Yorkshire Building Society lend their support

The good folks of YBS

Jess's employer, YBS encourages its employees to do charitable works, so she organised her colleagues to do a day's work at our nursery. They cut hedges, cleared paths, and cut and split logs for us to sell to raise money.

Hats off to Jess and the YBS.

Guard straightening in the rain

A pensive Ben and John look on as Tania is amused and Hap enjoys his cake. Do the alders heavy with berries suggest a harsh winter ahead?

These trees planted about four years ago are doing well, especially the Italian alder and some of the birch with a few oak also showing good growth. However they have been battered by the wind in places and as the deer are quite a problem here we need to try and keep the trees straight and as protected as possible, so spent a rainy but not unpleasant morning straightening up guards and banging in stakes. Quite few trees were big enough to remove stake and guard completely so we accumulated a store of useful spare materials where they were not too damaged. Quite a few stakes were reused on other trees with broken stakes and the rest were taken back to the nursery. There is more to do here. We were, Hap, Philip, Tania, Ben, John and myself. Cake was a delicious fruit cake. Philip was particularly proud of a new tool belt and I was excited about using my new camera only to find after taking one group photo it had run out of memory so had to resort back to my phone for 'the belt'.

Geoff

'The belt'

Scammonden scamps

Jess' cropped trousers were discussed.

Today we popped up to Scammonden reservoir to feast our eyes upon our works of the last few years. All looking pretty good. We were there primarily to fix overblown tree guards and trees, but Philip and Duncan were also taking an academic interest in the whole "when is best to take guards off altogether" situation. Conclusion seemed to be that where guards had been taken off, deer were having a bit of a nibble. So best to leave them on? We did retrieve a few from out and out failures though (not many).

We were: myself, Jess and Lizzie the Dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Peter W., Philip, and Ben. Cake was blueberry muffins, freshly made with blueberries out of mum's garden.

Before

After

A big push for Wessenden valley

Hap grabs some Chocolate cake

A three line whip got a good turn out: myself, Hap, Tanya, Geoff, John, Philip, Ben, Dave and Steve. We think we finished it all today, both the Butterley bit and the far end up by Blakeley. After Thursday nights session as well I am now officially knackered. But all those thousands of trees are now seeing a good bit of daylight, and should get a couple of months good growth in before the darker months.

And we begin the planning for those darker months now, site visits, and sourcing of trees and materials.

In the photo below, in the distance you can see tree guards that we have exposed in the bracken on the hillside.

Steve, Tanya (hiding), Geoff and Hap.

Yet more bracken bashing

Steve and Cath

Tonight there was more slashing and killing than a whole season of Game of Thrones. We were: myself, Steve, Cath, Philip and Steven. Bracken is getting quite high, as you can see, and is completely shading many of the small tubes of Hawthorn and Hazel. Good night for it though, as there was a brisk wind, and the midges were cowering in their underground hovels.

We found a pack of new hare guards hidden in the undergrowth, so added them to the stash for next season.

Four men and a psychotic Jack Russell

Bracken now as high as the tree guards.

This evening myself, Philip and Geoff went up to Butterley and spent a couple of hours knocking back bracken from around the trees planted last season. Yorkshire Water made a generous contribution to our funds on the basis that we weed this planting for the next 3 years. Weeding will help maximise the success rate, and the young trees do seem to be doing well. It was a lovely evening, though we did need our insect repellant and midge nets. As we were leaving we met Dave who had been working on his wildflower meadow nearby. Dave had his small dog with him though. The dog is somewhat unfriendly, and had to be restrained from attacking us. We also saw a dead stoat.

Marsden Mechanics volunteer recruitment event

This evening Ann, Dianne and I attended the volunteer recruitment event at the Mechanics. We stood proudly beside our roller banner for a couple of hours, and did manage to get two names and make one useful contact with another group. I kept the anniversary film on loop on my tablet for punters to get a look at, but didn't manage to sell any DVDs.

Blakeley Reservoir Bracken Bashing

Geoff, Ben, Stephen, Dave and Hap.

This morning we walked up the Wessenden Valley for a bracken bashing session beside Blakeley Reservoir. We were: myself, Geoff, Ben, Stephen, John, Dave, Hap and Steve. A nice breeze kept the midges off, so all we had to worry about was the hard work involved on the steep slope. Clearing the bracken from around the newly planted trees will allow them to receive light and more nutrients. A couple more weeks of bracken growth and these 1.2 metre tree guards would have been completely engulfed, and the trees inside left in the dark for the whole Summer.

I was asked to include some of the break time conversation topics in the blog, which were, for the record, Mark E. Smith, incontinence, and the fact that Mallard ducks are inconsiderate lovers.

Before

After

In the distance, on the right hand hillside beyond the reservoir, you can see several areas planted by the CVTS in past years.

Old guard remove guards

Transfixed by the view.

It sounds like a Guardian cryptic crossword clue, but describes what happened. Trevor, Brian, Duncan and a fellow that I don't recognise from the photo were up at Scout Top, Marsden, removing stakes and guards from trees that no longer needed them. Looks like it was a very pleasant morning.

The view they were transfixed by.

