Merrydale, clearing for the Dartmouth Shoot.

Remy wearing fetching midge-net hat. And Harvey, who looks a bit like half a dog in this picture..

So today we went to Merrydale, a sight planted by us over a number of years. Our task today was to clear brambles, at the request of the Dartmouth Shoot. We were: myself, Philip, Geoff, Remy, Duncan, and Harvey the dog. It was a bit humid, a bit thorny, and a bit midgy, but we spent a productive morning cutting brambles out and formatively pruning some of the trees. Cake was chocolate. And a good time was had by all. Even Harvey the dog, who nicked Geoff's bit of cake while Geoff was talking.

Philip rehydrating, cleared understorey in background

Geoff and Philip hard at it.

Poly-tunnel palaver

Guy, unravelling.

Philip and Remy do interpretive dance in the Society's new performance space.

Today we re-covered the Nursery poly-tunnel. We spent a previous Saturday clearing the frame, and digging trenches. Dave and Ben had done more work on weekdays too. We were; Guy, Mandy, Philip, Ben, myself and Remy. We started by doing a little more remedial work on the trenches, and the land drain on one side. We had to apply insulating tape to the frame to stop the metal framework getting hot and weakening the polythene. Then we had a comedy half hour trying to decide how to unwrap, unroll, and handle the huge and unwieldy polythene sheet. When we had got this worked out we draped the sheet over the frame, and began anchoring the sides under hardcore in the trenches. Plus also we had to pin the sheet to the door frames at each end.  3 hours work in the sunshine, followed by a drink at the pub. And homemade oak cookies.

The more or less finished item.

Summer work 2013 - The polytunnel

Guy, Ben, Mandy, Ben and Dave. And blue sky!

First day of our Summer Saturdays, and it was lovely weather. We were doing preparations for the reconstitution of the poly tunnel. Dave and Ben have spent a lot of time clearing the area, and pulling down the massive Roses that had grown over the frame. Today we were digging the trench around the sides, which the tunnel material will be buried into to anchor it. We were: Mandy, Guy, Dave, Philip, myself, Ben, Neil, Geoff and Remy. We were briefly joined by Duncan and Harvey the dog, but they left before any work got done! Cake was a lovely sugary coffee and walnut.

Towards the end Guy and Dave became fixated on some old concreted in fence posts at the bottom end of the poly tunnel. They enjoyed subjecting these to considerable violence.

For your consideration, new tree protection for next season

Cath with tree

While on the Greek Island of Kalymnos, Cath discovers a new type of tree guard. Worth considering for future tree soc use? I'd like to see someone try and strangle one of them.

The phantom tree strangler of Butterley

So, I went up to Butterley to replace some failed trees this morning, putting in 15 Scots Pine and 15 Rowan on a patch we planted with Emma and John Gray. I looked over in the next clough to see how our trees were doing there and discovered a dozen or so trees had had their tubes "strangled". The tubes had been bent, twisted and scrunched, presumably to stop the trees growing out. It is quite a remote spot, and mostly hidden from public view. So someone has deliberately and surreptitiously gone in there and done this. A Twite loving twitcher? Fighting back against the dreaded trees?

Last day of the Season

Stephen, Dave, and a box of scones.

Today was the last day of the planting Season. Myself, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Remy, Duncan (+dog), Peter, Stephen, Hap, Guy and Mandy all went to Pasture Wood above Marsden. Planting the last of the Scots Pine and Alder, plus some Hawthorn. And put taller tubes on some Oaks that had been struggling due to sheep nibbling . Cake was fresh homemade scones with butter and raspberry jam. And it was a fittingly nice and warm sunny morning to end the Season on.

The Senior Section, Ramsay, Brian, Trevor, Peter (and Ben?) went to Meltham Cop to finish up there.

Scammonden and Meltham Cop

Lovely sunny morning with snow still on the ground (and piled up alongside roads). Myself, Philip, Dave, Neil, Jess and Andrew went to Scammonden and planted 120 Oak and Rowan. Had fruit cake, and looked at the Heron's meeting in the trees on the opposite side of the reservoir like they did last year. Trevor, Peter, Dianne and Ben went to Meltham Cop and staked and guarded 200 trees.  Just one more Saturday of planting left? Then a nice rest.

Dave, Andrew, Jess and Neil

Last round at Parkwood

This week we all stuck together and went to Parkwood to plant some Woodland Trust trees. This had been planned for last weekend with Lindley Infant school,  but the big blizzard put the kibosh on that. And the fact that it was Easter Weekend meant we had far fewer participants from Lindley School than usual. They missed a lovely morning, and homemade Easter nest chocolate cakes. We were myself, Philip, Dave, Rob, Richard, Geoff, Dianne, Jess, Trevor, Peter, Andrew, Yolande and friend (sorry, didn't get name). We planted approx. 400 trees.

Plenty of cakes left to eat in the pub, where the conversation ranged widely from Quidditch rules to lost woolly hats and electrocution.

Hedges, Pines, and Shelter belts

Eating cake and admiring our handiwork. Remy, me, Hap and Cath.

A three team effort today. One set - myself, Geoff, Cath, Remy and Hap- went to West Slaithwaite and planted a 200 tree hedge, plus 60 other assorted trees. Philip, Dave, Andrew, Peter and Guy were at Pasture Wood and planted 150 Scots Pine. And the Senior Section were again at Meltham Cop. So all in all a lot got done. A select but grateful few made it back to the Sair for 1pm. Two or three more weeks and we will be done for the season. Cake was the ever popular flapjack with fruity filling.

And thanks again to Tara and family for a very generous donation to Society funds.

Cath, hedge, trees.

Replanting at Scammonden

Ben, and Jess

Today we were at Scammonden Reservoir replanting some trees for Yorkshire Water. We were also able to retrieve some stakes and guards for use at other sites. It wasn't a terribly nice morning, cold and sleeting, but the group spirit stayed mostly buoyant. Especially when the cake was brought out. We were: Jess, Philip, Dave, Geoff, Hap, Stephen, Peter, Ben, Duncan (and Harvey the dog). The Senior Section, Brian, Trevor, Peter and honorary member Neil, went to Meltham Cop to begin planting the trees bought with Granville Shaw's legacy.