Azerley Estate:15-05-2018

Oh no -  it's that plant again!

☹

Yes - I'm afraid so. It's the time of year when the real life equivalent of John Wyndham's triffid starts to invade the countryside. I'm talking, of course, about Himalayan Balsam, a long term adversary of the NCVs with which they do battle every year. For those readers who are new to the NCV blog, you may want to know why the appearance of this pink flowered plant causes such consternation. If you do then click HERE to find out more.

We had received an SOS from Kevin Birch, the gamekeeper at the Azerley Estate near Ripon, asking for help to remove balsam from the area near the river. The task instructions were quite straight forward, namely: 

1. Walk through the area to be cleared.
2. Bend over.
3. Find a balsam plant.
4. Pull it up by the roots.
5. Put them all in a pile.
6. Stamp hard on them to crush the stems.

So - that's what the NCVs did. All day - apart from coffee break and lunch time.The balsam removal technique can be seen in action below....

Before we start Dave would just like to have it pointed out 
that he carried on bravely with the task in spite of arriving with a major wound. 
Well - a bit of a cracked thumb.

We'd better check your balsam identification skills first.

Shall we pull up this lot?

NO - ABSOLUTELY NOT. LEAVE IT ALONE!!

It's Dog's Mercury - leaves are in pairs and it has a hairy stem.

What about this patch? Is this Dog's Mercury too?

No - that IS balsam. Leaves in threes and a smooth stem.

Pull away!

Balsam characteristics sorted, off they go - heads down, bottoms up.

 

As patches of balsam were cleared....

...piles of crushed stems were left behind.

That's what we think of you , you pesky plant.

An hour and a half later there was little change in people's positions.

Backs were aching so Julia took Ros E's advice and bent the other way, 
matching beautifully the tree trunk behind her.

Dave wasn't going to be left out and did a 
good impression of the tree in front of him.

Time for coffee - a chance to rest backs and knees...

...and to sample the delicious birthday cakes 
that Julia had brought along.
Happy birthday Julia!

Then it was back to the job. 

Richard was lost in his work.

So too was Liz, who was heard to comment later, 
"My bum's all covered with cuckoo spit."
Now - how often have you heard that sentence?

At last it was 1pm and time for another break to rest our backs....
.

...and partake of the tasty burger lunch which had been prepared
 for us by Kevin the gamekeeper and his wife. 
Thanks folks - it was much appreciated!! 

Then it was back to work until 3pm when everyone who was left stood up straight and said, "Enough's enough - any more's too much."

The view back through the wood was heartening. No balsam could be seen.
Everyone felt happy - until they looked in the other direction.
Never mind. By the time we return on 5th June for the 2nd stage of the attack 
our backs should have returned  to a more normal alignment. The balsam will be taller so there will be no need to crawl around on our knees.

Osian snapped this little chap on the way to the wood.
His caption?
'Because I'm toadly worth it.'