HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
As the New Year started the NCVs were waiting, with bated breath, to see if the latest covid wave would prevent them working in the great outdoors. But - for now - it hasn't and they are still free to do good for the local environment. Their breath could be unbated!
And so it was that they set off, on a beautiful cold, sunny morning, to Day Ash Farm to get on with the job of removing the encroaching holly from the woodland. They were determined to clear as much ground as they could before the spring flowers want to start growing.
Here's how they got on....
Last time, this oak had been left with a holly trunk in front of it.
However - Liz, her chainsaw and her trusty assistant
David soon sorted that out.
Everyone else concentrated on clearing the top
edge of the woodland - either of little bushes like this....
...or monsters like this.
Brenda bravely deployed her loppers on a monster....
...and, with a little help from Julia and Anita, soon won the fight.
Ken decided not to bother with tools. He just got down
on his knees and prayed that the tree would keel over.
(It didn't - Liz and her chainsaw had to be drafted in.)
Paul noticed that this tree was sporting a special ribbon.
Definitely one to be freed from the surrounding holly.
Osian took his chances and worked
on freeing up these birch trees.
Well done that man - a good start to the New Year.
Ros E. selected this sycamore for attention.
She got there in the end ....
...although these holly trunks around the back...
...needed Chainsaw Liz and Superman David's
help to shift.
her Christmas present from Dave...
... and nearly came to grief as it started
to collapse into the boggy ground.
which restored Julia's karma.
The most DELICIOUS chocolate brownies.
to catch up on holiday news.
Well - nearly everyone!
Slowly but surely the tide of incoming brash grew and grew....
...as NCVs trailed backwards and forwards across the field,
dragging their prickly loads.
Gradually the brash was turned into a dead hedge
along the remains of the old boundary wall.
freezing ground to help secure the hedge in place.
disaster made a good job at this end.
Of course, as is often the way with this type of task, there is still more work to do. However, the woodland floor is now a lot clearer than it was and, hopefully, the mature deciduous trees will benefit and there will be a good crop of spring flowers growing this year.
Don't worry Andy - we'll be back in the autumn!!
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