Saturday 6 March 2021

Happy birthday!

Industrious chap that Jared.


This week we were in two groups. Both groups had great views of the valley.

One group was at New Hey up west of Marsden. We were: myself, Dave, Hap, Julia, Shelley, Jess, Lee, Kayleigh, Paul, Jared, Alastair, Jon, and birthday girl Tessie! We planted: 50 blackthorn, 25 crab apple, 25 dogwood, 6 rowan, 25 dog rose, 10 elder, 100 hawthorn, and 25 hazel

The other team were up above Spring St. Slaithwaite, and were: Geoff, Matthew, Tanya, Peter, John H., Ben, Kati, Jo, Cath, Oscar, Stephen, John F., and Max. They planted, 115 sessile oak 35 rowan, 100 downy birch, 25 grey willow.

For someone of my generation, there really is only one birthday tune.

https://youtu.be/eeMqW2jjNa8

I think I'll go watch Gregory's girl again...

Saturday 27 February 2021

Goldeneye

How does a toad get to have golden eyes?


Today we were up above Slaithwaite. The ground was dry and the sun shone.

We were: Ben, myself, Geoff, Philip, Dave, Kayleigh, Laura, Sophie, Tanya, Paul, John F., John H., Jon, Tessie, Shelley, Jo, Peter, Stephen, Steve, Alastair, Jared, Matthew, Murray, Michael, Cath, Hap, Julia, Anna, plus our hosts James, Eric and Evie.

We planted 115 hawthorn, 80 dog rose, 50 blackthorn, 15 elder, 25 hazel, 25 alder, 25 small leaved lime, 10 field maple, 50 wild cherry

https://youtu.be/iZy63vxe5G0

Not the Tina Turner song, but the music from the opening of the Nintendo 64 game, which is best played loud.

Saturday 20 February 2021

In dark trees


Philip, Stephen, Hap, Oscar, John H., and Dave spent the morning in Marsden felling some large larch which were planted as nurse species, and were now shading out the other trees. Larch is of limited value as a firewood, so everything was left on site as habitat material.

https://youtu.be/OH4oeGU_o1U

Dirty work

Everyone got very muddy!

This morning most of us were at a site near bolster moor. Planting a hedge and strip of trees in a very, very wet field.

We were: myself, Laura, Kayleigh, Shelley, Jo, Kati, Ben, Geoff, Peter, Richard, Cath, Max, Jon, Tessie, Sophie, John F., Arthur, Matthew, Alastair, Jared, Paul, Murray, and Jake.

We planted 25 hawthorn, 25 blackthorn, 50 dog rose, 50 dogwood, 25 oak, 100 alder, 25 downy birch, and 25 willow.

A random act of kindness from a passing stranger. A lady gave us two packets of Bolster Moor Farm shop biscuits, as a reward for our work. 

And the field owners also plied us with goodies too, more biscuits and homemade cupcakes.

We had banned snack sharing, but so we could enjoy these kindnesses I slathered my hands with hand sanitizer several times while handing the stuff out.




https://youtu.be/QrE_cDvcgJg