Catch up

Since my last post I have gathered a lot of photographs, as it is the year end and a time to reflect, I thought it would be good to post some of them. 

If your are having problems sleeping I am sure this post will sort it.

 Scarifying at Farsley

 Solving the problems of the world at Old Modernians.

 Under way at Barwick in Elmet who had this square power harrowed last Autumn, we hope to get a better grass cover for 2014.

 Getting ready at KECC the Field of Dreams

Nets germinated before work on square had been started.

 Good crop of mushrooms on the net pitches.

 7th break in at my club Kirkstall Educational C C

 Progress at Pool.

 Looks like a lot of talking and not much action.

 Drighlington all sprayed off and ready for scarifying.

Nice but not deep enough so the Graden was called for.

 Chief inspector calls by.

 here we have the Graden to get some big deep groves to hold the seed and also take more thatch out.

 Six Bag of my specially mixed seed by Hurrells Seeds  were sown in an effort to get a good cover.

this is the mix for all you keen ones out there 40% Top Gun 30% Carnac 30% Sirtaky.

Job done time for a pint and off home.

 My friend Clive from Pool tells me that Seagulls are molting when they gather on the field in this way, they are not able to fly quite so well so they look out for each other.

I had a breakdown on the Sisis Rotorake the shaft broke so I had to go buy some screwed rod and make a new one.

 Hunslet Nelson CC also sprayed their square off with Glyphosate Brian Farrell doing a bit of tidying up.

 Getting some decent groves in with the Graden.

  On to the next job, some grounds we do the full works others we just scarify and clear up the arisings like this one.

Bugger another breakdown.

 On to the next ground Collingham 

 Spreading the seed and brushing it in to get it in contact with soil to aid germination.

 Richie giving me a break from top dressing.

Boughton Loam is inconsistent in its quality, sometimes it fine, some times granular, sometime has fibre, sometimes has particles in it but this was just idea and the job went well with no breakdowns or hitches.

Mark doing a bit of extra leveling this is a ground he looks after so is taking a little extra care may be?

 Grass net area at Kirkstall coming on well.

Dry dust day at Cookridge C C

 Good clean surface.

 So I make a start on my own Ground at Kirkstall.

 Marks dog Toby enjoying a little freedom.

 Start of my seed trials.

6kgs per pitch.

 Various cultivars used the pitch they were sown on was totally random.

 Sorry old lad back in the Van.

A sunny Sunday at Horsforth Hall Park

 Richie making a good job of sweeping up the rubbish. Nice stripes!

One of my other passions are Chrysanthemums this is one I grew in a pot in my garden.

Well this was going to be a single post catching up but it is taking so long uploading the images I will have to do it in over a few. 

I have been learning how to play the ukulele since September and tonight some of the members of the class along with our tutor Jess are of t'pub to have a jamming session cant wait.

See you tomorrow if I survive the pub session.

Hodgy

Last Few Weeks

Here are a few photos of the past few weeks "No Time" for anything more at moment.

Just to say I have started some more seed trials on my square this time I will explain in a later post.

Henry and I heads down at Farsley C C

Its so frustrating when the loam bags are not properly sealed and you end up with the stuff all over the place,  at almost £5-00 per bag I expect better.

A break down snapped a blade so had to take them out and move them all down to avoid a gap in the middle. #downtime.

Team photo at Steeton CC last game of the season.

Poor choice of material from Sisis cast Aluminium the replacements are fabricated steel much better choice only wish Sisis had sent the new dia bushes or at least told me of the change. 

 A wet morning a couple of weeks back at Kirkstall.

 Pick up load of rubbish  at Old Mods a while ago.

Richie with Marks dog Toby.

The aftermath of the seventh break in at Kirkstall C C

Post more later as time permits I have my art Exhibition starting this Thursday with loam still to deliver and squares to complete it is still hectic.

See you soon 

Hodgy

6th Break-in

Our Season ended last Saturday so I have been trying to get as much loam out as possible before I start on Autumn renovation. So I thought I would get my loam from yard to ground which I did about lunch time today. 

