The Old Stables, Risplith: 24-03-2026

Expensive carrots for the NCVs

Just in case there were any NCVs who may have been thinking of opting out of this week's task (yet another one involving the planting of trees - the 9th of such events since January 1st, as welll as a forecast for rain), Liz realised that she would need to tempt them out with some 'carrots', apart from any promise of coffee-time goodies. She had overheard mutterings that there was only so many days they could stand digging holes in stony ground, no matter how good the quality of the mid-morning cake offerings. So - Liz devised a cunning plan to encourage them to turn out to The Old Stables in Risplith, where a field was awaiting a new hedge and plantation. 

She employed the services of a well known social media influencer (none other than Angelina Twinkle - I know. Fancy her of all people agreeing to the challenge!!) to come along and shower the gang with numerous gifts that she has access to as part of her online advertising role, whilst filming herself influencing them all to enjoy digging holes and inserting 430 more trees. 

Angelina Twinkle

Would Liz's plan work? Past experience of an effort to bolster the NCVs' moral when hedge planting didn't turn out quite as expected (see blog entry from Dec 12th 2024). So would this turn out the same way?Would the NCvs be tempted out by the chance to meet such a celebrity? Would Angelina's 'carrots' keep them on site for more than half an hour? Let's see shall we?

Well - as the NCVs gathered it was clear that at least some had been drawn in by the promise of exciting gifts.  Likewise the horses that lived at the Stables, who heard there were carrots on offer, came to investigate.

"Who can insert the bamboo canes?" squealed Angelina, all kitted out in her off the shoulder leisure wear and sparkly sandals. Paul stepped up to the plate.

"And what about these tree posts - Tom - can you show me how to hammer these monsters in?"

"Fantastic - and such a clever spacing tool Paul!!! What wonderful lump hammering Tom! A bottle of Channel No. 6.5 for each of you. Don't use it all at once!" Angelina giggled.

Paul looked disappointed and said to no one in particular - "I won't be using it at all...."

"Me neither" said Tom. I would have preferred a bottle of Welly Oil to keep my new wellies supple."

Angelina pouted into her video camera and trilled, " Now - apparently we need a willing vol to lay out the spirals. Who's up to the job? Ah - Dawn- you look like just the person."

"Well done - here's a fab, fab, fab set of Teezy Weezy's hair extensions as a reward!" 

Dawn took one look at them and put them in the rubbish bag as soon as Ang. turned her back.

"I spy with my little eye a vol who knows which tree is which. Anita - Can you lay these saplings out ready?" AT gushed.

"Now that is what I call a well accomplished tree allocation exercise. You are all so good at this. Have a gorgeous little leather Brunetti Puchinello clutch bag (other kinds are available)" 

Anita complained that the bag was so small she wouldn't even be able to fit in her packed lunch.

"Friedy - I wonder if you can show my viewers what you do with these spirals? Are they to make the trees grow all curly wurly?"

Friedy politely explained their purpose. Angelina cooed at the thought of getting a shot of herself in amongst some little bunnies, expecting them to all come running at the sight of some juicy saplings to nibble. 

"Here we are Friedy - a box of 10 beautifully enamelled false nails by 'Fancy Finger Tips'. They will make you stand out in a crowd - as long as you don't wear those horrible gloves."

Friedy bit her tongue and tried to look grateful.

Ms Twinkle's shrill voice was starting to grate  and everyone tried to avoid catching her eye in case they ended up with something completely useless to take home. Too late for Julia, who was slow to turn away as she shouted "*You look just the person to show everyone how to dig a hole and plant a tree."

 "That's it. Exquisite spade action. Have this superb pair of Timmy Choux silver, open toed sandals - perfect for your next volunteering day." 

Julia looked at AT with a raised eyebrow which clearly showed she he was not impressed and went to join the others for coffee.

The NCVs were glad to get a bit of peace as Liz took Angelina to one side and politely thanked her for her efforts but thought that she need not stay any longer. The carrots she had brought were just not appropriate for NCvs. Everyone covered their ears as the influencer squeaked in indignation and high tailed it back to her car.

Anita soothed the NCVs' feelings with some tasty flapjack which they willingly accepted before just getting on with the job. (Thanks Anita.) Liz didn't even need to wield a stick.  To be rid of the appalling Angelina was carrot enough to encourage the NCVs on.

Once the plantation team had finished they moved on to help with the hedge.

By lunchtime the hedge was completed - with no need for a single additional carrot.

It was time for a swing...

...and a bit of biosecurity before lunch.

Seeing it was not only the last tree planting day of the season - as well as being Dave's birthday - Julia rewarded everyone with a choice of two different, mouthwatering cakes.

Thanks Julia - and Happy Birthday Dave!!!

Wallers's update - no need for any carrots here!

by Graham

Spring has come and with it a lovely blue sky day and 15 degrees plus temperatures. Another good crowd of six wallers.  Andy, Rob and Graham concentrated on the first section adding another course before starting on toppers.

Much time was spent walking up the hill and prising out large (heavy) stones to use as toppers. Graham acted as spotter and Andy and Rob did the heavy lifting and barrowing the stones back down the hill. The start of this wall now has some very impressive toppers. 

The pictures below show the position at lunchtime, at which point I claimed man flu and departed soon after.  Hopefully Rob and Andy managed to complete the topping out of this first section by the end of play.  

Back of the wall with some impressive toppers

Front of wall looking really professional.

Meanwhile, Dave, Duncan and Simon were in an entirely separate world continuing on the second section.  A mixture of stone quality gave to mixed progress although the morning's activity had in fact been fruitful. 

Dave, Duncan and Simon working methodically

Next week's blog will hopefully show their afternoons achievements.

Bents Farm: 17-o3-2026

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!

And completed it was. The most trees

 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 eagerly looks for a stone !?

 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.

Contents of time capsule

The coins won't be worth much in a few years