Willow

Just myself, Dave and Hap up at Butterley on a Thursday. Gathering more plastic tubes and stakes for re-use. Hap provided a very nice pear and toffee cake. We were serenaded by Willow Warblers in the little oaks around us.

Pretty sure I have used this tune before, but it is lovely.

https://youtu.be/hV0rhsMAiKM

Cherry blossom girl

Up at Pasture wood clearing more stakes and old plastic tubes from the hillside. We were: myself, Dave, Geoff, Jess, Dianne, Ben, Adrian, Steve and Hap. Augmented by some nice Cherry rock buns and ginger biscuits.

https://youtu.be/VmHTp_OVu84

Stop the dams

Hap and Dave creating a very leaky dam.

Today Dave, Hap and I were up at Butterley, consolidating the second stash of 300+ stakes and 700+ tubes for re-use. Glorious morning, with birds, bees, butterflies, and Eccles cakes.

https://youtu.be/-rDU70YBpOA

Take that to the bank

In the background, Dave's massive stash of stakes and guards.

A very last little bit of tree planting with help from the good folk of Yorkshire Building Society lending a hand. 120 Oaks got planted.

CVTS people were; Hap, Dave, Stephen, Cath, Jess, and myself. Plus YBS people.

Jess provided a tin of varied delicious homemade cakes.

I know YBS is technically not a bank (?) but this is such a good tune.

https://youtu.be/fRF8yWSelWw

Born to lose

This morning we were high above Marsden again, removing old plastic tree guards.

We were; Geoff, myself, Hap, Steve, Stephen, Dave and Cath.

The conversation was wide-ranging, and the weather was pleasant.

It was a morning when things kept getting lost, knives, gloves.

https://youtu.be/wQoDCEKZyQw

I don't believe in the sun

Inexplicably sunny this week, after two weeks that suggested it had ceased to exist.

We had a nice time planting the final 325 trees up Crimble.

We were: myself, Jess, Dianne, Philip, Hap, Adrian, Ben, Geoff, Peter, Stephen, Dave and Cath. Also joined by owner Paul (aka Neil).


https://youtu.be/L85cillM6ME

Pretty in pink

There isn't enough room on the internet for photos of all the days of work that the weekday crew have done this Winter, but just a single mention of the heroic work they have done with the logs at the Nursery. Hats off to Stephen, Hap, Dave, and Cath.

https://youtu.be/aCrrsm0U4t0

I bought the original 12" of this, and got a free t-shirt (which was unflatteringly small).

Cloudbusting

Geoff, Peter and Jon vainly try to shelter from the horizontal rain.

Rain of biblical (hellish) quantity today, worse than last Saturday even. Clothes will be drying for days. Fools to be on a hill like Wholestone in this but needs must.

We were: Jon, Simon, Philip, Dave, Geoff, Adrian, Stephen, Tanya, Jake, myself, Peter and Cath. We were joined by Chayley, Nell and the Green Building Store crew - who sponsored today's planting.

225 Oak planted.

https://youtu.be/pllRW9wETzw

Breakdown

Up Crimble Clough this week. Weather was mixed, with a hefty dose of hefty rain and sleet thrown in.

We were: Tanya, myself, Geoff, Philip, Jon, Simon, Stephen, Steve, Ben, Cath, Dianne, and Dave. Plus four Scouts and their chaperone.

230 planted today, with 295 left to plant (plus 105 gorse).

The morning was capped off by an unfortunate car fail, that left all the other cars blocked in. We ended up pulling it out of the the way with a mass of people and two tow ropes. Range Rovers, huh.

https://youtu.be/pOwlYZ_P7Sg

Woody Woodpecker

This morning we were West of Marsden, doing some woodland management. The site was planted in several phases over 15 years ago, and we were thinning out some of the nurse species, such as Birch and Larch, leaving more light for the Oaks and Scots Pine.

