Tiplady Farm: 05-11-2023

International Volunteering Day

How appropriate that today was the United Nations' International Volunteering Day. The 2023 theme is 'The power of collective action: if everyone did'. Indeed - if everyone did volunteer an awful lot could be achieved. This was admirably shown by the NCVs' work at Tiplady farm this week where they were laying a hedge. Having got in a good deal of practice last week at Glasshouses verge, their skills were honed and they made good progress.This was an older hedge so required some preparation before laying could start. 

 

OK - that looks doable. Let's start on the other side

away from the track and on the flat.

Sorry - no can do. This wire 

fence needs to be removed first...

...and it could take some time, even 

with a few of us working on it.

OK. In that case we'll get started 

clearing the stems on the road side.

(This was extremely difficult where the

 bank was high and steep, as you kept sliding down!

It didn't help that vehicles kept appearing 

and needed the thorny brash moving quickly.)

 

However - despite the difficulties - 

the base of the stems were gradually revealed.

 

Some excellent goodies at coffee time 

 kept everyone's spirits high.

Thanks Janet - very much appreciated!

Eventually the fence posts were all removed ...

...and the whole thing could be rolled up...

....and moved out of the way...

 

...including the nasty barbed wire. 

OK - time is moving on.

We really need to start laying.

Some post-lunchtime chopping is required.

Count me in!

Very quickly a good section of the hedge got laid.

Of course - there is a lot more to do.

The job for next week!

Unfortunately another, unexpected, job had to be done back at the barn on the same day. Here the wood store around the back of the building had collapsed in a recent storm - it needed to be reinstated back to the vertical!! A small team were tasked with waving a magic wand....

 

What a mess!

 

Oh dear. I only touched it and it all fell down.

I don't think that this can be saved after all!

 

No. Let's build a new one over here instead.

 

 

We had better just check it out for strength. 

 

 

Yes - that's fine.

That's it. Much better.

A good start - but some finishing to do 

next week.