This is what I found when I got to the club.

The sixth break-in since April.

 We are trying to get security on the inside of the windows but every time this happens it takes us that much longer to save up and with the season ended now bar takings will be much reduced.

I hope our local MP Rachel Reeves will be able to help out by "lobbying" the new Police Commissioner.

We are a community Cricket Club serving the people of Kirkstall  and crimes like this are a constant drain on time and club resources as well as having an effect moral. 

Another window to board up.

The Bradford League finished the week before us so I was able to get a couple or square completed last week.

Jobs are never without there problems here I had a broken tungsten Scarifier blade so had to move the remaining one down so I didn't have a gap.

The following day I broke another so ordered a new set from Sisis at a cost of £323.95 plus carriage of £15.00 and vat total Invoice for £406.74 

I hope my customers understand that when I come along and work on their grounds I have to charge what I do in order to keep my expensive machinery going and make a small profit cause without a profit I wont be around next year.

This was about a third of what we got out of the square.

I got my two of the square practise pitches scarified and top dressed. The seed is coming through as I make this post.

I have had my colleague Martin down to spray off five pitches in an attempt to get rid of the Poa Annua  Annual Meadow grass that weed grass that all groundsmen hate.

Here you can see two of them.

Last Friday before the final game of the season I got the square cut right down as far as the mower would go. The lines you can see are from the raking I did in order to lift the grass to present it better to the mower and to lift the horizontal growth.

The final 1st team game for Kirkstall was at Steeton and as is usual I went along to watch, while walking down the lane to the club I couldn't help but notice how good the football pitch looked.
I don't know who the groundsman is but I was impressed with his work.
Well done Sir.

I got the feeling of Deja Vu when I saw the square this morning surely we can't have another autumn like 2012
Off to bed now.
Hodgy

No Time!

Since my last post we have had the Club Presidents day, IOG Foundation Course, I have taken delivery of some of my loam, fertiliser and seed and I have started delivering.

The Airedale and Wharfedale have two more weekends but the Bradford League finish this next weekend.

As a result it will be a juggling act delivering and working on grounds especially next week.

I like where ever possible to get all my delivery's done before the end of the season then concentrate on scarifying top dressing etc but this year it will be difficult. 

 Traditional shots before the Presidents day match.

Ex players travel from far and wide to play in this fixture here is Neil Warmsley -Wally- all the way from Dubai. 

Top player all rounder scored a double hundred along with Andy Siddall when they smashed the league record a few years back. Very useful opening bowler as well, oh and I forgot when that didn't work he bowled off spin. 

Stop it! Wal.

Looks like this could be a long day.

No glasses on the square please boys.

Waiting to bat seated Right Sam Lavery, Jimmy Lee, Toby Telfer.

Our own very special chef Mick Savery cooked a sit down meal in the clubhouse for over 30 people.

Top food. 

Top drinking. 

Top day.

 Not sure what time I got home but I believe it was daylight when some left the place.  

we had a big clear up the next day and there were some thick heads for sure.

There had been a suggestion that I should play on Presidents Day but when I went to the garage for my kit this is what I found I think the message was pretty clear the mice had put an end to my career.

Not a bad thing I have had a very good time over lots of years. 

I believe in training for groundsmen so we at Kirkstall facilitate the IOG/ECB foundation courses Spring and Autumn.

The above photos show the latest batch, I think they had a good day by the positive feedback.

As you can see it is a practical hands on course where candidates can try using the various machines under supervision. they also go through the theory so they can understand why certain processes are undertaken.

"Groundsman Bounty"

three and a half pounds picked in 20 minutes. Blackberry and Apple Jam on my toast now. 

Nice!

Just some of the Loam I have to deliver in maximum 2 ton loads

I hope you have all got materials ordered and working parties sorted need to get on as soon as you can, never know how long the weather will hold up for rain forecast for Friday.

Got to go now.

No Time!

Hodgy