Six of us made the one-hour drive to Hardcastle Crags in Yorkshire to do a job the ranger described as ‘pulling stuff up’. At this time of year that usually means Himalayan balsam but today James greeted us with a bit of variety - docks. Docks are very prolific and can produce thousands of seeds but provide 40% fewer nutrients than grass. The field we worked in will be cut for silage so reducing the docks will increase its food value. Docks can regrow from the roots and it was surprisingly hard work as the soil was very hard and compacted.
Looking for the leaves amongst long grass gave the back a welcome break from bending down. After lunch we had some more variety - thistles. More bending down but easier to see.
The occupants of the field appreciated us providing them with an unexpected late lunch.
Lots of stuff pulled up on a surprisingly warm and dry day. Many thanks to James (2 legs) and Hamish (4 legs) for an enjoyable time, but we did miss the balsam!
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