NCV workshop and Glasshouses Verge: 24-08-2021

 

There were big smiles all around this week. Sighs of relief were heard throughout the dale. NCVs walked about with a lightness in their step. No longer were their weekly task emails opened in trepidation.

THE BALSAM PULLING SEASON IS NOW OVER!!!!

"What on earth will the NCVs do on a Tuesday now?", I hear you ask.

Well - Liz was on holiday this week but left a number of instructions for work at the barn or along the nearby meadow verge. The NCVs did their best to follow these. See the pictures below - firstly the group who stayed at the barn...

Tool meisters Jan and Phil put in a special appearance.

They needed to sharpen and peen all the scythe blades so

 that they are ready for the verge harvesting in 2 weeks time.

They also checked out all the loppers and bow saws.

Thanks guys!

This defunct bread oven structure needed emptying of hardcore 

and the floor levelling to turn it into a seating shelter.

So a team of 5 got busy with spades and rubble bags.

Could someone please hold this bag open for Ruth?

As the bags were filled they were carted off in a barrow....

...until Alistair had the bright idea to nip home for his sack barrow.

This was much easier to load and unload.

It soon became evident that the hard core was a lot harder to 

shovel than it looked.

A spit was most definitely needed to loosen the gravel....

...and lever out the large pieces of rock that were buried underneath.

It was at this point that the pulling of Himalayan 

balsam didn't seem like such a bad option!

Especially when stones of this size needed shifting!

By coffee time the job was well underway and the shelter could be 

tried out for size. It was decided that there was no need to 

make a bench - the walls of the structure filled the bill very well.

By lunchtime the floor was cleared - not bad going.

"Where did all the hard core bags go?"  you may be thinking.

Here they are - all 30 of them.

And here are the 5 very dusty hard cores shifters looking very pleased.

Please note that anyone who is very tall needs to beware when entering this structure.

Tony and Alistair were both in constant danger of  knocking themselves senseless.

No sooner than the team vacated the area, Jan ran in with a 

variety of tools in order to re-position the railway sleeper that

 had been pushed out of alignment by the gravel.

It was in danger of falling out of the side wall completely.

He and Alistair managed to coax it back into position 

before clamping it tightly and hammering in some nails.

Phew! Now it's safer to sit on.

While they were busy the rest went inside the barn

 to carry out a tool inventory

Now - is that everything?

Er - no. Not quite. Just look up.....

OMG!!!! The ceiling! The ceiling! 

There are spiders' webs of ENORMOUS proportions

ALL OVER THE CEILING!!!!!!!

These were dispatched as much as possible.

Some were just too high to reach.

Cleaning off the brush heads after each foray 

was not the most pleasant of jobs.

The rest of the group walked down to the verge at Glasshouses. They had to clear the underneath of the hedge and alongside the fence to allow the cut grass to be piled. They also needed to clear any encroaching vegetation from the bridleway next door. Let's see what they managed to achieve shall we.....

Now - where's that fence lads?

To work!

After which - a rest.

First job ticked off - now on to the bridleway.

Uh-oh. This was going to take some time and effort.

That's starting to look better already.

Andrew shovelled away in a good boy scout's uniform.

There's nothing nicer than a breeze around your knees!

By close of play the bridleway was as clean as a whistle.

Well done laddies!

Greygarth and Scarhouse:17-08-2021

ADVERTISEMENT

 BVZ-CYK SPA DAYS

Looking to de-stress?

Wanting a calming day out?

Needing to relax and be in tune with nature?

If so, why not join the NCVs at one of their two, recently acquired, alfresco venues?

Come to Greygarth ponds for a day of balsam slashing.

Alternatively, if rivers are a source of enjoyment for you, why not pull balsam near Scarhouse Reservoir?

Both experiences are guaranteed to calm the soul.

The pictures below show how a variety of clients have benefitted, just recently, from a day of complete relaxation.

At Greygarth - the 'Be Very Zen' (BVZ) spa.

"Slashing the stems made me feel soooo good!

The cares of the week simply washed away."

"It was remarkably satisfying to see the flattened balsam."

Every so often the group was asked to sit

 and enjoy some deep breathing exercises 

using specially designed yogic breathing tubes.

Client K commented that this "promoted energy 

transfer between my chakras."

He then went on to explain that "I learned how to improve 

my prana flow by simply falling into a stream and letting everything go."

Client O extolled the virtues of exploding balsam seed pods.

He felt that they "provided a wonderful exfoliation of the facial skin."

He also commented that "the fizzyness caused by the stinging nettles

 and the scratching of the brambles was simply invigorating." 

And at Scarhouse - the 'Calm Your Karma' (CYK) health resort.

Client D  - a tall man - was impressed by the balsam growing in our fields.

"I would not have believed that an annual plant could grow so high."

His wife agreed. "I don't know what they feed the plants

 with but it has an amazing effect which actually transfers to those nearby.

As I pulled up the stems I felt my energy levels rise."

Client A commented that "wandering down the rocky gill 

allowed me to focus my thoughts."

"A day like this is what everyone needs after a week in the office.

It brought out the adventurous spirit in me."

Client L agreed. "At one point I channelled the spirit of a mountain goat.

 I didn't know I had it in me."

