A change of plan! - Work at the barn:19-03-13

Today we were meant to be learning the art of 'willow spiling' in order to prevent the erosion of the banks of the River Laver. However, due to the bad weather yesterday, the river level was too high for the task to go ahead. That task was postponed for a couple of weeks, so you will have to wait for a while to find out what willow spiling actually is! 

Instead 10 NCVs met at our barn in Bewerley to do some routine maintenance. There were plenty of jobs to keep us busy for the morning. Colin did the most important one - he arrived early and lit the wood burner - essential on this cold day. Thanks Colin!

Anita, Chris, Emma, Tony and Colin then set to, cutting points on the ends of 40-50 hazel stems in readiness for the hedge laying task to be carried out next week. The stems were the by-product of coppicing work we did in Bryan's Wood a long time ago. We had brought them to the barn so that they could be used by the Bewerley Park Education Centre as den building material, but not all were needed. It is nice to know that they continue to come in useful for other tasks.

Hazel stems sharpened and
bundled ready for next week.

Jan, Dave and Julia cleared out the end room, throwing away anything that wasn't needed and stacking boxes of AONB literature ready to put onto the new shelving that Jan and Dave are kindly going to make for us. It will be so good to have somewhere to finally store these boxes - they have had a rather nomadic existence in the past which, although it has helped develop my arm muscles no end on many occasions, I will not be sorry to see end. 

Julia also made sure that the little 'kitchen' area (this description is being used in the loosest sense) was brought up to current EU health and safety standards whilst also doubling up the facility as a small reference library. Meanwhile, Dave moved onto adapting the three new leaf blowers so that they can be used as seed suckers instead. Now they will come in useful when collecting seed for the hay meadows project.

Now - this tube fits in this hole...
I think!

Whilst all this was going on Gill and I carried out an audit of the tools. Considering how tools are regularly taken into the great outdoors and used in all kinds of terrain, it  was good to find out that very few items from the original list have been lost (although some items took a while to locate - or even identify!) Tools that had everyone stumped were listed as '5 large spits'. Nobody knew what a spit was and nothing seemed to be there that could be described as one. It is unlikely that the list is referring to items for roasting hogs, or anything unsavoury related to saliva, so if by any chance the NCVs that put the original list together can remember what these items are, perhaps they could post a comment to shed some light on the matter - we are all intrigued! 

Gill and Ros hunt for the elusive
'spits' in one of the tool racks.

Of course we couldn't just audit the tools - we had to tidy them too. This had a knock on effect for the hazel stem sharpeners who kindly added to their work load by getting into the nearby stream to wash the spades and the buckets. 

 Bucket cleaning in the great outdoors.

Foreman Chris S directs the delicate
operation from the river bank.

By lunch time the barn looked really neat and tidy (I wonder how long it will stay like that?!) Lunch was eaten alfresco - sitting outside the barn with chairs and a table. Fine dining indeed (if rather cold with the snowy fields around us!) 

Paul, Ros and Anita sport their new AONB NCV
woolly hats - welcome additions in the cold weather. 

The flapjack this week (sufficient for morning break and lunch) was provided by Anita - and very delicious it was too. Thanks Anita!

Chris S., Anita and Julia soak up the sun
and eat up the flapjack at break time.

Ros E.