Never Thought it Would be Fit

Well when the snow melts what do we get water lots of it.

The next three photos were taken on Thursday the 28th March

Still plenty of snow around and lots of water

The sheets had been on for a while when the snow came and I was afraid there might be some damage under them.

Bottom of square just soaking wet with some areas of standing water.

When I got the sheets off I found that some germination had taken place which is brilliant as the average temp for March in Leeds was 2 point something and the seed is only supposed to germinate at 5 degrees plus.

 You can clearly see where the grass has been drawn where the sheets have been.

How can grass germinate/survive in a pond?

Well I never thought the ground would be fit for rolling but by the time Saturday came it was at the top end.

 Well almost fit to roll but I had that urge to get on with things after so long.

 Although I have had the roller started once this year it took me nearly 2 hours to get it going I had the fan heater blowing on the engine to warm the oil up.

It is an old Petter diesel engine which is crank start and kills young men -never mind old ones- cranking. 

Please take note Mr Club Treasurer you are killing your groundsman!

(Some might say the sooner the better, maybe that's the bigger plan. Ill bet one thing though,  there will be a power start roller when I pack in -I bet the Council workers have power start Rollers)

Rant over!

 You can clearly see the weak areas,

I rolled some seed into the surface the photo below shows it better.

Seed in among the weak areas.

There was still tiny areas of snow under the sight screen at the bottom of the ground.

I cant remember many times I have rolled with snow on the ground.

Looking back just before I went off home Good Friday after around 4 hours rolling it was nice to have a soak in a warm bath then out to my twin daughters 30th birthday meal.

 Sunday Easter Day after loosing a hour in bed I arrived at the ground around lunch time and did another 4 hours rolling but still not getting to the very bottom of the square as I deemed it too wet 

I packed in at about 5-15 absolutely freezing cold. When I got home and watched the forecast for the week it said that Saturday night up the road in Bingley had been minus 6 degrees and nation wide had been the coldest recorded Easter Day.

Thursday this week I have the IOG Groundsmans Course and with a bit of luck it should be dry but very cold between now and then, which is good because we should be able to get outside and do the practical stuff and I will have time to prepare.

Another cold night forecast.

Not much grass growth.

Keep warm 

Hodgy

New Product

I have to do something to keep the wolf from the door and as most of you will know I have a few carefully selected products mostly for Cricket Groundsmen.

Below is the latest addition to my range.

A fertiliser spreader

Large pneumatic tyres for reduced turf damage.

Time saving, easily adjustable application rate setting 

 Stainless steel frame with plastic body, no rotting.

Time saving full 25 kg (56 lb) hopper.

Plastic mesh to stop any lumps.

 

Soft grip handle for comfort.

 Plastic rain cover to stop product damage when raining.

 Heavy duty right angle gear drive for longevity.

 Adjustable side guards for controlled spreading.

All for only £120-00 plus VAT 

quality at an price affordable to all Cricket Clubs

For none groundsmen sorry about the advertisement  -if YouTube can do it so can I.

Hodgy

Special Post to Cheer your Soul

This is the latest piece I am working on. 

I thought it might cheer you up while you are unable to make progress on your ground.

Sorry for the poor quality photo.

Keep smiling.

Hodgy

Still no Sign of a Roller

Well the snow arrived last Thursday/Friday and it snowed some more on Friday night here in Leeds and now on Tuesday there has only been slight daytime thaws followed by keen frosts at night.

Last Sunday I did a talk along with Keith Boyce at New Rover Cricket Ground -around 20 groundsmen turned up which was very good as condition's under the circumstance's-  anyway to get to my point last year at this time the "swallows" were back from their winter migration. 

I wonder how long before we see them this year?

The bookings so far for the Spring Foundation Cricket Groundsman's course at Kirkstall arrived this morning and we have 17 to press there is still time to book either with Ian Powell of the Yorkshire Cricket Board or direct with the IOG 

Don't miss out at only £60-00 (for YCB Groundsman Association members) it includes food, certificate of attendance, CD and book to take home, it is a bargain. 

We will work inside if necessary but bring your boots if we can get outside we will. 

Being relatively sheltered we don't have many drifts on the field there is about a three inch covering over most of it and according to the local forecast its going no where for the next 7 days.

I understand  my old pal Rod Heyhoe went up to his ground  last Saturday at Lightcliffe and has not been seen since.

