Longside Farm: 19-12-2017

This week was the last meet-up of 2017 and NCV Osian has sent in the following report and photos of what the group got up to.....

About 8 NCVs and a 4 strong student team enjoyed some bright Nidderdale sunshine to lay about 20 metres of hedge this Tuesday. 

The briefing.

The job ahead.

The spectators.

The progress.

The avian inspection and seal of approval.

The student learns the skill.

The unique Nidderdale post 

height measuring stick.

The railers.

The lunch (thanks to Hilary for the chocolate biscuits!)

A highlight was James' and Jan' s epic effort to lay the monster trunk, creating a double lay by sawing a branch until it could be buried to grow as a trunk and relaying the above soil portion of the branch. Ingenious idea. I think I might have seen a puffed out chest of satisfaction after that was completed. 

The start of some epic hedge laying.

The realisation that a chainsaw is needed.

The epic continues.

The outcome.

Other mortal hedgelayers steadily sawed and pleached away at the rest of the hedge. With the sound of an invite from the farmer to "return next Tuesday" we left the newly laid 20 m of hedge as this year's closing conservation effort.

The end - for 2017 anyway!

That's it for 2017 folks. See you back here in January 2018. In the meantime...

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!

Harewood: 12-12-2017

These boots are made for walking.

This Tuesday was one of those 'time off for good behaviour' days when the NCVs don their walking boots and go out for a ramble, followed by a nice lunch. Being so close to Christmas, festive hats were an optional extra. 

Anita had organised the walk in the Harewood area and had cunningly planned it so that we finished at the 'Muddy Boots' cafe, Harewood Village, for a late lunch. Here are some photos from the day.....

Lining up under starter's orders,

 the NCVs exhibit this season's Christmas themed millinery

And they're off, through the impressive gateway 
- with Anita striding out in the lead.

Glorious views on a glorious day.

Harewood House was easy to pick out in the distance.

The frost made close ups of grass worth a snap.

Down the hill to the valley bottom....

...where coffee break no.1 was taken  by the river on the bridge.

Lots of goodies to eat (see thank you list at the end).
Although Dave looks as if he's missed out on a mince pie!

It was a lovely feeling when we were able to walk past 

some rhodies without having to reach for a pair of loppers!

Some unexpected sights were seen. These daffies must think it's 
February or March, in spite of the extremely cold conditions.

Further on was a herd of highland coos. Och aye the noo.
The very large bull was very interested in whatever was at the bottom of the bucket....

...whilst behind him this shy little cutie wished 
he could share his dad's obviously tasty treat.

This gave us a good excuse to stand and admire them 

in the late morning sunshine. Coffee break no. 2!

Onward past a warning sign.

Stags there were by the plenty - 

but my wildlife photography skills do not do them justice 
(in spite of creeping up on them behind the trees).

Up the hill towards Harewood village, (sorry about the intrusive thumb!) 
where we were met at the 'Muddy Boots' cafe by fantastic flying display,
 given by 7 red kites. Needless to say my photo of these 
had to be deleted. They wouldn't keep still!

Inside the cafe we were made welcome in our own room at a number of tables....

 Table 1.
Ladies (and one gent) who lunch.

 Table 2.
Dave's looking a bit happier now - the promise of a lunch 
making up for his earlier mince pie disappointment.

 Table 3.
Nice to see four of the dry stone walling volunteers with us this year.

Table 4.
Christmas hats still available here!

Thanks go to:

• Anita and Ros K. for planning and leading the walk as well as providing a good supply of mince pies.
• The staff of the Muddy Boots Cafe for hosting our lunch so well
• Audrey for the flapjack 
• Hilary for the delicious lime and coconut macaroons
• The AONB office for funding our lunch. 

It was all very much appreciated. 😊

Tool training and other things: 05-11-2017

Apparently the 5th December is International Volunteer Day, the theme for 2017 shown in the design above. This day is mandated by the UN General Assembly, so an appropriate date for the NCVs to be out working, even though they were not necessarily doing the kinds of work that the UN volunteers do. 

The NCVs had three different things going on for them to choose from....

• At the barn nine had opted to take part in a tool training day led by the knowledgeable Jasper Pratchek. As expected, we learnt a great deal and managed to do a lot of tool improvements throughout the day, as can be seen in the pictures below.....

First, Jasper went around the workshop picking up one 
type of tool after another, talking about how and when 
to use them and how to maintain them.

Then it was nose (or bill hook) to the grindstone.

Tom wins the prize for the most pairs of loppers dismantled, 
sharpened and re-assembled.

Ros E. concentrates hard to insert bolt A into hole B 
whilst losing all important washer C somewhere on the floor.

Sally worked wonders on a spade that looked ready for the bin.

Nick wishes that he had one of those.

Angle grinderers of the AONB unite - 
and wear spark proof trousers.

And in action......

Also available via this link if you can't 
get the video to work directly from the blog page.

• Out on Peat Lane four NCVs were helping footpath officer Peter Lambert construct a gate and fencing using some impressive carpentry skills. Apparently the hurricane force winds experienced at the top of the hill don't show up in the photos below.

 At the start of the day it all looked a bit unfenced.

 Gradually posts were inserted...

...and rails nailed on.

Eventually an excellent fence was produced.

• And, finally, up at Longside farm, 11 willing souls joined James to help prepare the next section of hedge for laying, early in the new year. Many tree spirals were said to have been removed and a large collection of brash generated as the lower layer of the hedge was pruned. Mind you, as the photo sent in from that team only shows them sitting eating I am not sure about the validity of this report!

Longside team hard at work eating their lunch.

Oh no - one other shows at least 
someone was at work. But who?