Little angel with a dirty face

My dirty face, and some cold wet folk eating cake.

This week we were back at the head of the valley, planting 25 Silver Birch, 75 Hazel, 50 Hawthorn, 50 Sessile Oak, and 60 exotic Willows.

We were: myself, Dave, Geoff, Philip and friend John, Cath, Steve, Stephen, Adrian, Peter and Audrey.

Cake was by Audrey and was lovely.

Weather was decidedly unlovely.

Nice bit of lap steel on the tune.

https://youtu.be/W0e3CVkMXKM

Industrial estate

Dave and Philip in a perilous position.

This morning we were divided. Some folks stayed at the nursery to saw and split logs, and the rest of us were in a rather un-glamorous spot down the hill behind some industrial sheds. Retrieving some very nice wood that had been felled when the sheds got newly roofed and guttered. We also rescued some great cherry that had been felled  nearby where someone had cut down trees to improve the view from their conservatory. The cherry trees were on council land, so that would be criminal damage. And a criminal waste of good wood, having left it on the ground.

We were: Philip, Dave, Steve, Lee, Jess, Dianne, Cath, Peter, John, Hap, Geoff, Adrian, Sue, Duncan, Tanya and myself.

https://youtu.be/_ViEzjcc6sE

Lucifer over Lancashire

Hap (with bucket) Philip, Peter and a bit of Geoff (I think).

I don't know why, but Hap holding that bucket is hilarious. He just found it in the field. And we were all very, very wet at the end of a windy and wet morning. Lancashire sent us this evil weather from the West. So that and the sad demise of bandleader Mark Smith explains this week's song title.

We were: Hap and his bucket, myself, Philip, Peter, Geoff, Dave, Tanya, Stephen, Ben, and our host, Audrey.

We were right up the head of the valley, hence our exposure to the worst weather Lancashire could provide.

Cake was provided by Audrey, and it was lovely.

We planted 100 Common Alder, 50 Aspen, 50 Downy Birch and 30 Goat Willow.

https://youtu.be/5cwdSIvWpo0

Fox on the run

There was a fox in the Nursery when I got there this morning. Bold as brass.

Anyway this morning we were at Lower Green Owlers, way up at the head of the valley. We planted 50 Hazel, 25 Dog Rose, 50 Oak, 25 Aspen, 25 Rowan.

We were: myself, Hap, Lee, Jess, Dianne and Lizzie the dog, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Adrian, Stephen, Cath, Steve and Ben.

Cake was ginger (like the fox).

https://youtu.be/VP2umy6TdEU

Pale shelter

Very rare instance of proper before and after photo's today.

We were planting a classic farmland shelter belt up above Butterley reservoir, Marsden. When grown these trees and shrubs will give livestock some respite from the cruel winds and rains coming from Lancashire.

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

I was spoilt for choice for the shelter theme'd tune. But went for classic 80's.

https://youtu.be/l_kN_DJQJ3U

Heaven

Dean, Lee, Steve, Adrian, Ben and Sue. And Marsden

Today we were back in the clough above Crowther Laithe Farm, Marsden. We added 100 Scots Pine, 50 Oak, and 30 Gorse to the older (and struggling) trees already there. Thanks to Dave's efforts we used almost entirely recycled tree protection for today's planting. And retrieved more for future re-use.

We were: myself, Philip, Adrian, Dave, Geoff, Dean, Sue, Tanya, Ben, Lee, Guy, Ros, Stephen, and Steve.

Cake was coffee walnut.

This week's tune is here partly because I was playing it in the car on the way there. I had another one of those Proustian moments where a tune moved me unexpectedly, reminding me of being much younger. That happens a fair bit these days. Sheesh, being 56. But lyrically the song might also be taken to describe the Colne Valley!

https://youtu.be/9bKW7JkHKm8

Myself and Philip hatch a cunning planting plan.

Two tribes

Stephen, and another larch down.

A day of two tribes.

Tribe one comprised: Philip, Susan, Dave, Adrian, Steve, Hap, Jess, Lee, Cath and Ben. They went to Royd House Wood to reclaim some trees that look to have been felled without permission and left lying there. Someone improving their view? Some other thinning may have taken place.

Tribe two comprised: myself, Stephen and John. We went to Throstle Green Farm and took down 4 large Larch nurse species, two dead Alder, a Pine of some sort, two small Ash trees, and a small Oak that was collateral damage when one of the Larch fell on it. There is still scope to remove more of the tall nurse species at Throstle Green Farm.

A cold and damp but productive morning.

https://youtu.be/r8DFDCEJ0co

They're red hot (hot tamales)

Logs, including felled dead stuff.

Today was the now traditional pre-Christmas woodland management session followed by food (delicious hot chilli made by Jess).

We were: myself, Philip, Susan, Stephen, Hap, Cath, Neil, Stephen O., Geoff, John, Dave, Duncan and Harvey, Jess and Dianne.

Half time cake was a new recipe, sticky cranberry gingerbread. Very good.

We were working at Throstle Green Farm, where we felled a number of dead Alder, a similar number of tall Larch nurse species, and a small number of Oak, Ash and Birch prunings or thinnings.

https://youtu.be/TOXXh24HnmY