Sun touch

Geoff and Peter

Today we were myself (Geoff), Tanya, Peter, Jess, Dianne, Philip, Philip (Baxter), Steve G., Dave and Michael.

We made very good progress removing guards and salvaging short stakes in the top section at Wholestone Moor. The long hawthorn hedge that borders the site has grown exceptionally well in places and is now in full bloom, quite a sight/site to behold. The weather was gorgeous, as was teh pint of Linfit 'Cascade' at the Sair afterwards.

More great photos by Tanya

https://youtu.be/i79YGW9Ihz0

Everybody loves the sunshine

 

Back to Wholestone for more stake and guard removal. We were: Geoff, Dave, Dianne, Philip, Joanne (and Lilly), Jack, Tol, Sam, Peter, Hap, Ben, and myself. Weather was magnificent, as were the raspberry rock cakes made by Ann.

https://youtu.be/nC9dQOnUyao

Begin again

 This morning a small but select team went to retrieve plastic guards and tree stakes from a previous planting at Wholestone Moor. They were: Geoff, Tanya, Dave, Peter and Dianne.

Bit of classic Taylor....

https://youtu.be/cMPEd8m79Hw

Get down tonight

We were on Hawthorn Road above Slaithwaite this morning. Planting 500 hawthorn, 25 blackthorn, 15 gelder, 15 hazel, 15 dog rose, 15 crab apple

We were; myself, Dave, Geoff, Jess, Dianne, Philip, Jack, Tess, Jon, Peter, Bill, Tanya, Philip, Ben, Michael and Stephen.

That's it, finished. 

All except CVTS annual dinner this evening!

https://youtu.be/LHEsE9yN2CY

Hercules

Near, and far away.

A herculean effort today with the last 550 plants put in at Old Mount Road.

We were; Tanya, Kayleigh Dianne, Philip, Ben, Philip, Dave, Geoff, Stephen, Adrian, Paul, Jack, Tol and Andy.

Weather was variable, very variable.

Well done all. Just one more Saturday to go.

https://youtu.be/NGGRi2CEFu8

Tea break, during a break in the rain.

1979

Spent a good two hours in the cellar this morning creating mesh guards from cut sections of roll.

https://youtu.be/as6Lfa-9cB0

Duel

 Myself, Dave and Tanya went to Crimble Clough and reclaimed several hundred stakes for future use. Still quite a few in the field.

Then I came home and cut 100 mesh guards from a big roll.

https://youtu.be/NTM_apWWcO0

Chameleon

Geoff striding purposefully

Back to Old Mount Road. We were; myself, Geoff, Dave, Tanya, Philip, Jess, Michael, Bill, Margaret, Stephen, Steve, Dianne, Philip, Jack, and Paul.

We planted 350 hawthorn, 25 elder, 25 dog rose, 50 guelder, and 25 blackthorn.

Quite a long mornings work, but ultimately satisfying.

Jess saved my bacon with a bottle of water, it was warm work running around on that hillside,  and I was unprepared.

 https://youtu.be/WYRrIBqKsJ4

No song connection this week. Just good music.

Away from the numbers

 

Old Mount Road, Marsden. Starting a long mixed hedgerow. We were; myself, Dave, Philip, Dianne, Philip, Michael, Jon,  Hap, and Ben. We put in 500 plants - 350 hawthorn, 50 hazel, 50 blackthorn, 25 guelder, 25 dog rose.

Snow lay round about.

https://youtu.be/i99IUU5A6so

All down the line

Hap becomes one with a tree.

Myself, Cath, Dave, Tanya and Hap went and did some preparatory turf removal at Old Mount Road. Ready for a long line of hundreds of new hedge plants.

https://youtu.be/5GUV9dUpa-k

Just another day

Back at Wilberlee this morning, working on two lengths of hedging.

We were in two groups; myself, Dianne, Philip, Ben, Kayleigh, Steve, Jess, and Jim - and down the road a bit were Philip, Geoff, Dave, Hap and Michael.

One team planted 225 hawthorn, 75 blackthorn and 5 each of crab apple, hazel, field maple and dog rose.

