Happy new year trees!

In the Jewish calendar, there is a seven year rotation for where the tithes of ones fruits should be sent, ensuring that the poor, widows and orphans are all cared for. So it's very important to have a definitive date that signifies the start of a new year. For this reason, the Jews have a Rosh Hashanah (new year) for trees!

The new year for trees is always on the 15th of shevat, which means that this year it starts on the evening of tuesday the 7th and continues throughout Wednesday the 8th. By coincidence (or not?) pride in Bedford have just tweeted that they are going to be doing a lesson in pruning fruit trees on Wednesday afternoon.

I'm pretty excited about going, as we just bought some fruit trees and I figure the more help I can get the better!

We're also going to look at ecology and trees this week in our studies, because it seems as good a time as any. There's loads available, so if you're interested, try some of the following links:

• Life Cycle
• The Sapling and The Oak Tree - two minute audio story
• Scottish Woodlands - an interactive website
• Fruits of the spirit - colouring page
• Why ecology is a christian issue - will need to be read and summarised for little ones
• Blossoms in the winter - A nice read aloud and discuss story