This evening I went up above Marsden with Sarah and Neil to take a look at the ash die-back in their field. Very sad, not every tree is affected, and most that are affected still have new growth from this year, but have lost their main upward stem, the leader. Forestry commission advice is a bit unclear. They don't advise outright destruction, but do say that coppicing from diseased trees is likely not a good idea. Coppicing was Neil and Sarah's original plan for these trees. Luckily, they have other trees, and other species in the same field.
Diseased stem, it will work its way back down the stem.
The leader (top stem) seems most often the one to go.
This morning we went to Wham to do some weeding, it is not very often that we are in a more or less flat field. We were; myself, Dave, Philip, Jess, Ben and Solo the dog, and Adrian.
And a wildly inappropriate bit of goth rock this week.
Another solo session up Wessenden. Guy and Stephen have done their turns, and today I went up and did an hours weeding. Lovely day.
On the way back down I passed some re-enactor sorts on their way to Uppermill for one of those 1940s days. Quite bizarre to turn a corner and see a small tank trundling along the road. Albeit the most pathetic tank ever made, the Bren Carrier, complete with (hopefully) replica Bren gun on the top of it.
This Saturday we stayed at home, at our nursery base. Lots of work was done clearing paths and cutting back overgrowth. Important work, in that our neighbours won't think the place is quite such an eyesore, and also because we will need the easy access and space to store trees and materials in the Autumn.
We were: myself, Dave, Geoff, Lesley, Robert, Adrian, and John.
Still more work to be done. More paths to be cleared, stakes to be stacked for drying, and fruit to be picked. Could probably do with some new tools too, a flat hoe for clearing paths, and some new shears.
