NCV barn: 10-12-2019

Last day of term!!

😃

This week's task was the last of the year. Once the work clothes were washed at the end of the day they could safely be put away for four weeks. However - before that could be done there was a little matter of some work to be seen to. Originally we had intended to continue laying the hedge at Longside Farm. However - due to the dire weather forecast - plan B was put into operation and everyone met at the barn to shift the giant grass heap from the side of the building, ready for it to be transported elsewhere, and fix the neighbouring boundary fence, as well as a few other little jobs.

Looking at Plan B in action......

Firstly - and most importantly - the wood burner had to be
 lit to take off the chill at one end of the barn.
Within a short space of time Tony had a roaring blaze going.

 Jan and Phil took the cosy option of remaining in the barn, 
near the wood burner, to carry out tool maintenance.

Well, someone has to do it.

Outside, a team of grass shifters got to work.
This was not easy as the grass was compacted 
and had started to compost down.

As the grass heap on the far side of the wall got lower, 
so the one on the near side of the wall got higher.

NCVs armed with hay rakes got busy 
keeping the new heap under control.

                                Lower and lower...............................Higher and higher.

By coffee time the job was well underway.
Note the land towards the wall at the right of the picture is higher than the left.
It is NOT all grass. Phew!

The barn was a little cramped for coffee as a 
good deal of floor space was taken up with the hedge laying tools 
that had been left ready to collect at the start of the day.

It was clear that these were going to have to be shifted before lunchtime.

So, without further ado, new recruit Brenda got busy.
"Now - where are these kept?"

 Some handy hedge rails were spotted up in the rafters.
"We'll have them" thought Liz.

So - out they went to the van to be 
transported updale, to Longside farm...

...along with some useful posts.

Liz then cut up some old wood for the wood burner 
and David transported it into the barn.
David - does your head go to the top of that hat?

Meanwhile - how were things at the side of the barn?

The grass heap had all but disappeared....

...and Andrew had gone up in the world.

A huge heap of old bits of wooden stake had been collected ....

 ...leaving the way clear for the fence to be put to rights.

Paul's extra long legs made it relatively easy to use the post knocker.

Andrew showed off his staple hammering skills 
as the old stock fencing was put to good use.

And a final top wire was pulled tight to finish the job.

Just a bit of tool cleaning to do and we were good to go just after lunch.

Paul went the extra mile and chopped up some 
kindling for the wood burner before he went home.
Give that man a medal!