We were careful to leave as little trace of our activities as possible. Piling brash away from the track, and removing all the felled timber.

We were: Stephen, Susan, Ben, Hap, Adrian, Simon, Robert, Cristina, Dave, Geoff, John, Lee and Jess.

Cake was apple flapjack, plus fruit from Hap.

Philip was representing us at a "Making the most of our moorland" public event at Marsden Mechanics.

Earlier in the week I had been on site with Guy and Susan to select the trees that could be felled. While we were there we heard lots of woodpeckers in the big Beech trees at the top of the site. I think they were probably scared off by the chainsaws on Saturday.

https://youtu.be/qXBDCEcHU6U

Carry go bring come

Forgot to take a photo today as was sooo busy.

We were at Throstle Green, doing some woodland management. Thinning, pruning, coppicing, and carrying back some logs for woodfuel.

We were: John, Hap, Steve, Ben, Jess and Lizzie the dog, Tanya, Geoff, Philip and friend Jon, Dave and Susan.

Cake was ginger, plus Hap again excelled (though don't know the name of his cake).

https://youtu.be/qqn-BJc1I2c

The leanover

Happy reclining volunteers

This week we were at Parkwood in Golcar, formatively pruning trees, and reclaiming stakes and guards. It was a lovely morning, blessed further by eccles cakes!

We were: myself, Guy, Adrian, Stephen, John, Harriet and Floyd the dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Jess, Lee, Steve, Philip, Susan, Sarah, Dave, Tanya, Dianne, Adam, Ben and Geoff.

We removed several hundred stakes and guards, and will be back for more.

This was followed by a very productive mid-season meeting.

https://youtu.be/0SL4_DsUlH8 (cult 90's Scottish post punk spoken word)

Numbers

The trees behind were us too, but over 15 years ago.

Back up Mount Road, Marsden today. We planted 28 Scots Pine, 102 Oak, 43 Birch, 74 Rowan, 30 Willow and 15 Alder - 292 total. How's that for precise.

This leaves 2 Pine, 3 Oak, 2 Birch and 1 Rowan for me to plant on Monday.

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


https://youtu.be/4YPiCeLwh5o

Hey

Geoff defrosting  trees - or a garden water feature with gnome?

In attendance: Adam, Adrian, Ben, David, Diane, Geoff, Harriet, John, Jon, Philip, Simon, Stephen, Steve, Tanya.

Adrian arrived with pastries to celebrate his 60th. As Simon was away, anarchy ruled with an early break to let the trees defrost. 

Photo of Geoff de-frosting trees in a small brook, taking care not to let all the soil wash downstream.

The shelter belt was finished by planting the Hazel and Wild Service Trees in the dryer areas. Guelder Rose were planted as a woodland edge back from the fence-line as requested. The few remaining trees were used to fill up two of the field corners planted the previous week.

Cake was curranty sponge.

I was away this Saturday, so music is Philip's choice...

https://youtu.be/eNu0EKnrv8U

Pocket knife

Jess politely offers the knife to Geoff.

Today we were at Hey, looking down on Slaithwaite. We were planting some shelter corners and shelter belt on farmland. There were furry cattle, pet sheep, a really big horse, and a dog that loved to walk on walls.

We were: Geoff, Jess, Dianne, Tanya, Cristina, Dave, Philip, Ben, Sue, Stephen, Steve, Jon, Peter and Hap.

240 plants went in. With potentially another 225 to go in? If there is space.

Nice PJ Harvey tune this week.

https://youtu.be/OSOkO3Vg8Ns

Something on the side

This week were on Marsden recreation trust land, creating a shelter belt, of sorts. In this case it won't be livestock that will be getting relief, but golfers?

We were: myself, Stephen, Adrian, John, Jon, Lee, Philip, Geoff, Peter, Dianne, Adam, Tanya, Dave, Steve and Hap.

We planted 285 trees, with a similar number still to do.

