Hit, git and split.

John and I had an effective morning checking the Merrydale trees. The points of note were:- loads of hazel nuts, lots of germinating balsam especially in the areas were water was running, a couple of split trees and exceptionally muddy footway. There is a another two man morning to finish the guards, some formative pruning and I would coppice one in three of the hazels.

John gave blood for the cause as evidenced in the photos (editor's note: not sure an extreme close up of a bloody volunteer is the right image for the blog).

Duncan

Wild is the wind

Today on possibly the windiest Colne Valley site Dave, Chris, Dianne, Ben, Steve, Hap, myself and the two dogs beat the elements planting about 75  Viburnum lantana, Wayfaring tree and 160 willow (editors note: some of these may have been Spindle)

We did well in making use of the bare root trees from Stirley farm  and used a lot of recycled stakes and guards.

Cake was provided by Mrs Haps.

All planters will be sleeping very well after  working out in heavy windy conditions.. Thanks to all.

Duncan.

Every rose has it's thorn (except the Guelder Rose?)

Canes and spirals for the Guelder Rose.

Today were were back at Outlane, for the official last day of the planting season. We were; myself, Philip, Dave, Hap, Adrian, Jenny, Makun, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Cath, Peter W., Steve, Stephen, Jess, Lesley, Robert, and young Ben.

We planted 107 Guelder Rose, 120 Alder and 75 Goat Willow.

Cake was sticky ginger. V.good.

There are, in fact, a few trees left to plant this season. Stirley Farm donated quite a few trees to us last week, and so I will be planting 25 Whitebeam above Dirker in Marsden, Adrian will be planting 30 Hawthorn at Pole Moor, and Duncan will be planting 100 Wayfaring, Spindle and Dogwood at Goat Hill Farm. Duncan's planting will take place next Saturday, and he will need some help!

2,4,6,8 Motorway

Today we were at Scammonden, almost within punk rock spitting distance of the M62. We were joined by the good folk of the Green Building Store, who sponsored today with 220 Sessile Oak, stakes and guards. We also planted 100 Downy Birch, which were a last minute donation from Stirley Community Farm.

CVTS folk were; myself, Geoff, Cath, Lesley and Robert, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Peter W., Peter T., Stephen O., Stephen K., Ben, Hap, Philip, Guy, Mandy, Machan, Dave, Brian, Ros and Steve. Plus as many Green Building Store people.

Cake was another new one, carrot and orange, again very successful.

Weather was mild and dry.

Are you all keeping up with the songs titles for post headlines?

And I nearly forgot to mention the lost baby rabbit we encountered. It was ushered back into the brambles to keep it away from the dogs.