TD3 2015, Crowborough
On Monday we were promised 3 days of heavy rain including a downpour on Saturday, and if TD2 and the Nationals were anything to go by we packed our most waterproof coats.
On the day it was overcast and chilly, but DRY. perfect hedgelaying conditions. The hedge was very old and gappy and in places pretty wide, so Frank and Chris spent a few days clearing out the worst of the mess to give us a fighting chance on the day.
The ground was very soggy, a few people managed to sink their "Chelsea tyre" 4x4's as soon as they arrived, but at least that meant that Tim could play with his new winch.
We were a few trainees down which was a shame, but we soon got organised along the road side for the majority and 4 of us down the side of the field with some really gnarly old stuff to sort out.
The Landowners put on tea and coffee all day, and they invited all the neighbours to come and see what was happening, which made a nice change and gave us a chance to talk to people about the craft.
Our trainees got to play with a hedge which was typical of the real world - far from perfect. so they picked up some useful tips.
Frank was busy filling an old gateway with some massive trees which he managed to lay which was no mean task with the wind in such an exposed location. We dined well with a very fine lunch provided by the landowners (home grown sossages) and a rare chance to chat to each other during the event. after lunch we set to stakes and binders and finishing off each section. The landowner was very happy with the results, although by the time Chris finished his section it was pretty dark, although he did seem to end up with a lot more yardage than most people.
We finished the day dry which was both unexpected and very welcome.
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