If you go down to the woods today: Farmer builds 18ft high teddy bear made of straw

[Blackleaf]

Children are sure of a big surprise if they go down to the woods today. That's because they'll see an 18ft high teddy bear made of straw bales.

Farmer Phil Gwilliam made it out of more than a ton of newly-mown straw in the village of English Bicknor in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire to help advertise the village fete next month.

He said: 'It was hard work but I just had to grin and bear it.

'I used paint to give him a face and paws and I am delighted with the results.'

If you go down to the woods today: Farmer builds 18ft high teddy bear made of straw bales

By Daily Mail Reporter
15th June 2011
Daily Mail

A fun-loving farmer put a smile of the faces of children of his village - by making a giant teddy bear of straw.

The 18ft-high superted was made of more than a ton of newly-mown straw by farmer Phil Gwilliam.

Children and families in the village of English Bicknor in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, are sure of a big surprise when they go down to the woods.

Superted: Fraser Britton, four, and the the 18ft high giant teddy bear made from bales of straw that famer Phil Gwilliam has made in the Forest of Dean

Fraser Britton, four, took along his own cuddly toy to see the big bear nicknamed Buster by locals.

Farmer Phil, 62, spent a day making the Big Ted to help advertise the village fete next month.

He said: 'It was hard work but I just had to grin and bear it.

'I used paint to give him a face and paws and I am delighted with the results.'

Phil, who has four grandchildren, used five large round bales and seven smaller ones to make the giant bear.

Heavyweight: the huge bear weighs in at nearly a ton of freshly mown straw

It stands on the roadside and is acting as a traffic calming measure as people drive into the village.

Buster will stay up all summer - long after the vilage fete has been held.

Father-of-two Phil said: 'Families slow down to let their children give our big bear a wave.

'And lots of people are turning up to have their photograph taken with him - including a bride and groom!

'He is giving everyone a smile and that's nice to see at the moment when people are a bit miserable.'

Farmer Phil Gwilliam builds 18ft high teddy bear made of straw bales in English Bicknor | Mail Online

 

[Unforgiven]

Who in the world would allow an innocent child to play on that dangerous structure without a helmet, knee and elbow pads and a safety harness? What's next allowing the most innocent of people play with the wild animals like the farm dog and the cat?

 

[mentalfloss]

The things they need to do to stay entertained in England..

Why doesn't that kid have an iphone?

 

[karrie]

Who in the world would allow an innocent child to play on that dangerous structure without a helmet, knee and elbow pads and a safety harness? What's next allowing the most innocent of people play with the wild animals like the farm dog and the cat?

You want to hear something funny....

I grew up on a farm, playing on the bale stacks. But, if my dad had caught us playing on that particular one, he'd have flipped his wig, because the top bale can fall (assuming it's not pinned inside somehow). He was picky about how he stacked bales, because there have been plenty of farm accidents from falling bales.

 

[lone wolf]

Bales in the haymow were great fun - as long as you didn't twist your ankle in the gap or get your toes snagged in twine. Most times, it was the broken twines that earned us a dressing down. We already knew how awkward a single-tied bale was

 

[karrie]

Probably the thing that got us into the most trouble was when dad caught on to the rides the Simmental bull would give us when we'd climb the feeder bale in the corral. He'd knock it around while we tried to stay on top. Dad didn't realize (and we didn't feel like explaining and getting into more trouble), that he was just trying to get us down so we'd scratch his stomach for him. He'd knock us off, we'd give him a scratch, then back up we'd go.

 

[petros]

You rarely see the square (don't ask why they are rectangular) bales anymore.

When I was a sinner in my youth myself and a couple buddys rolled a big round bale down a hill right into the side of an old pick up. It knocked the truck a good 3m and certainly would have killed the passenger had there been one.

 

[Praxius]

My first thought was "I wonder how well that will burn"

One big flaming bear... and I don't mean in a gay way.

As soon as I made something like that, I'd take the pictures and then toss a torch.

 

[Omicron]

Then Duh... turn it into a northern Burning Man festival.

 

[darkbeaver]

My first thought was "I wonder how well that will burn"

One big flaming bear... and I don't mean in a gay way.

As soon as I made something like that, I'd take the pictures and then toss a torch.

Gmornin mate, similar thoughts as yours in my mind. We also have a straw bear here abouts. Have some fun with that will ya.

 

[SLM]

Everytime I see the title of this thread I get that darned song stuck in my head.

It was one of my daughter's favourites when she was a little girl, she'd get a kick out of this.

 

[Nuggler]

Probably the thing that got us into the most trouble was when dad caught on to the rides the Simmental bull would give us when we'd climb the feeder bale in the corral. He'd knock it around while we tried to stay on top. Dad didn't realize (and we didn't feel like explaining and getting into more trouble), that he was just trying to get us down so we'd scratch his stomach for him. He'd knock us off, we'd give him a scratch, then back up we'd go.

A brave girl, but foolish.

My uncle (RIP), used a 15 foot pole with a big clip which went into the nose-ring of the Holstein bull, when he took it out to water it or to let it romance the gals.

He used to tell us the only thing more untrustworthy than a Holstein bull was a Jersey bull, was a Liberal.............:lol: "Never turn your back on any of them"..........Then he'd slap his leg and laugh like a bugger. Great guy.

 

[petros]

My first thought was "I wonder how well that will burn"

One big flaming bear... and I don't mean in a gay way.

As soon as I made something like that, I'd take the pictures and then toss a torch.

2000 ('BB') BIG BALE boilers are of broadly similar design to the 'HT' range, with large combustion chambers and multi-tube heat exchangers for increased efficiency.
The combustion fan control systems differ because they are specifically designed for burning large round or rectangular straw bales.
The single round bale boiler models (BB154/2V & BB144/2V) are fitted with the unique FARM 2000 'Vee' Damper System and the BB154/2V is approved for use in 'Smoke Control Areas' when burning dry cereal straw.
'BB' Boilers must be fitted to accumulator systems for safe and efficient operation (see 'Installation and Operating Instructions for FARM 2000 Boilers').
The large fully hinging door allows for easy and convenient loading by tractor, and each boiler is supplied with an ash scoop which when tractor mounted makes ash removal and cleaning a simple operation.

 

[lone wolf]

I still think in terms of old school hayburners - where you still have to muck out the stalls....

 

[petros]

I still think in terms of old school hayburners - where you still have to muck out the stalls....

That's why God gave us the skid steer.