This client moved onto level 2, using the complex stances 

of Tai Chi to ensure the balsam succumbed. He said that 

"As the balsam was laid waste, the tension in my body simply disappeared."

Clients are able to reach the third and final level by 

helping to rid the world of waste.

In doing so they can achieve Nirvana.

On arrival at both centres these two clients 

were finding it difficult to face the world.....

...however, by the end of the day everyone 

was ready to look outwards and SMILE!

And you need not worry.

At both centres we take health and safety very seriously.

Even the tools are given first aid when their 

handles become blistered from all the hard work.

 And all our customers' dietary requirements are taken care of.

The CYK resort's chef provides a flapjack to die for.

What's not to like?

Release all that angst.

Join us in helping nature grow whilst reducing your blood pressure in a totally natural way.

Visit www.BVZ-CYK-spadays.com now to book a place for that supreme pampering experience.

(Terms and conditions apply. Only bookings for those with strong arms and an ability to remain cheerful in the face of adversity can be accepted. )

Hackfall: 10-08-2021

 THE OLYMPIANS ARE BACK -

Only to face their next challenge!

Hot on the heels of their well deserved Olympic gold medal in the Himalayan balsam pulling event in Tokyo last week, the NCVs were back in training. This time they needed to polish up their balsam techniques in readiness for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham next summer. Trainer Liz is relentless. Not satisfied with them ridding the Nidd, the Laver and even the Sumida river in Japan she pushed them to the limit this week with yet more practice at the area of the Dropping Well in Hackfall Woods. When asked why she thought this additional training was necessary she answered:

"We just cannot afford to be complacent. This year's success was a close run thing. The team from Nepal almost beat us. I think the NCVs' really need to concentrate now on speed as well as thoroughness. Effective arm action will be crucial and the use of a slasher will shave hours off their time record."

Team members grimaced as they heard this  but were happy to hear that there was an alternative activity up Liz's sleeve. Apparently another athletic event is to be introduced at the 2022 games in Birmingham - that of clearing circles of vegetation and marking them with sticks and bailer twine ready for tree planting. Now that would require a whole new skill set. 

Were the NCVs up to it? Let's take a look......

Liz blew her whistle and everyone raced off.

Their progress down to the area of the Dropping Well was 

helped by the new footpath surface (completed by Woodland

 Trust contractors only last week).

This motorway standard path covered the really muddy section

down to the sand beds so allowed them to gain precious seconds,

UNTIL....

...an eagle eyed Liz spotted some balsam stems hiding

 on the slopes above. 

"STOP!" she ordered. "Commence pulling but be quick. 

It's a very long walk to the Dropping Well from here."

It took the NCVs a good 20 mins to clear the area.

Now - on to the proper work site.

Oh no!! Another issue to deal with en route. 

Andy thought a quick clip of the loppers would clear 

the problem, but no. More man power was needed.

"At least this gives us a break from pulling balsam", 

one NCV was heard to whisper to their nearest colleague.

30 mins later the obstacle was much reduced.

That was all that could be done without saws - so - 

on to the Dropping Well.....

The NCVs finally arrived at their intended destination at 10:45am,

only to see a forest of HUGE balsam plants wafting around in the breeze.

At this juncture they all collapsed, exhausted, and reached for their flasks.

 Luckily a box of flapjack suddenly materialised and

 provided a much needed energy boost.

For anyone who hasn't visited the Dropping Well before 

(we don't blame you - it IS rather a long trek)

this is what it looks like.

The sound of running water and lots of lovely ferns in the 

cool interior made everyone wish they could just 

sit here for the rest of the day.

But no. That was definitely not allowed.

Liz shouted "Slashers at the ready. Commence slashing now!"

With that she started the stop watch.

Within 30 mins all the free standing balsam was slashed.

Job done?

Of course not. Having reached the top of the slope above the well....

...the NCVs then practised their 'Walking down hill through thick bracken, 

trampling and slashing as you go' technique.

They did their best to keep in a line across the slope 

so as not to miss any stems.

The view that they had had at the top of the slope allowed 

them to see exactly what lay ahead in the clearing below - 

the area where the tree circles were going to be marked out.

Their stout hearts sank. Acres of high bracken and balsam stems.

It was now time to mark out the tree planting circles.

Dave made a start on cutting some hazel stems to use as markers.

Well Dave - if you can perform that well in the Birmingham

stadium next summer we'll be off to a good start.

As fast as Woodsman Dave cut the stems so Mr Stick man 

gathered them up and raced off to the 

areas where they were needed.

It was just like a relay race. 

The sticks were passed over and speedily inserted into the ground.

By 2pm the 8 circles required were bashed down and marked out.

Liz stopped the timer and announced it was home time.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, trying not to think about the 

extremely long walk back.

As they wound their weary way they thought back about all

 the interesting things that bashing the balsam had allowed them to see.

Badgers' burrows and latrines.....

...Oak bracket fungus....

...and some King Alfred's cup cakes

(another fungus - not an alternative to the flapjack.)

As they reached Fountains Pond they couldn't resist having a 

little rest on the felled ash trunks. 

Liz the coach wisely allowed them a little time out to cool down,

catch their breath, admire the new footpath surface ....

...and play with the fountain pump.

It worked spectacularly well - 

just like the NCVs!!

BRUM - HERE WE COME!!