Cake was Nutella sponge.

Not an entirely appropriate song, but funny. Well it was either this or Toby Keith's "Shitty golfer".

https://youtu.be/_J1jIZD4vCk

Click clack - I like trains

"Toot toot" went Granville the TransPennine engine.

Today there was cake, sweets, biscuits and we all waved at a train and it tooted at us.

No, it wasn't a trip out for the local infants school, we were planting trees at Standedge.

We were: myself, Philip, Steve, Stephen, Peter, Jon, Janette, Simon, Ben, Sue, Cristina, Dianne, Tanya, John, Hap, Adrian, Dave, Cath and Geoff.

We planted 105 Oak, 45 Aspen, 45 Rowan, 30 Guelder Rose, 30 Dogwood and 30 Crab apple.

Cake was Pineapple upside down cake, plus Hap had brought a selection of Indian sweets, which were hugely popular, and Dianne brought Jaffa cakes. I am not sure we earned all those calories.

Lots of train songs so two today, one from me and one from Steve, can you guess...

https://youtu.be/7QBkD1Xub3k

https://youtu.be/l-7WkdAdMgU

Paisley Park

Larks in the park (not a park, or Paisley)

On a relatively warm day we finished off planting at Ainsley/Paisley Barn.

We inter-planted the Oak and Scots Pine we planted last week with Aspen, Hornbeam and Rowan and also used them to make a woodland edge to those Oak areas. A three-tree-deep hedge of Blackthorn, Guelder Rose and Holly ensured that the fantastic view of Marsden was maintained. Nearer the house a banking adjacent to the A62 was planted with Guelder Rose, Dogwood and few Holly.

We numbered 16 volunteers today. We were: Adrian, Dave, Steve, Geoff, John, Ben, Hap, Jess, Harriet, Stephen, Lee, Chris, Simon, Jonathan, Peter and Philip.

A total of 255 trees were planted.

Cake was chocolate-y.

https://youtu.be/1mhL5ynXzB0

The Ladykillers

With the railway tracks behind and below, Cath considers throwing Philip over.

This week we were above the Tunnel ends in Marsden, literally. Planting in a field and garden.

We were: myself, Ben, Philip, Dave, Steve, Stephen O., Hap, John, Peter, Cath and Geoff.

Cake was a light jam sponge, a relief after Christmas richness.

Being above the railway tunnel entrances made me think of the film the Ladykillers, and with the look Cath appears to be giving Philip it should probably read Lady killer.

https://youtu.be/vzGpUdKB3gQ

Christmas must be something more

A volunteer getting beamed up to the Enterprise?

A number of selfless and intrepid souls braved the rain today for the last planting session before Christmas.

They were: Mel, Philip, Jess, Lee, Ben, Sue, Dave, Geoff, Adrian, Stephen, Simon, John, Cath, Hap and Peter. John had been and collected the Sticky cranberry gingerbread from Ann's, and Dianne provided food back at the Sair.

These people earned their Christmas. Lighweights like myself and Tanya just turned up at the pub.

As I understand it they planted the 22 scraps from the last session plus 90 more oak, 30 Scots pine and 30 Holly. Finishing Wholestone for this season.

https://youtu.be/iXrRaw4md-E

Double trouble

Trees as far as the eye can see, along the track.

This week we were back at Wessenden attempting to finish the 500 trees for United Bank of Carbon/Safestyle.

We were: Susan and her twin Jenny(!), Philip, Dave, Geoff, Hap, John, Simon, other Simon (me), Steve, Stephen, Jess, Harriet, Ben and Adrian.

We planted 126 Oak, 45 Scots Pine, 30 Holly and 30 Aspen. Which by my calculations leaves 30 Scots pine and 15 Aspen still to do. A Thursday group project?

