Shadowplay

Philip casts a shadow

I was away at a training event with Treesponsibility in Hebden, so the following was provided by Philip.

We filled in the gaps from last week with Hawthorn. That side of the field is now complete. The other side of the field was a lot wetter so gaps were left where it was sodden. The same planting mix of Hawthorn with other shrubby species was used. At the bottom of the field adjacent to the existing woodland we planted 30 Beech and 15 Spindle. Brambles sprouting from the wall and encroaching into the field were grubbed out so the hedge could follow the line of the wall.

Total number for the day consisted of 300 Hawthorn, 15 Blackthorn, 15 dog Rose, 15 Elder, 30 Hazel plus the Beech and Spindle. Total 420 plants.

We were: Richard, Dianne, Jess, Stephen, Bob, Geoff, Adrian, Dave, Jared and Alastair, Sophie, Jon and Tess, John F, Cath, Elliot, Steve, Philip.

https://youtu.be/yPt3-lB5Lsc

David Wainwright's feet

Peter's trench foot is assessed by Jess.

Another mixed hedgerow, this time at Hey above Slaithwaite.

We were: myself, Tanya, Philip, Dave, Hap, Stephen, Ian, Jon, Bob, Peter, Jess, Adrian, Ben, and Simon.

Mud was very sticky. Some bits of the field were very wet. Nevertheless we planted 15 spindle, 15 field maple, 30 hornbeam, 15 holly, 60 Elder, 45 dog rose, 30 Blackthorn, 120 hazel, and 255 hawthorn.

Song is apropos of nothing other than a conversation me, Philip and Geoff had.



https://youtu.be/rkrr_F6vtlc

Rocks

Elliot hits rock bottom, and keeps going.

Back to finish off this mammoth hedgerow with 585 more hawthorn.

We were: myself, Geoff, Philip, Sophie, Remy, Dave, Stephen, Steve, Elliot, Nelson, Hannah, John, Jon and Tess, Cath, Richard, Jess, Dianne, Adrian, Hap, Alison, Paul, and Bob.

Some real work done this week, with tough grass to dig through, and then tough rocks underneath.

Cake was two variants of crunchy top coconut, one with cherries, and one with lemon?

https://youtu.be/Z3ZCZjhjguA

The sound of the crowd

Ben and Bob confer

A cast of thousands today, so I had better get all these names down before I forget.

We were: myself, Dave, Geoff, Philip, Steve, Remy, Alison, Dominic, Elliot, Adrian, Bob, Jon, John, Katie, Martin, Cath, Ben, Alastair, Jared, Jess, Lee, Dianne, Susan, Chris, and Hap.

In addition we had special guests from Sant Jagjit Singh Lopon, a Sikh organisation whose members are committed to charity and community work.

This mighty team managed to plant 885 trees and shrubs as a mixed hedgerow on the farm. This total consisted of: 15 bird cherry, 15 blackthorn, 30 dog rose, 45 elder, 15 field maple, 60 hazel, 15 holly, 15 hornbeam, 45 oak, 15 spindle, 15 whitebeam, and 600 hawthorn.

This leaves 810 hawthorn allocated for this site but not yet planted.

Cake was apple flapjack, and it all got eaten, as did all Hap's buttered panettone, all Dianne's jaffa cakes, and some random chocolates that did the rounds.

Break time

https://youtu.be/9CJFk7LZa5A

Black Flag - Nervous breakdown

Who knew silage bales could be so photogenic?

This week we were at a farm overlooking Meltham Mills, beginning a long mixed hedgerow.

It was stupidly windy, which didn't help communications, and we were spread out across the site.

Nevertheless we got 390 plants in the ground easily, 15 beech, 15 bird cherry, 30 blackthorn, 60 dog rose, 45 elder, 15 field maple, 150 hazel, 15 holly, 15 oak, 15 spindle and 15 whitebeam. We need to return to fill in the gaps with about 700 Hawthorn. Then complete the next 150m or so, in a similar manner.

We were: Philip, Geoff, Dave, Adrian, myself, John, Jon, Hap, Tanya, Sophie, Jess, Dianne, Steve, Stephen, Ben, Alastair, Jared, Alison and Paul.

Cake was parkin.

Tea break time!

A tune for Philip this week.

https://youtu.be/302oEzSPCqE

Bag to black (sic)

Hap pulling up black plastic mulch mats.

A bit of weekday crew tidying up at Throstle. which we will now leave alone for a while.

We were: Adrian, Stephen, myself, Dave, John and Hap, and Geoff back at the nursery.

The fruits of several weeks labours.

https://youtu.be/TJAfLE39ZZ8

Never going back again (?)

Before

After

The final woodland management session for a while. At the nursery we were: Adrian, myself, Geoff, Remy, Dianne, Jess, and Lee.
In the woods were: Philip, Stephen, Susan, Peter, Hap, John, Dave, Cath and Ben.

Cake was a non-Christmassy jam sponge.

https://youtu.be/0E7rUemfC-A

Stay free

Sophie, Adrian, Sue, Cath, John, Stephen, Peter and Philip

Another day of feverish chopping and sawing, as a remedy to Christmas indulgence.

We were: myself, Geoff, Tanya and Ben at the nursery. And: Philip, Susan, Stephen, Hap, Adrian, Dave, Sophie, Peter and John in the woods at Throstle.