The other planted 225 hawthorn, 50 blackthorn, and 10 each of crab apple, hazel, field maple and dog rose.

Lots of high vis was worn due to working next to a relatively busy lane.

Hap's cake was outstanding slabs of marbled chocolate sponge.

https://youtu.be/YkGY5EzA-h4

PS One stretch needs approx another 50 hawthorn stuck in there. Which could be done solo one weekday?

Beginning to see the light

Right to left, Cath, Tanya, Hap

 Today Dave, Cath, Tanya and Hap completed the planned planting at Crow Hill Marsden.

150 hawthorn and 30 dog rose - plus previously 15 scots pine, 50 white oak, and 45 hazel.

Well done folks.

https://youtu.be/jRAFf2oePMM

Up Slaithwaite Gate, on a steeply sloping site. We were: Steve, Stephen, Ben, Philip, Matthew, Dianne, Philip, Jess, Dave, Tanya, Michael, Jack and Hap (plus myself for half the session, then retiring ill).

Planted 45 sessile oak, 30 downy birch and 45 hazel in the area to the left of the black polygon - and 195 hawthorn ,45 dog rose as hedge plants along the red line.

Nothing was planted inside the black polygon out of consideration to the neighbour above.

Nihilist assault group

 

This morning we were up Wilberlee, Slaithwaite, planting a mixed hedgerow. 

We were a select but very effective few; myself,  Stephen, Dave, Cath, Jon, Jess, Dianne, and Matthew. 

We planted 225 hawthorn, 75 blackthorn and 15 each of dog rose, field maple, hazel and crab apple. 360 total.

Jess brought a very nice Christmas cake, and it was windy, but dry - the weather, not the cake!

https://youtu.be/Bq0EXDLRrCQ

I think I'll call it morning

Trying not to lose a tiny spindle amongst the bramble trash.

This morning we above Spring Head Lane, Marsden. 

We were; myself, Ben, Tania, Emily, Julia, Sam, Tol, Jack, Dianne, Philip, Geoff, Philip, Stephen, Jess, Paul, and Cath.

We planted 45 downy birch, 45 sessile oak, 30 hazel, 60 hawthorn, and 15 (for the official record) spindle.

Terrain was infernally brambly in parts, but a pleasant morning other wise.

https://youtu.be/sFitv47P884

Graveyard

 Butterley again to replace more trees burnt in the most recent moor fire.

We were; myself, Philip, Jess, Michael, Paul, Cath, Tess, Jon, Julia, Kayleigh, Matthew, Dianne, Philip, Tanya, Aaron, and Stephen.

Things planted were; 45 scots pine, 60 oak, 30 silver birch, 30 hornbeam, 30 beech, 15 black thorn, and 15 spindle.

Some of the plants were provided by TCV/OVO, but plants received didn't correspond varieties promised, the Spindle and blackthorn were surprise/shock substitutions for rowan and field maple.

Doubts were also raised about the suitability of some of the varieties for the site, but they were all we could get for nothing.

https://youtu.be/v6N24PyyUIQ

Take me to the river

Sophie's choice

Up at Butterly, replanting trees that were burnt in the most recent moor fire. The new trees were mostly supplied by OVO energy via TCV.

We planted 45 Scots pine, 60 oak, 30 aspen, 30 alder, 30 downy birch, and 30 bird cherry. 

We were; Paul, Sam, Jack, Tol, Ben, Peter, Dianne and Philip, Geoff, Philip, Stephen, Hap, Sophie, myself, Tess, Jon, and Matthew.

Sophie finished the morning collecting oak galls, to make ink with.

https://youtu.be/9FBUgdhxe9M

A sleepin' bee

Tools

Once more unto Meal Hill rode the 16.

We were; myself, Philip, Geoff, Peter, Tanya, Julia, Jack, Jess, Lee, Dianne and Philip, Stephen, Ben, Jon, Kayleigh, Michael 

We planted 200 hawthorn, 100 blackthorn, 10 dog rose, 10 hazel, 10 crab apple, 10 field maple.

https://youtu.be/4rtGQ1M3t5s

Song refers to the Ashy mining bees that Tanya found last week.

Blips, drips, and strips.