Follow the link

 http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/lightcliffecricketclub/news/the-abominable-groundsman-904304.html

Not sure the frog spawn in my garden pond will have survived this.

Don't forget to put you clocks forward on Sunday 

Its Summer time!

Hodgy

Heaviest Snow of Winter

Just when you think things cant get any worse!

It snows and snows and snows some more.

Apart from a walk to the paper shop I have not been out today the following photos are taken from my window. 

We have a greater depth of snow in Leeds today than we have had all winter and at 1-00 pm it is still snowing.

A good day to get on with some art work I think.

I hope it melts soon but according to the forecast it could stay for a while, I fear I could be getting some fungal disease under the cover of the snow, just another challenge.

Hodgy

What is This Weather All About?

A long time since my last update. 

I have not had much to report in all honesty It has meant that the post regarding the IOG groundsman course at Kirkstall  C C has been front page for a while giving every one a chance to see it. 

It is fast filling up so if you intend to come along please register soon to avoid missing out.

 The ground on Monday this week Light covering of snow

A few week ago Anne arranged for us to go up to the Lakes for a few days,when I first learnt of this I was concerned that I would be too busy and would be worried that I wasn't getting on with things at the ground. Well I needn't have worried as it turned out. The weather in the North has been just awful for this time of year.

After the snow had gone on Monday what was left water every where.

We went up to Grasmere on Tuesday and we had snow on the tops. Wednesday was damp and

Thursday was a sunny day but with a bitterly cold wind.

Then overnight Thursday we got the snow pictures below.

The road from Keswick to Grasmere  on Thursday.

Louise feeding the Robin in the Church Yard Grasmere the burial place of William and Dorothy Wordsworth  I wonder if he knew such March weather?

View from the Hotel window this morning.

Random shots of Grasmere this morning.

Sorry no ground work but thought I should let you know I am still about just waiting for Spring. 

Sunday morning I am helping my old friend Keith Boyce with a presentation to the Wetherby Cricket League groundsmen at New Rover Cricket Club Leeds. 

When the weather looks up it will be all go, I really do feel for armature groundsmen who only have odd times when they can get out on their fields.

I hope that the all involved in Cricket will allow for the weather that we have had over the last year before making judgement on the ground conditions.

Still waiting

Hodgy

IOG/ECB Groundsman Training Day at Kirkstall Educational Cricket Club

On the 4th April I will be staging again the IOG/ECB Spring Foundation Course for Cricket Groundsmen. The instructor on the day will be Ian Mather-Brewster and I will be assisting him.

These days are for guys who want to get the basics of Cricket Club Groundsmanship and are not just suitable for the groundsman but also for the interested Club Chairman, Secretary, or indeed Treasurer.

I can not say enough about these courses they are practical as well as theoretical and at a level that is suited to club cricket. I have been hosting these courses now for well over a decade and would not continue to do so if I thought they were a wast of time or money -I invest a fair amount of personal time into these days and in many ways they tie into what I do on this blog and that is show groundsman a way to go about things.

The day starts at about 9-00 am and ends at 4-00 pm. There is tea coffee and a lunch provided. You get a book and DVD to take home, a certificate of attendance and you can register on line and answer questions about what you have been taught to get a further certificate.

The IOG charge £228-00 for none members

£114-00 for members

As I understand if you are a member of the Yorkshire Cricket Board Groundsman Association

You will pay only £60-00 for the whole thing.

You will learn how to square up your Cricket table.

How to set up and look after your mowing machine.

Select and identify your pitch.

Cut you pitch out.

Rake your pitch out.

You will learn about taking cores out of your square and understanding what is going on underneath the surface.

 

You will go through the theory

You will learn how to repair a pitch to bring it back into play.

I have just shown photos of part of the syllabus there is much much more all packed into an informative and enjoyable day.

To book you need to contact  

Ian Powell of the YCB 

Email:- ian.powell5@btconnect.com

Phone/Fax 01609-777195

Mobile 07976-787965

I will be assisting on the day so any of you who read this blog and have never visited 

The Field of Dreams  it will be an opportunity to do so and you will have the chance to see just what I get up to for your self

Please don't miss this opportunity it is heavily subsidised to help groundsmen and worth the full amount never mind the £60-00 for YCBGA members.

Keep Learning.

Hodgy