Poetry Please
I wandered
lonely as a cloud
That
floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at
once I saw a crowd,
A host of busy
volunteers.
They dug some
holes and planted trees
Then wound them
round in plastic.
They knew that
in just 10 years’ time
The hedge would
look fantastic.
Author –
William Jobsworth 1800
Inspired by this poetic piece that a member of the public had posted after seeing the NCVs at work during the recent Olympic Games, the gang went to willingly to Bents Farm, between Fewston and Menwith Hill, this week to create yet another hedge, happy to be improving the environment. There were no fewer than 1600 trees awaiting them (600 more than last week) and the gang numbered 17 people (4 fewer than last week). They fully expected to have to return for a second visit.
So - let's see if they were right. Here they are - sheer poetry in motion:
The vols were welcomed
to the farm by a very friendly lamb.
Down at the planting site
the gang carried bags and
bags of trees to the corner
of the field.
There were two field edges to plant - this one...
and this one.
In went the canes with the
inserters standing upright...
...or taking the opportunity
to practise their lunges.
Mick took one look at the spindle
tree roots and wondered if he
should have come out to play this week.
David made sure he remained
on dry land when working on the
stream side of the hedge.
Helena didn't!
The vols worked tirelessly...
Apart from their break times.
Helena came around with
celebrations ....
....and Emma's lovely daughter
Lea baked chocolate chip flapjacks.
Thanks to both of you!!
Before lunch time the furthest field
was completed with 800 trees.
Work on the other field
started immediately.
A couple of spades got bent in the
planting frenzy as there were
some rocky patches.
After lunch the pressure hotted up
- as did the actual temperature.
It was like a summer's day.
It looked like the job would be completed!
the vols have ever planted in one day.
Seeing Helena seemed to like playing
around in water she was tasked
with cleaning the spades.
The elite ROW team were also intent on improving the environment last Thursday - and they didn't need a poem to get them on the job. Footpath clearance is now something they are becoming expert at and boy did the one leading down from Pennypot Lane to John O'Gaunt's Reservoir need clearing! Talk about gorse central!!
The team started at the bottom of path.
Amy was pleased there would be
chocolate biscuits at coffee time.
Alistair cut his first bouquet of
gorse and then wondered
what to do with it.
Ken had his personal set of
garden shears - which did
the job superbly.
The bottom corridor was completed
by coffee time and everyone moved
back uphill to the other narrow section.
Here there was the added joy of
well established brambles snaking
through the gorse.
"No worries.
We've got it covered."
The job was all done by 11:45.
The dream team triumphed once more.
Walling weekly
by Graham
As there were seven of us this week, it meant that another good stretch of walling was achieved. Whilst the weather was fine, the wind was strong and it was fortunate we had the wood to protect us.
Another part of the first section
is inevitably dismantled
The extended gap of the second section in mid afternoon
Duncan is so happy with his new stone
By the end of the day, the first section of nearly eight metres was within a course of being topped , and the second dismantled section of about three yards had been extended by another four yards ; and rebuilt to two courses on the lower side and ground level on the field side.
It's nearly finished and - a good looking wall it is
The other side looks OK as well
We don't often find anything interesting in our walls, but on this occasion a time capsule was buried in the second section! Not very ancient; in fact it was buried in 2008 when this part of the Park Pale was rebuilt by a group of thirteen mixed nationality volunteers on a working holiday, organised by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) between 13 August and 20 August . The plastic jar included a note with comments and a few coins including a 20 eurocent. Included in the comments, Dave, aged 59, wrote "and if this wall doesn't outlive me, we haven't built it very well". I sincerely hope Dave is faring better than the wall. This must have been quite a project for new wallers, with much of the stone of dubious quality. We will return the jar to the wall with a note of our own.
The coins won't be worth much in a few years
