Return to Longside Farm, Ramsgill: 23-01-2017

Anyone who read the article in last week's issue of the Pateley Post ("NCVs found laying down on the job!!!" by A. Hack) will know that the NCVs made a good start on laying a hedge alongside the road at Longside Farm, Ramsgill.

This is how we left the hedge last time - 

although the stems were laying down they still needed 

fixing into position.

This week a group of 18 returned to the site, on a very cold morning, to finish off the first section and make a start on the next stretch. 

 

Some NCVs used the latest in hedge layers' accessories - 

a must for anyone wanting to avoid blackthorn spikes in the knee caps!

(The editor would like to acknowledge the source of these photos - 

namely ''The Hedge Layer's friend',  a monthly cornucopia of hedging related tips)

Once the very end of the hedge by the gate was properly laid then all the pleached stems in the adjoining sections could be dealt with. It was like a Mexican wave as they were lifted into position, one on top of the other, and the rails hammered in.

The photos below show the progress throughout the day.

Jan's team finished pleaching the end bit...

...before putting in some posts....

...and adding a rail.

While this was all going on waiting NCVs got busy 

fronting up the next, untouched, part of the hedge.

Brash was added to the waste pile,...

 ...homage was paid to a holly bush...

 ...and new stems were pleached.

Dave and Julia chatted through the hedge...

...whilst Phil had a doze.

Of course - no day would be complete without coffee and a banana...

...and lunch with Audrey's flapjack!

After lunch the process really sped up - posts were soon put in, 
stems were woven between and a rail was nailed through.

Bit by bit the Mexican wave passed down the hedge.

However - it was no easy task untangling the pleached 
stems so that they could be lifted into place.

By close of play both last week's section  and 
the new section was finished off and looked 
very smart, with stems leaning at a regular angle (almost).

Even the NCVs tried to remain in keeping with the angle of the lay!!

Ros E.