Philip framed by Tanya 

Back to Meal Hill, where it started off nasty, but got nicer. Wish the same could be said for me.

We were; Stephen K., Stephen M., Geoff, Tanya, Jess, Cath, Sam, Jack, Tol, Dave, Philip, Lee, and myself.

We planted 325 hawthorn, 100 blackthorn, 10 dog rose, 10 hazel, 10 crab apple, and 10 field maple. 

https://youtu.be/GIbxZmXUUcM

Sheep

Hap, hedging, rainbow, sheep.

A very damp at blustery morning, but with bright moments.

We were; myself, Geoff, Sophie, Tanya, Cath, Philip, Peter, Dave, Matthew, Kayleigh, and Hap. Plus James the landowner.

We planted 195 hawthorn, 30 dog rose, 30 hazel, 30 downy birch, 15 field maple, and 45 sessile oak. In the form of 2 field corners of trees and two lengths of hedge.

Tanyas photo is very representative of the morning, mud, rainbows, and animals.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mIWOhisqrP8&feature=share 

Another 80s tune, from the chirpy youthful days of levi 501s, flattop haircuts, and vintage everything.

Primary

Back to meal hill. We were; myself, Sophie, Arthur, Jon, Tess, Dianne, Jess, Lee, Stephen, Peter, Dave, Philip, Bob, Ben and Geoff.

We planted 300 hawthorn, 50 blackthorn, 5 dog rose, 5 hazel, 5 field maple, and 5 crab apple.

Sophie provided an absolutely outstanding "rocky road" type cake at break time.

Song suggested by extended conversation at break time. The poster for this song replaced the famous Athena tennis bum poster on my teenage bedsit wall.

https://youtu.be/ONXEPf9rr_I

White wine in the sun

 

Christmas eve and we were at Meal hill lane again. Weather was kind, not cold, and sunny! We got plenty done and still reached the pub around opening time.

We were; myself, Geoff, Tanya, Philip, Stephen, Hap, Ben, Sam, Jack, Tol, Jon, Tess, Dave, Peter and Cath.

We planted 200 hawthorn, 100, blackthorn, 5 hazel, 5 crab apple, 5 dog rose, and 5 field maple.

https://youtu.be/fCNvZqpa-7Q

En la Nochebuena

Cold, sleety and dark, not very nochebuena.

 Back to Meal Hill Lane for more hedgerow.

We were; myself, Geoff, Stephen, Tanya, Jess, Lee, Philip, Peter, Sophie, and Michael.

We planted 150 hawthorn, 50 blackthorn, 5 hazel, 5 dog rose, 5 field maple and 5 crab apple.

No cake, but Sophie, Stephen and Tanya bought diverse biscuits.

https://youtu.be/OW3S3qEgH7k

Winter Wonderland

Any Saturday it doesn't rain is a Wonderland as far as I'm concerned

This week we planted 375 hawthorn, 100 blackthorn - which amounts to about 70m of hedge.

We were: Cath, Kayleigh, Sophie, Tanya, Geoff, Dave, Bob, Steve, Steven, Jon, Jack, and myself.

Cold, but dry weather, some light snow on the ground.

Slightly late finish, but we emptied our tree bags this week, no leftovers. Top work!

https://youtu.be/k8uYbzU3hAs

Kayleigh, me and Bob in the distance.

That was the worst Christmas ever!

Stephen, and Kay.

Back at Meal Hill. We were: myself, Philip, Geoff, Dave, Hap, Michael, Kay, Jess, Jon, Tess, and Peter.

This week we planted 275 hawthorn, 125 blackthorn, 10 hazel, 10 dog rose, 10 field maple, 10 crab apple. 

The terrain is difficult, with lots of stones having to be dug out prior to planting. Which this means its taking longer than planned.

https://youtu.be/XpK-w6_FpY8

Slight issue with hundreds of sheep having been put in the field
where the trees were healed in. A small electric 
fence fixed that (hopefully).

Be thankful

I'm down there in the fog, apparently.

Dave and I planted all Saturday's leftover plants (nearly 200 of them). It was foggy where we were, but only yards p the lane it was sunny, as per pic.

