Mayfield Farm field circa January 2019.
It is well over 3 years since the NCVs entered this field at Mayfield farm to start populating it with 650 native trees. Each year since, thanks to covid, landowner Tony (aka 'the Bard') has had to weed each tree tube, and restore any drunken looking ones to the vertical, all on his own. This year the NCVs felt that it was time to lend him a hand, so...
...everyone turned out in force!
Armed with lump hammers and Stanley knives,
they ventured forth to do the deed.
Mayfield farm field circa May 2022.
What a difference to that first, treeless, view!! Time to get cracking.
The NCVs worked in a line across the field and worked downhill.
The equine onlooker was impressed.
They stuck to the mantra "Lift it up a bit, pull 'em out and leave
the weed ball to mark that the tube has been 'done'."
By coffee time all the tubes had been checked!
Time to go home? NO!!!
It is now time to go to the top field
and pull up creeping thistles.
š¦
Monet just happened to be passing and
captured this scene on canvas.
He entitled it 'Thistle pullers in May'.
Some thistles needed removal with a garden fork.
The rest were small enough to be pulled straight out of the ground.
A prickly job, but someone has to do it!
The amphibian onlooker was also impressed
and asked what we were doing. We explained that
the creeping thistles needed removing so that the meadow
can be enhanced with wild flowers.
As can be seen from the pile that accumulated by lunchtime,
it's no good leaving them in as they are so invasive.
At lunchtime Osian keeled over, totally exhausted.
Luckily, as is customary with Tony and Alwin,
a superb 2 course lunch was provided.
Thanks Alwin!!!! - and Tony.
Osian managed to find enough energy to crawl
to the table for second helpings of cream.
Everyone sat and chatted in the warm sunshine....
...trying to ignore the very black clouds ,
slowly moving towards them..
David was sent to the naughty seat to eat his
pudding in isolation, having misbehaved all morning.
Anita did a passable impression of a rose between two thorns.
Fully fortified, the gang set off downhill to continue pulling thistles.
Bending over was now more difficult due to the large lunch.
Many were now working on their knees instead.
Tony spent a good deal of time shuttling up and down
to collect the piles of thistles with his garden tractor.
And here are the majority of them
- ready for burning - once they dry out*!!
* see below....
Unfortunately, an hour after lunch the heavens opened
and there was a torrential rain and hailstorm.
Everyone had to run for cover and were stuck
under the car port for a long time.
Eye spy while we wait anyone?
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