October was a fairly busy time for the community. The beginning of the month saw the publication of our lastest newsletter (printed this time on hemp and reed paper) which we then started to distribute.

Dan went of on a woodcraft folk weekend at the beginning of October staying in a bunk barn at Postbrindge. Meanwhile the book keeping was getting sorted back in the woods.

Excitement mounts in Moretonhampstead with the announcement of a forthcoming cabaret event planned for the 24th - 25th November. We began to plan our own entry. Some of us attended the planning meetings and we offered to provide cycle power for the event.

On the 15th October we spend a lovely afternoon visiting Schumachers forest garden in Dartington which was well worth the visit. It provided us with some inspiration, ideas and some seeds for our future forest garden. This month we have been spending some time surveying and preparing our forest garden area, hoping to get some fruit trees planted shortly.

We have also been making some seasonal changed to our structures including fitting yet more windows in the long house, giving in much more light into the office and library and also allowing for a better view of sunsets. Extra windows have also been fitted in the kitchen and to the compost toilet which also got a new roof.

We've been waiting patiently for the stream fill enough to work the hydro, which it seems to have done in the last week. We have also been exploring the idea of wind power and the possibility of constructing a wood gas or bio-diesel saw mill.

Three of us continue on our so far very interesting permaculture course in a cosy little church in Ide. Which should help a great deal as we make our own designs for a permaculture garden area garden area here in Steward Wood.

Everybody passed a pleasant Samhain/Halloween in the woods whilst Suzanne and Micheal were 'trick or treating' in Moretonhampstead.