Totals planted so far 450 Hawthorn, 150 blackthorn, 15 each of Hazel, Dog Rose, Crab apple and Field Maple.

https://youtu.be/ZSejZV5llck

God rest ye merry gentlemen

My feet, and a load of plants, resting.

Today we were up above Slaithwaite, beginning some hedge planting.

We were; myself, Jess, Tanya, Stephen K., Stephen M., Steve, Hap, Dave, Geoff, Philip, Michael, Heidi, and Matthew. Plus the owner and two colleagues.

We planted approx. 300 Hawthorn, 100 Blackthorn, 10 Hazel, 10 Crab Apple, 10 Field Maple and 10 Dog Rose.

From now til Christmas it'll be Christmas tunes!

https://youtu.be/4YfLCKmKKSs

Dress you up

Kayleigh and Tanya

This morning we were in the woods alongside Marsden golf course this morning. Stephen, Dave, Philip, Kayleigh and Tanya were practising with the chainsaws and winch, thinning some small nurse species larch, and felling some leaning and falling over trees. I was across the other side of the clough moving some tree stakes to where they will be needed when we replant some of the wildfire areas.

All the woodland management team were appropriately dressed, to the max.

Dave applying tension.

https://youtu.be/POs2QhRtFwE

Afterwards there was the pre-season meeting, and we were joined by Richard, Cath, John, Hap and Jess.

Somebody's watching me

Jess sees through us.

A day of a few parts. Geoff, Stephen, Dave, Hap, Kayleigh, Jess, Tanya and Peter were at the nursery cross cutting and splitting logs.

I met up with Philip and Duncan to go visit a prospective new site.

Then I went up to Scammonden to do a soil depth survey for a planned planting area (required by our patrons, so that they can safely rule out the presence of deep peat). 

Peter and Geoff admire their own work.

https://youtu.be/7YvAYIJSSZY

Occasional rain

A small crew chopped up wood for wood fuel this morning at the nursery: Dave split some of the big stuff with the hydraulic splitter, Peter, Geoff and Jess chopped logs and Michael stacked them in the wood store. The logs will be seasoned and ready for sale in six months or so. The dense and sinewy cherry proved especially difficult to split and chop, but we three-quarters filled an empty bay by the end. It rained steadily most of the morning but was not unpleasant, though our departure time coincided with some heavier stuff, so was prescient.

https://youtu.be/oISfNDgIS4Q

Peligro

 Just a crew of three this morning, sawing, splitting and stacking logs.

Myself, Hap and Dave.

https://youtu.be/kg0lFuJe-e4

Just another day

Kayleigh, Julia, Jess, Dianne, and Tanya.

Just another day, nothing of note here, just a mass of women in hi-vis with chainsaws let loose on a golf course. No golfers were harmed.

We were; Dave, Kayleigh, Julia, Tanya, Philip, Jess, Dianne, Stephen, Hap, Baljit, and Paul. Plus Mick and his son with their trailer.

Back at the nursery myself, Geoff and Peter were receiving the logs, and splitting and stacking.

https://youtu.be/YkGY5EzA-h4

Legal disclaimer, only the qualified and insured were actually using chainsaws.

Thousand helmets of gold

 

Golfers, and Stephen.

The end result.

Today we were at Marsden Golf Club, felling some alder trees that were planted over 20 years ago by the Society, but were now deemed to be shading out one of the tees. We were; myself, Dave, Matthew, Dianne, Kayleigh, Paul, Tanya, Hap, Philip, and Stephen. With very valuable extra help from Mick and his son. And help from the club grounds staff. That was a lot of logs, and hard work.

And we all had our helmets on, when it was appropriate.

Further safety note, the camera lens makes those golfers look closer than they actually were.

https://youtu.be/L81GvZLdVXw

Big sky

 

Back to Meltham Cop again for more guard removal. The weather seemed to deter folk so just 5 of us this week; myself, Michael, Steve, Dave and Geoff.  The sun did  appear occasionally, but so too did wind and showers.

https://youtu.be/zOusKPeH7nU

Hammer to fall

This week we (Geoff, Dianne, Peter, Michael, Dave and Stephen) were back at Meltham Cop for a relatively gentle session completing the de-guarding of the easterly end of the site (ME18/16). There is one working session left to do nearer the western, road end, at the top. Geoff found a heavy mallet sticking out the top of a tree guard of a twelve foot high birch amongst a small, dense grove of them; must have been put there for safe keeping after banging the stake in and then forgotten. It is in excellent condition considering it must have been there ten years or more and seen the tree grow past it towards the sky.

