the better.

Work parties: 25th April is the next work party at Place of Origin, we are hoping to finish clearing the Stone Circle area and look at areas where we could plant fruit trees. Meet at the Place of Origin Car Park at 10am.

Celebrations: We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Place of Origin opening in October, we are hoping to have the celebration on 26th September. We are planning to have guided talks, a children’s trail and also opening of the self guided trail.

Help required: We are looking for more people to join us on the committee to help us see our plans through and if you are able to help please contact me or come to the next meeting on 11/02/26. Leave a message on 07967439109

AGM: The AGM was held on 11th November at the village hall, we had a good turnout. The flood alleviation boards were thoroughly examined and soils sampling kits distributed.  Next Greener Kemnay meeting 6^th January

Community Garden

Tidying up the gardens for the winter: We made good progress in clearing out behind the containers, taking a trailer full to the recycling centre.

Water Containers (IBCs): The container supplying the tunnel house has over 900 litres, and the rainwater should be starting to flow into the next one and that is the plan anyway.

The snowman has reappeared and the trees along the fenceline have been decorated.

If anyone has a photo of the manhole deep down inside the fenceline it would be helpful if Sue could see it – very unlikely that anyone did but she can’t find the one she took.

Activity Day – weather permitting 13^th December      Next BB meeting: 27/01/26

Energy Group

Assess homes for heat loss: The volunteer households are being contacted to arrange a date for their assessment, with the surveys to be completed by end of February and looking forward to seeing the results.  We are trying to get funding to take some very short videos of the survey process.

Next meeting 20/01/26

Paths

Planting bulbs: Hopefully around the Place of Origin car park next spring will be blooming with daffodils, as we have planted 25kg of bulbs there and I am looking forward to seeing it.

20th Celebration of Place of Origin: It has been 20 years since the Place of Origin was opened by HRH The Duke of Kent, we are planning to celebrate this fact, and we invite you to watch this space and Facebook for information.

Next Meeting 8/01/26