Tree planting at Monk Ings and Pyefield farms: 21-01-2014

In the valleys the day dawned but you would hardly know it because of the fog.Those on the hill tops enjoyed a lovely sun rise. So where would we be planting trees today? Well we were to start at Monk Ing Farm, which is on the hills above Dacre and was bathed in sunshine when we arrived.

Being volunteers some of us arrived in good time. Whilst we were standing waiting by the ice covered ponds for Paul to arrive our fingers and toes were becoming cold, so we engaged in Tai Chi/Yoga warm up exercises. Those who had not done them before were favourably surprised by how effective they were.

The two newly dug ponds at Monk Ings 

were suffering with frost bite.

As were we - hence the initial calisthenics shown below......

Dave B. takes the lead and starts us off 

with a simple arm swinging exercise.

Graham prefers the 'What's that over there?' routine.

(Very good for the upper arms.)

Ros E ends up looking more like a goose taking off... 

... and Ros K. demonstrates the 'Walking Nowhere' step.

(Very good for the upper legs.) 

When Paul arrived we were ready to unburden his van of trees, tree guards, stakes, spades and hammers. We had willow, downy birch, oak and alder to plant here. One hundred trees in all, provided by the Friends of the AONB and funded by the Harrogate Rotary Club. While Paul was telling us where to plant, Hannah divided the trees into bags to keep their roots moist until the pairs of volunteers were ready to plant them.

The 13 volunteers, including a new member, David, from Timble, plus Howard who has been a tree warden for some time, worked so fast that we were finished by lunch time. 

NCVs were scattered all over the site, busy as busy bees can be.

Everyone worked in pairs.

 Quick - take a photo - Dean's using a spade!

The farmer had kindly piled some enormous rocks near to the site so we sat in the sun on the rocks and had lunch before assembling for the compulsory group photo shoot.

 Laura sits on top of the rock pile trying to 

keep warm in her arctic quality hat.

 Now - when I count to three say 'Trees'. 

(Dean was given the foreman's clipboard seeing he was wearing a high vis jacket.)

That left 24 trees to be planted at Pyefield farm, 8 by the pond we had recently created and 16 in a corner near Darley Beck. There were willow, downy birch, oak, alder and a few holly trees. As the day was so pleasant, all 13 volunteers joined the convoy to Pyefield House Farm and went to admire our handy work; the pond. 

Will fails to keep his bundle of tree stakes under control.

8 trees planted at the left hand end - 

the middle grassy area was left empty 

so that the pond would not get too over-shadowed for dragonflies.

Work starts all over again at Darley Beck.

And there you are - 

19 trees all planted in no time flat.

With fewer than 2 trees each to plant, we were finished by 1.30pm and so, with time off for good behaviour, we all headed for home with beaming smiles on our sun tanned faces.

Dave B.