Cake was a mix of Christmas leftovers, both homemade and shop bought.

And the songs a tribute to revelations of one member's chequered past.

https://youtu.be/NHDm4oHee5A

Christmas is coming

Dianne and Cath full of cheer (or Dave's Baileys)

A very convivial pre-Christmas session at Blakeley Reservoir. We planted 2 Yew, 15 Alder, 60 Bird Cherry, 90 Sessile Oak, 30 Birch, and 15 Aspen. We were 20 strong: myself, Tanya, Philip, Dave, Geoff, Steve, Sylvie and Elliot, Kate and Martin, Jon and Tessie, Cath, Jess and Lee, Adrian, Hap, Ben, Kirstie and Dianne. Cake was the brilliant and seasonal sticky cranberry gingerbread.

Plus we also transplanted some trees which had previously been put too close to the dam.

Kirstie and Cath, and lots of others.

https://youtu.be/ICKRJ-ZL7Cs

Hit, git and split!

Dianne and Jessica keep swinging.

Another productive day of woodland management and wood fuel. All of which benefits local woodlands, and goes towards our sustainability as a tree planting group.

At the nursery we were: Stephen on chainsaw, myself, Dianne, Sophie and Adrian. Later joined by Jess and Tanya.

In the woods were: Susan and Philip on chainsaws, Ben, Hap, Dave, Duncan and Harvey the dog on lead, and Chris. A comprehensive risk assessment was shared with the group before work began, and everyone was safe and happy.

Ben communes with a tree, or maybe just saw a squirrel.

And a song by "Young Jessie" https://youtu.be/g2W_YWsQ2qU

Fall on me

Another Hogarthian scene of cake eating.

A woodland management morning at Throstle, thinning, pruning and tidying an area of planting done 19 years ago.

We were: Philip and Susan on chainsaws, Ben, Peter, Remy, Chris, Adrian, Hap, Duncan (and Harvey), myself, Geoff, Dave, Katie, Lee, Dianne and Jess.

Cake was date slice.

Safety talk was given. Lots of hard work was done. Lots of hi-vis was worn. Nothing fell on anyone.

https://youtu.be/I-nC25QQ3_w

Neon lights

Sundry hi-vis folk framed by birches.

A morning of woodland management. Hap and Adrian had been very busy marking trees up with their neon paint. And we all worked very hard felling, snedding, cutting and carrying.

We were: Susan and Stephen on chainsaws, Hap and Adrian exercising their woodland management theories, and myself, John, and Dave labouring.

Hap had made a very delicious sticky fruit cake.

https://youtu.be/KqmGZ_6LaUw

Do it right

Group getting briefed before work

Very convivial morning planting 150 Oak, 15 Scots Pine and 30 Aspen between Blakeley and Wessenden Reservoirs. No dramas, we did it right.

We were: myself, Remy, Geoff, Tanya, Stephen, Dave, Tania and Jared, Jon and Tess, Dianne, Jess, Ben, Peter, Adrian, Sophie, Sylvie, and Elliot.

Cake was cherry rock buns.

https://youtu.be/4uqqvq8pN-I

Jess and Sophie respecting elder Geoff.

Bull in the heather

Katie, Ben and Philip in the heather

This week we were at Wholestone Moor, filling up a gap in some dead heather. We planted 105 Oak and 30 Scots Pine. We were: myself, Philip, Dave, Peter, Geoff, Hap, Adrian, Steve, Stephen, Tanya, Katie, Jane, Susan, Dianne and Ben. And Kirstie gets an honourable mention for trying to find us in the fog. It was misty, though didn't rain as much as we thought it might. Which was nice. Cake was home made hob nob biscuits.

Some quintessential 90's bubblegum pop skronking from Sonic Youth for this weeks tune.

https://youtu.be/8JGBNkLM9_8

hi-vis Scots Pine.

Judy and the dream of horses

Noble diggers all.

Today we were at Green Edge, above Golcar, working on another mixed hedgerow. We were: myself, Dave, Steve, Stephen, Becca, Adrian, Jess, Dianne, Sam and Lyra, Hap, Geoff, Philip, Peter, Remy, and Susan.

We planted 30 Elder, 30 Blackthorn, 30 Dog Rose and 60 Hazel. We will return after Christmas to pack the rest out with Hawthorn.

There were some cute horses in the next field. And Lyra found a horseshoe.

https://youtu.be/Epmrj4xV67E

I love the things that people make

Hundreds of Hawthorn still to go in.

First day of the planting season, and we made a bit of mixed hedgerow up above Slaithwaite. We were: myself, Dave, Geoff, Stephen, Lee, Jessica, John, Susan, Adrian, Remy,  and new people Kirstie, Jane, Sam, and Silvie plus one (sorry, plus one, but your name has gone from my elderly head). 

For the record we planted: 15 Holly, 15 Oak, 30 Blackthorn, 30 Dog Rose, 15 Elder and 60 Hazel. We will return to fill the many gaps with Hawthorn in January (still waiting for Hawthorn delivery).

https://youtu.be/ZxS72sFfewo

Nobody speak

Little car, big boot.

A non-work morning, but I still fancied a trip out, so I went to Scammonden and retrieved 112 stakes and a similar number of short guards for re-use.

https://youtu.be/NUC2EQvdzmY