Went hedgelaying yesterday

[TallMikeM]

Went hedgelaying yesterday for the first time ever. Suprisingly hard work, but bloody good fun, and immensely satisfying. Here are some piccies to bore you all with:

What the hedge looked like before we started work:

My first cut (which I didn't cock up, that came later):

About halfway done:

and what it looks like when it's all finished:

 

[mr dazzler]

Top man, it does me good to see that. Well done, the finished result is very acceptable. You were fortunate to find a lenngth of hedge that wasnt deformed with a flail cutter. Please do some more pictures when the new shoots come into leaf.

 

[TallMikeM]

Top man, it does me good to see that. Well done, the finished result is very acceptable. You were fortunate to find a lenngth of hedge that wasnt deformed with a flail cutter. Please do some more pictures when the new shoots come into leaf.

it's not my normal stamping ground, but if I do get a chance to get back there I'll take some piccies of what they've done in years past. They've been hedgelaying on the site for about 6 years now, and it's fascinating to see the results from the previous years; it's like succession in action.

 

[pwb]

Looks great .
I would love to have a try at hedge laying.
We spend many a day cutting the various hedges on the estate but sadly none of them are laid, just hours of using a hedge trimmer .

Pete.

 

[mr dazzler]

Nice one Mike. I saw a length of hawthorn recently that was done 3 years ago. By now it is DENSE, you cant see through it much even with no leaf on there. And no beast is going to find a way through it either!

 

[Rebel]

Hey Mike did you ever get to look at the rubbish hedge laying I did up in Forty Hall Farm?

 

[WolfCub]

It is very rewarding. Sadly havn't had chance to get out and do any this season myself, very frustrating. Keep at it.

 

[hog]

Ja good work, I often wonder why municipal councils insist on butchering hedgs in stead of letting them form naturally.
Also destroys habitats by all accounts.

 

[Shewie]

Timely thread Mike, apparently my brothers volunteered me to help his mate do some down near Bath in a couple of weeks time. He`s the biggest townie I know so god knows what to expect on the day.

 

[MartinK9]

Nice to see old practices still being used

 

[Snufkin]

I did one down in Devon with BTCV a few years back. It was more of a single lane forest than a hedge. We were trying to lay 5" diameter trees! Got it done and the landowner was really pleased, so that was good. I'd love to go back and see what it's like now. Pretty spot too. Not many hedgerows left in Norfolk. All grubbed up to make way for prairie farms .

 

[TallMikeM]

Hey Mike did you ever get to look at the rubbish hedge laying I did up in Forty Hall Farm?

think so, was that the bit along the track to the wood?

 

[mr dazzler]

Not many hedgerows left in Norfolk. All grubbed up to make way for prairie farms .

But look on the bright side, there are lots of new planted hedges around East anglia. Its just sad and crass when someone smashes them up with a flail cutter .

 

[Klenchblaize]

When you compare a properly laid hedge with what passes for hedge maintenance today it makes you sick inside. Call me sad if you will but wouldn't it be nice to see all hedges laid like this and and few more people with work. Even if it meant Government subsidy at least we would see something for our taxes!

Must be Monday!

Cheers

K

 

[Cobweb]

Farmers are starting to see the benefits of a decent hedgelay around here, most of them are getting them done. The local youth forum is running training courses for over 18's to learn the craft as well. It gives the kids a sense of accomplishment when they see the hedge they layed a year ago looking good. My bother went on the course and he always points out the hedge he and his mates layed when we go past.

 

[TallMikeM]

When you compare a properly laid hedge with what passes for hedge maintenance today it makes you sick inside. Call me sad if you will but wouldn't it be nice to see all hedges laid like this and and few more people with work. Even if it meant Government subsidy at least we would see something for our taxes!

Must be Monday!

Cheers

K

until recently landowners etc did recieve a subsidy to plant and lay hedgerows. However, I'm given to understand that this has now been scaled back (this was one of those standing around talking types of conversations, so don't quote me on this). If it's true, that's a major oversight by the govt.

 

[Ben Trout]

Looks like a nice job. Always good to see it done properly.

Shewie, do you need any more volounteers? I live a few miles from Bath and the craft is one that as always fascinated me. If there's a chance of having a go, please let me know.

 

[Aaron]

until recently landowners etc did recieve a subsidy to plant and lay hedgerows. However, I'm given to understand that this has now been scaled back (this was one of those standing around talking types of conversations, so don't quote me on this). If it's true, that's a major oversight by the govt.

I think from next year you may be able to claim a single lump sum payment towards the cost of hedgelaying restoration under the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme administered by DEFRA and Natural England. For the past 2-3 years DEFRA has prioritised much of the money available under HLS towards the management of SSSI sites, meaning that little money has been available for much else, including hedgerow management.

Word to the wise, if anyone wants to learn hedgelaying I would reccomend that you find a trainer listed on the National Hedgelaying Society website (http://http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/training.htm), rather than going through an organisation such as BTCV, who charge you much more money to learn from a volunteer officer with not much more experience than the people they are teaching.

I have 2-3 weeks hedgelaying work coming up with a contractor I know and I look forward to it immensley ever year.

 

[Snufkin]

But look on the bright side, there are lots of new planted hedges around East anglia. Its just sad and crass when someone smashes them up with a flail cutter .

Yeah shame. Mind there's not so much livestock run in my area so what hedges there are don't need to be stock-proof.

 

[TallMikeM]

Word to the wise, if anyone wants to learn hedgelaying I would reccomend that you find a trainer listed on the National Hedgelaying Society website (http://http://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/training.htm), rather than going through an organisation such as BTCV, who charge you much more money to learn from a volunteer officer with not much more experience than the people they are teaching.

I have 2-3 weeks hedgelaying work coming up with a contractor I know and I look forward to it immensley ever year.

good advice there. There's a couple of guys listed there not too far from me and I was hoping to get out with one them and really learn the craft properly, but college keeps getting in the way.