Butterley Bracken Bashing

First day of our assault on the Wessenden Valley's bracken infestation. We were: Philip, Guy, Mandy, Mandy's two sons and their dad, Dave, Peter T, Geoff, Jess, Ben and John. Cake was Bakewell tart. As usual, the debate raged about the best way to discourage bracken from growing back - breaking VS cutting basically.

First day of bracken bashing

Gallant little little oaks surrounded ominously by demon bracken

This morning we were over Meltham way. Knocking back the bracken for a load of oak and rowan planted a couple of years ago. This should be the last Summer that we have to do this, as most of the trees are out of the tops of the guards. We were: myself, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Ben, Dave, John, Geoff and Philip. Cake was Eccles cakes, and v.nice they were too.

Flipping windy

Hap self harms to ensure his photo gets in blog.

This week, myself, Philip, Hap, Geoff, Steve and Stephen went up to Wholestone Moor to sort previous planting out. There were guards that needed making upright, and guards that needed removing. It was insanely windy, so while sunny, was quite cold. Hapless Hap (first time he's heard that one I'm sure) managed to cut himself, but was restored by the first aid kit. Some of the guards that needed straightening were due to somewhat less than thorough original installation. See pics. Bang 'em in harder folks. Also, folks, I found a full pack of 10 stakes abandoned on the hillside, and Steve found a set of 5 guards. Tsk tsk.

Way too much stick showing above top tie.

One or two inches above top tie is enough.

Stephen looks askance.

Manure encore!

Jess, aided by Lizzie

Another shipment of poo for the nursery. This week myself and Jessica stayed at the nursery, and barrowed up insane amounts of stone from the nearby building plot being cleared. Around 11am Ben, Guy and Mandy arrived, shortly followed by another tractor load of manure.

Meanwhile, Philip, Steve, Geoff and John went off to Wholestone Moor to straighten guards up that had been blown over in the recent winds. Though there was heated debate about the triage process for deciding what needed doing to which trees.

Chainsaws and wheelbarrows

I always forget to take the before pics.

A day of two halves.

Myself, Philip, Stephen, Steve and Geoff went to Butterley to clear the path through the pine plantation. The plantation is towards the end of it's life, trees are dying and falling each winter blocking the footpath.  A count of rings on one of the larger fallen trees suggests they about 40 years old. Philip and Stephen were cutting these up with chainsaws, while I was moving logs and snedding with my favourite forester's axe. A lone walker with her dogs did express gratitude. Steve and Geoff were roaming about on nearby hillside removing guards and checking last season's planting.

Meanwhile, back at the nursery... Guy, Dave, Ben and Jess were eagerly anticipating the arrival of a trailerload of cowsh*t. Though given that it then took til 5pm to wheelbarrow it all into place maybe they shouldn't have been so keen. There was a lot. We were v.tired by the end. Guy's heroic efforts not to gloat about the election result were appreciated, even if he couldn't entirely contain himself.

Steve, with Geoff a tiny spec on horizon.

Photo opportunity with Yorkshire Water

Lisa documents, while Guy and Kathryn strategise.

We had a photo op with Yorkshire Water. We were met by Kathryn and Sarah from Yorkshire Water, with their photographer Lisa. Guy was there with his White Rose Forest hat on (in reality a Chelsea FC woolly hat), and Ian Butterfield from Forest of Bradford. We were there to discuss and take pictures of all the planting that CVTS and Forest of Bradford have completed up the Wessenden Valley. Hopefully they will send us some of the pro standard photos.

Woodland management at Throstle Green Farm

Alder logs, orangey when wet, white when dried. Go figure.

Clearly I get a bit slack about the blog towards the end of the Season. So here, belatedly is an account of last Saturday.

We went to Throstle Green Farm at the request of the owners, to manage some planting done there around 15 years ago. We cleared Willow and Blackthorn regrowth, while Philip and Stephen felled Alder and Willow with their chainsaws.

We were: Philip, Stephen, Mandy, Guy, myself, Dave, Tanya, Geoff, Duncan and Harvey the Dog, Neil, Sarah, Trevor, Dianne, Jess, and Hap.

Cake was homemade scones with butter and jam.

And it flippin' well lashed it down nearly all morning. So we got quite wet. Still, was last day, and all my kit got its annual wash afterwards.

Philip and myself will now take a short break from organising these shenanigans. Doesn't mean folk can't still go out and about on Saturdays.

Green Building Store tree planting at Scammonden

11am official flapjack and shortbread break

This week we were joined by the good folks of the Green Building Store, who sponsored this planting session at Scammonden Reservoir.

We were adding to some woodland that the Society planted over 15 years ago, enhancing the new reservoir path that Yorkshire Water have spent much time and money creating.

We were: myself, Jess, Tanya, Vashti, Cath, Ben, John, Peter T., Stephen, Steve, Dave, and Philip. Plus all the Green Building Store folk.

We planted 270 Sessile Oak, and enjoyed homemade flapjack and shortbread.

This was the last day of actual planting of the season, and the sun shone and everyone had a good time!

Next week, woodland management begins.

Thanks to Jess for photos.

Me lurking on far left, while Tanya looks askance at Ben's Ian Brown impersonation.