Tuesday 8 October 2024

Low Wood Farm: 08-10-2024

 

This week the NCVs gritted their teeth, picked up their loppers and saws and, once more sallied forth to cut down vast swathes of holly from the woodland at Low Wood Farm. If you remember - last week they made huge inroads on the job, despite the wet weather and gloomy conditions. They were hoping for better weather this week.

What a false hope! It was raining on arrival and remained wet until lunchtime. This meant that, once again, any photographs taken during this time had to be lightened up by at least 200% (in a couple of cases, 300%!).

Before increasing the brightness.
"Cooee! Is there anybody there?"
 
After increasing the brightness.
"Yes! I am!" 
 
"Oooh. What are those Liz?"
 
"Rucksack tents, fashioned out of old 
gazebo window panels, to keep your 
backpacks dry!"
 

 Right - well - given what needs
 doing, we'd best crack on.

Julia was easy to spot in the gloom.
 
Liz's chain saw was put to good use.
 
Tom, however, had to make do with a bow saw. 
 
Energy levels were boosted at coffee time 
by some lovely cakes supplied by Julia. 
Thanks for those Julia!! 
 
Everyone was envious of Friedy's
 camping stool, even though
 it did have a tendency to sink into 
the soft ground.
 
Right Andy - make the most of the
post break cake energy and get sawing. 

No need to saw this rather lovely, decaying 
birch trunk down. It is host to a 
fine set of birch polypore fungus.
 
 At lunchtime Sally produced a tin 
containing delicious apple cake. 
Everyone is going to have to 
go on a diet tomorrow!
 
As lunch progressed the sky started to clear.
Hurray! The photos could be used without 
any amending! 
 
The brash heaps got bigger
and more numerous... 
 
...and log piles sprang up all around. 
NB Be aware - holly is a very dense 
and heavy wood. Shifting these large
logs was no mean feat. 
 
Eventually it was time to pack up.
Once again - good progress had been made. 
Just don't look the other way!!
 
Everyone squeezed into a couple of 
vehicles to get transported up the farm track.
Amy and Friedy travelled in complete
 darkness in the back of Liz's van.
What fun!!

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