It's 2025 and at last
it's back to business!
After five consecutive weeks off duty, due to the festive season and then extreme weather conditions, this Tuesday the NCVs were back in harness. And guess what? It was back to hedge planting; this time up at Maxfield Plain farm, adding to the hedging project that was started way back at the start of 2024.
Landowner Andrew is one of our very own, so it was nice to be able to lend him a hand to improve the environment high up above Pateley Bridge. At least the weather had warmed up a bit, so we weren't planting into hard, frozen ground.
Let's have a look and see what went on shall we?
Andrew, being Andrew, had made sure
that everything we needed was ready
and waiting in the right place.
He had even inserted the
first row of canes to make the
positioning of the second row easy.
As usual, everyone had first to climb
into the double fenced enclosure.
Ride 'em cowgirl!
Within a short space of time everyone was
busy carrying out their chosen task.
Gradually the planting got further
and further down the first side of the field.
The dog wood roots were in a right tangle.
Even when one was untangled it was
clear they would need holes digging,
rather than just slots.
Dave was unimpressed.
By lunchtime we had reached the
end of the field. Dave inserted the final
2 trees for this side.
Behind him stretched 110m of
hedge; that's 660 trees.
Everyone toddled off for
their lunchbreak....
...in the palatial dining room.
Additional sustenance was kindly
provided by Andrew's wife.
Thanks Lorraine - very tasty
and much appreciated.
Work continued after lunch
down the next side of the field.
Another 70m of hedge;
another 420 trees....
...all overseen by Louie...
...and 'Grumpy Ken'.
Then, all that was left to do was lend a hand
to push the trailer up the hill from
where it had got bogged down in the mud.
By the close of play everyone
was filthy.
Think you may need to put
those trousers in the wash Paul!
Breaking News!
While all the other NCvs were taking it easy during the cancelled task days, NCV Andy C. ventured forth on a week long chain saw course. He passed the course with flying colours and was informed by the tutor that he would have given him a gold star if there had been one.
Now Liz will have a very competent assistant to help out when we hedge lay or need to clear holly or fallen trees.
Well done Andy. What a champion!
Look at that - a perfectly felled tree
(apparently using a 'Danish Pie' cut.
Myself - I prefer an apple pie....).
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