And it's back to Bramhope!
Having made a good start towards achieving their hedge laying badge at Bramhope Scout camp last week, the NCVs returned this week to ensure that their skills (and the hedge) were secure. If you remember there were two fields to deal with and. last week, one of the two was over 2/3 completed and the other cleared and ready for laying.
However - it has been decided that, as the second hedge is so thin, it would make more sense to cut it to a sensible height and simply plant new trees in all the gaps. In fact, 420 trees have already been requested from the Woodland Trust and will hopefully arrive in March (just in time for the NCVs to earn their tree planting badge!)
The photos below show you what was done throughout the day.
Now then - how low should we cut down these stems?
Anita suggested 'belly button' height
- but whose belly button????
There's a lot to come off these to reach your BB Julia!
And here too Anita!
Meanwhile - over in the other field a second team were
deciding which stems would need cutting out and
which could be laid.
Many of them needed the chainsaw -
- which made short work of them.
The rest could be dealt with manually.
Here novice Friedy is pleaching her very first pleach.
Ace axe man Andy can pleach a mean pleach....
...and passed the stem to Sarah
who gently laid it down to rest.
This stem was one of a number that gave the NCVs nothing but trouble and ....
...ended up breaking off.
Ooops! Never mind.
Hopefully the roots will send
up some new shoots in the spring.
🤞
As the stems were being laid at one end of the hedge so the posts and rails were being added at the other.
These two look happy in their work.
Sarah kept the carpenters supplied with posts.
And of course there was a constant supply of brash getting transported to the bonfire....
The NCV ladies practised their branch throwing skills.
Eventually the first hedge was cut down to BB height ....
...and the second laid to rest with the rails in place.
Home time?
No!!!! Come with me....
Just one last job to do - a patch of spirea,
bramble and unwanted scrub to clear.
OK - that's done too.
Now you can see through to the other side -
before the NCVs started after lunch
this view was completely blocked.
Some lunchtime out-takes:
Lunch was eaten in the amphitheatre.
Dave had a go at trying to beat the 10 second
NCV record for remaining on the tightrope, set by
Andrew last week.
He started very professionally then
fell off after 1 nanosecond.
The NCVs were joined by Leaf Man...
...as they nibbled on Anita's applecake and flapjack.
Thanks Anita!
Well done Team NCV.
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