Luckily
the high winds of the previous day had calmed down to a brisk breeze for the NCVs when they
arrived at Fogfield Farm this week and by lunch time they were but a distant memory.
The task was to help remove blackthorn scrub that’s spreading into a wildflower meadow. It’s a year since the NCVs' last visit to Fogfield, when landowner Clive White requested our help to clear the route of an old packhorse track and public footpath. If you remember - we made it onto Radio 4's alternative Today programme on the strength of that day's work. Some of our newer readers may want to read the programme's transcript to see what went on.
So - how did we get on with this year's thorny problem? Well - the photos below show the progress we made throughout the day.......
First the red suede gauntlet wearing NCVs had to
negotiate a field full of young bullocks to reach the site.
Perhaps red wasn't the best colour to be dressed in!
The work area was down at the bottom
of a very steep and muddy slope.
A large bank of blackthorn loomed at the top of the hill ...
...so a band of erstwhile lumberjacks set off to do battle.
And battle they did. Tom had to prune this
wild rose right back - another thorny foe.
Brash was dragged down from above...
...and along to the processing area....
...where it was chopped up and placed delicately
onto an embryo bonfire pile.
Others were less than delicate with their branch positioning.
Graham prepared to toss the caber.
Sometimes whole groups of entangled bushes
were rolled down the hill in one go.
Gradually the bonfire pile grew bigger and bigger.
Coffee and lunchtime seating that was not soggy was at a premium.
More than one NCV ended up with a damp patch on their rear end!
(NB Thanks to Audrey for the flapjack!)
During the lunch break many spent a bit of time harvesting
the extensive crop of sloes that could be found on the brash.
Sloe gin recipe swapping was the main topic of conversation.
Blackthorn, hazel and hawthorn were also being cleared
at the far side of the field - mainly by the student team.
These two had obviously had their breakfast Weetabix.
(Other cereals are available.)
Team work is always the best way to get a job done.
After lunch there was a frenzy of brash processing
to try to clear the back log.
By 2pm the top of the slope was completely clear,,,
...as was the side of the field.
All of the brash had been processed...
...and put onto the world's biggest bonfire pile.
Ros E.
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