We retrieved a few stakes and guards for re-use and returned them to the nursery (along with the mallet) where Jess had spent the morning sowing 500 acorns she gathered locally for future tree planting stock (having done a further 500 at home). Dave took the rest of the rotted and now useless guards straight to the nearby tip.

https://youtu.be/JU5LMG3WFBw

Nobody's diary

This sunny Saturday we were at Meltham Cop, gathering plastic tubes and stakes from lots of rowan and whitebeam!  We were: myself, Geoff, Cath, Jess, Hap, Dave, Kayleigh, Joanne plus dog, and Steve.

A blogs a kind of diary, so that's my excuse to feature this fried gold one finger synth pop classic.

https://youtu.be/61bnwHOOP2M

The Fuzz

Shelter belt foliage.

This week we were up above Butterley Reservoir, removing stakes and guards from a farmland shelter belt. Pleasant morning with 300+ tubes reclaimed. Though not so many stakes.

We were: myself, Tanya, Geoff, Hap, Stephen, Paul, and Dave.

Top quality photos by Tanya (as usual).

Me and Dave

https://youtu.be/aL6MNGHeEuI

Do they owe us a living?

We spent the morning processing some of the timber we acquired this week. Cross cutting with chainsaw, spliting with axes, mell, and grenade. We were; myself, Geoff, Kayleigh, Dave, Philip, Stephen and Peter.

Once dried, the wood will be distributed locally in exchange for appropriate cash donations. The money will pay for more trees planted, while keeping people of the Colne Valley warm. 

https://youtu.be/jWU-W0SzVE0

The cutter

 

Dave, Stephen and I went to Fixby to collect some wood. This tree was not felled by us, but by professionals. However, the landowner allowed us to take some of that lovely wood away.

https://youtu.be/nMplIrSlg8E

Exactly what nobody wanted

 

This morning we were at the upper end of the Colne Valley removing plastic tubes and stakes from a mature planting site. We were: myself, Hap, Baljit, Dave, Geoff, Stephen, and Michael.

Stephen, Hap and Baljit had also been collecting felled timber from a site in Fixby.

My favourite tune of the month

https://youtu.be/zNyDpFjTlEM

Last of the better days ahead

A few hours spent at the nursery this morning. Clearing paths that some didn't even know existed. 

https://youtu.be/_6ZPVxnBxq0

(nothing but) flowers

Best time of year for heather flowers. Bit of rain would make the colours pop though.

Back to Scout for more plastic gathering. We were; myself, Paul, Geoff, Tanya, Kayleigh, Baljit, Hap, Dave and Stephen. Pictures by Tanya. It was pretty hot.

https://youtu.be/q5-LAb75LpQ

Barbwire

Up to Scout, Marsden, this week. For some tidying and material reclamation. Met the new owner. We were: myself, Geoff, Paul, Jess, Philip, Steve, and Dave. 

I spent the morning crawling around in a micro environment of thorns, barbwire, hawthorn and dogrose. 

Hence, a classic from Nora Dean...

https://youtu.be/9jp6cdgLCRQ

Alberto Balsam

Hap, some stakes, and some decimated Balsam

Back to Scammonden, for the last time for a while? We were: Hap, Geoff, Dave, Tanya, Kayleigh, Cath, Matthew, and myself.

Lots of Balsam got bashed, and some stakes and guards reclaimed.

https://youtu.be/-ZVZgCrHy5E

One fine morning

Geoff and me discouraging the balsam

More reclamation and balsam bashing at Scammonden. We were: myself, Geoff, Tanya, Duncan and Harvey the dog, Peter, Michael, Dave and Matthew. And an honourable mention to Kayleigh, who was sabotaged.

https://youtu.be/8NphJbinncQ