With only 29 shopping days to go until Christmas, were the NCVs rushing to the shops to buy cards, wrapping paper and presents before they all disappeared off the shelves?
NO! OF COURSE NOT! Why on earth would they do that when there was a kilometre worth of hedge trees needing to be planted at Smaden Farm, near Fellbeck? This was a joint effort with the National Trust, as part of their Skell Valley project - a much more important and worthwhile venture, and one that had had to be postponed due to the snow and ice of the previous week. So - instead of heading into town, they hefted their spades and got to work, far from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets and harrassed shoppers. Heavenly!!
The day started with a loooong walk
from the cars down to the work site.
Bags of hawthorn and other 'special trees'
were carted down the hill.
of tree spirals on her head.
What an amazing woman she is!
Gabby Crisp, of the National Trust,
explained why the hedge was needed
and gave out the instructions for the job.
The group split into 2 teams and
went off to plant up a double row of trees
within the four sides of the
double fenced field.
Pretty soon everyone was busy.
The mantra for the day was:
poke in a bamboo cane;
dig a hole;
insert a tree and heel it in;
put a spiral around it.
Every so often a member of the team
at the bottom of the field
went back and gave each bamboo cane
a good blow with the lump hammer
to ensure it stayed upright in the wind.
At coffee time Team 'Downhill' enjoyed
sitting in the sun relaxing.
However, new member of the team, Helena,
required a good talking to by her union rep.
when it was noticed that she continued
working whilst on her break.
Team 'Uphill' could be seen sunning
themselves in the distance.
Poor Andy and farmer Simon had their
work cut out in this section.
Here they were planting into
the base of a dry stone wall.
Extra rations for them tonight!!
Work continued well into the afternoon
when there was a final planting frenzy
as both teams worked together to
finish the last section.
Dave was just about ready to collapse...
...and was the last man out of the enclosure,
desperate to get home to bed.
1000 trees planted by the close of play.
Brilliant work NCVs!!
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