Seed trails come to an early end

After two days when I have been unable to get down to ground, due to Art Exhibition and family commitments. I arrived at about 10-00 am this morning only to find this.

The vandals had been and thrown my seed trial pots at the score box and ruined all my efforts.

I was very upset.

Why would they want to do that?

They had also used the metal building pins as javelins and speared the sight screen with them.

I love my work on the cricket grounds and trying to help groundsmen improve their pitches. When this sort of thing happens I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach that makes me feel like I want to pack the whole thing in, retire to a caravan up in the Dales and just practise my art. This year we have had two break ins and I have lost machinery but for some reason what they have done this time has had the greatest effect on me.

Rant over.

Back to work I fixed the rake to the tractor and raked the whole outfield in two direction which lifts the horizontal grass and presents it better to the mower and rakes some of the moss out.

{I am sorry but my camera is playing up and wont focus properly I need to have a look at it.}

The above picture is after I have raked.

This is my rake fit to the back of the tractor it is an old Sisis one the problem is that it gets full of moss etc and I have to stop and clear it off. I have ordered a new rake from Brushes North West that has vertical rakes which means that you don't get that problem.

I then mowed the outfield with the gang mowers the advantage of using them is that they don't flatten the raked grass before they cut it as the Mastiff does with the roller in front of the cutting cylinder. I therefore get a better cut but I compromise on the finish as the don't flatten the grass after mowing as the Mastiff will do leaving bold stripes

Time for home.

I want to end on a positive. Last night at the opening of my art exhibition I sold two paintings lets hope I sell some more before it closes.

Hodgy