Weather was cold and dry, cake was Bakewell.

https://youtu.be/h3biycmcex4

Does It Rain

So in view of the weather we decided to go to the highest most exposed site we know of, and face the music. Or in this case the wind and rain. It didn't rain all morning, just enough.

We were: myself, Dave, Simon, Geoff, Philip, Tanya, John, Adrian, Hap, Steve, Stephen O., Ben, and Lee.
We were joined by a number of Friends of the Earth people, who seemed to enjoy themselves despite the weather.

We planted 233 trees - 30 Holly, 30 Scots Pine, and 173 Oak.

A point of information, we do not usually plant into Heather, but this is a Forestry Commission Woodland Grant Scheme site, and this is what they instructed us to do.

We were spoilt for cake with Hap contributing a very nice bakewell tart that he had made.

Song courtesy of Tanya's mum this week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI3QpAkxVrI

Rain

A brief respite from the rain. Look at that sky.

First day of planting of the season, and it rained. As it tends to. Still, we were: myself, Simon B., Jess, Tanya, Dianne, John, Stephen, Steve, Hap, Adrian, Geoff, Dave, Philip, Ben, Susan and Peter.

We planted 190 trees, Aspen, Holly, Oak and Scots Pine - not sure of the quantities as some of what we brought got taken back to base.

We were trialling our new mesh guards for Scots Pine, see below.

https://youtu.be/gzdASn-R8aw

Everything must go

Dave and Adrian

Back to Scammonden for more guard removal, everything must go, as the title says.  Misty at the start but sun came out later. All the guards were coming off, though the ones that had been on Ash trees were left on site because we weren't sure whether it was appropriate to move them elsewhere because of the dread Ash dieback.

We were: myself, Philip, Dave, Tanya, Geoff, Steve, Stephen, Ben, Adam, Dianne plus 2 dogs, Harriet and Floyd the dog, Jess, Lee, Mel, John and Adrian. Cake was apple flapjack.

https://youtu.be/uU5trjpFus0

You don't miss your water

Today we were up at Scammonden reservoir, which was empty! We were collecting stakes and guards for re-use, again. We were: myself, Dave, Philip, John, Steve, Stephen, Hap, Geoff, Ben, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, and Adam and sons and dog. Cake was ginger.

After, myself, Ben and Dave delivered 240 deer stakes and guards to the Standedge site.

On Friday the weekday crew delivered 440 deer stakes and guards to the Mount road site.

Wholestone already has its deer stakes and guards.

We are quite well set up for the Season ahead.

The weight

Floyd and Harriet

Back to Wholestone Moor to do more reclaiming and prep for planting.

We were: Dave, Geoff, Hap, Steve, Stephen, Jess, Lee, Ben, myself, Paul, Harriet and Floyd the dog, Cristina and Cath.

Big deal of the morning was carrying stuff on and off site. It was a long walk back to the cars, and Ben set an impossible standard by carrying two bundles of stakes at a time.

Planting will be in three compartments. Furthest compartment has 112 stakes and deer guards. Centre one has 215 deer guards and 246 stakes. Nearest compartment has 90 guards and 100 stakes.


https://youtu.be/FFqb1I-hiHE

Concrete dub

Geoff fresh from being dub dj, and Jess.

Today we were at Wholestone Moor, looking down on the M62, and wishing the wind would die down a bit. We were removing guards from previous planting, to re-use at this site.

We were: Geoff, Ben, Dave, Sue, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Cath, Jason, Mel, myself, Hap and Adrian.

2 cakes, jam sponge from the President, and luxurious fruit cake from Jason, plus emergency jaffa cakes from Dianne, and grapes from Hap.

We left approx 300 guards and 200 stakes at the first collection point. And roughly half that number a tthe second, furthest, point. With a bit more scrounging around we will have enough to do this season's planting up there with reclaims. We will need to take 60 shrub guards up for the holly, and 60 of the new mesh pine guards.

Me pointing at pointy sticks.

https://youtu.be/M3lYlTeJC34