Sunflower Nursery, Pateley Bridge and Volta Farm, Thornthwaite: 17-01-2021

 

 Eat your greens guys!

Yesterday was the 94th anniversary of the first appearance of 'Popeye the Sailor Man' and, in a celebration of this prestigious anniversary, the NCVs made sure that they all had spinach for breakfast. As a result this week's tasks were a cinch. They may have had to:

a) work in sub zero temperatures 

b) clear an area for outdoor play at a local nursery and prepare the hedge there for laying

c) prepare for next week's hedge planting task at Volta farm

but, with bulging forearms, such a task was easy. The pictures below show two work teams in action. 

 

At the Sunfower Nursery in Pateley Bridge 

an outdoor space was in dire need of clearing...

 

...before any little Swee'peas were  

going to be able to play safely.

No worries - Olive Oyl led a spinach fuelled gang..

  

...who soon made huge improvements.

 

Andrew got to work with his loppers and 

showed this hazel who was boss.  

 

Andy made use of the ENORMOUS wheelbarrow

 he found in the nursery grounds. Very helpful

 when it came to shifting the rubbish.

 

Said rubbish was stacked nice and tidy, 

ready for taking to the tip.

 

Then it was time to lick this hedge into shape

 for laying in another few weeks.

 

 The dreaded plastic tree spirals 

were removed and collected up...

 

...and the overgrown hedge was 'fronted up',

so that the pathway was accessible 

without having to wear protective gear. 

 

Yes! Ken gives a thumbs up as he reaches 

the gate at the far end without laceration. 

 

Meanwhile, over at Volta Farm, 

Team Popeye were dealing with 

ground as hard as iron. The original plan 

had been to plant a hedge between these two fences.  

 

However, it quickly became apparent 

that the need to use a pick axe to penetrate 

the top few inches of soil was 

going to put paid to that!

 

Instead, marker canes were inserted 

(as far as possible) ready for next week's 

sapling insertion. Notice how regularly they are spaced? 

 

 

The regularity arose from the use of Andy C's 

ingenious home made cane spacer!

 

He also created this mobile stile to allow 

workers to climb over into the fenced area...

 

 

 ...as ably demonstrated by goodness knows which NCV. 

 

 

Six large trees were able to be planted 

within the length of the hedge, 

but these needed big holes. 

 

Luckily this one contained buried treasure 

- a large rock which, when removed, 

left a perfect gap for tree roots.

 

These large trees needed special wooden frames

 to keep them stable so Paul and David 

got busy with the post knocker (see video below).

Thank goodness for those spinach rations!

 

  

There you go - one tree, nicely 

protected from storm damage.

 

Andy's excellent rich man's shortbread 

(with added spinach) also helped fuel the workers...

 

 

...although some were flat out at lunchtime.

 Days from a bygone age number 7 -  NCV revealed

Remember last week's cheeky little Swee'pea in the big hat? Did you guess the NCV correctly? It was, of course our very own, lanky lad, Osian, somewhat taller now!

 

Then...

...and now.