Green Owlers. Dig, dig.... dig!

Duncan displays his supervisory skills

Our first week at a new site at the head of the Colne Valley. We have just over 1000 trees to plant in this field. The site is adjacent to previous planting from some years ago, so it all contributes to the gradual forestation! Though you can see by the landscape around, we have a fair way to go before its all woodland again. This morning we concentrated on digging holes, as we have the Lindley school Owls group coming out with us to plant tomorrow, and so we were preparing the ground for them. Its hard work digging all morning, so we needed our homemade Eccles cakes.

                                                                   Cath digs for victory                                                                                                    

See the barren moorland needing trees!

Well House Farm. Week 2. Sheep attack! And Arborial art.

 

Geoff was distraught when Philip told him about the Sheep attack.

They really are the bane of our lives, sheep. They had got onto this site after our first days planting, and nibbled a lot of the trees, some were completely eaten. We think that the Hawthorn (which was the bulk of the planting) will survive, and the field has now been made 100% secure. 

Despite this setback we carried on and planted another 300 trees.

We bulked out the Hawthorn hedge, it will be a thorny thicket worthy of Sleeping Beauty's castle.

On the other side of the field we planted Lime, Whitebeam, Rowan, Bird Cherry, and Wild Pear. The varieties have been carefully laid out, so that the sizes of tree should gradually rise, from the edge of the open meadow area, up to meet the existing tall trees on neighbouring land. We are arborial artists us.

Top photo is actually of Geoff eating carrot cake. There is also a before and after photo of Hawthorn, nibbled in ground, and unnibbled waiting to be planted.  Last photo is of  some of those present, left to right, James, Oliver, Geoff, Dave, Duncan and Cath.

Scotland Farm

Another week organised by Brian. This week were attempting to plant shelter belts across 5 fields on Scotland farm above Slaithwaite. We did our manful best, but I think we bit off more than we could chew. We had enough people for teams of 4/5 for three of the fields. In our field there were myself, Philip, Geoff and Duncan. We planted 136 trees in our first field, and then managed another 35 in the second. Our problem was that we were supposed to plant 300 trees in that first field, but there just wasn't enough room to plant them where the farmer wanted them. We were working in a narrow space between a dry stone wall and a barbed wire fence.  As I said, we did our best. I'm not sure how the other teams fared. Highlight of the morning though was being delivered bacon butties by quad bike. Very nice man that farmer. And we worked hard for him. But I do wonder what will happen to all the leftover trees, especially the bare-rooted stuff which will die pretty quick if not looked after right. Top photo shows the narrow gap we were working in. Bottom photo shows Duncan, Geoff and Philip enjoying coffee, scones, and the view.

Well House Farm

First week at Well House farm and there was still a fair amount of quite crusty snow on the ground. It wasn't as bad as it looked though, and with a generous number of volunteers we planted around 300 trees. Lots of Hawthorn, in a big hedge up one side fo the field, then some Holly, Hazel, Oak and Scots Pine in the lower part of the field. Lots more trees to plant here, so we will be back in a couple of weeks. This field has been very well fenced by the landowner, and Brian and Duncan were unable to escape.

We haven't staked or guarded the trees here yet, we are waiting on a batch of coil guards and canes, which Guy is sourcing for us. Todays cake was a rather nice Bakewell mincemeat hybrid. An excellent and thoroughly enjoyable mornings work.