Late Winter Bits and Bobs

[Geoff]

You'd think all these wind turbines would slow it down a bit wouldn't you?

[Monika]

Thick white slushy stuff here as well and now it is melting fast, the beck is rising and the village is cut off again .....
I do feel for all those many people who live on or near flood plains because it can only get worse the next days.

[oldherbaceous]

Something to make you all smile...

I do my Mum's heavy item shopping for her first thing Monday mornings and often have a job reading what she wants and today was no exception...So she got a large Lemon, when she really wanted a large Lenor...well it is nearly Pancake day...

[alan refail]

Something to make you all smile...

I do my Mum's heavy item shopping for her first thing Monday mornings and often have a job reading what she wants and today was no exception...So she got a large Lemon, when she really wanted a large Lenor...well it is nearly Pancake day...

It would have to be a very big lemon to qualify as heavy shopping!

[oldherbaceous]

Brilliant, Alan...

[Westi]

It is well old rotted muck Elmigo from the dairy farm - no smell at all! Do some research as they are happy to supply as probably been supplying their arable farmer neighbours for years, best stuff ever as it feeds the plants & improves the soil structure - which incidentally will you need? Is your house built on re-claimed land? Can your road take a big tractor? My soil is well sandy!

Had a 2nd great day in a row & rather happy! Been trying to get proper hazel bean poles instead of canes for ages & finally a web site well out of reach from me recommended a local bloke. E-mailed him a few weeks ago & almost given up but he rang today to say he has some but has been away! Then chatted to him about an arch to replace the metal ones that dies mid season & costs a fortune over time. Well, he doesn't do structures but just poles, but after a wee chat he was regaling me with stories of working with his dad coppicing but they had time so they made the odd structure! As his trailer (note the link there with the farmer) is out of action & he won't be able to drop off the poles for a couple of weeks, he is gonna make me a wee tunnel structure & even put it up. And no where near the stupid, crazy prices the hazel 'Artists' want down this way! Poles are 70p. Last local quote I got was £2.50 each & smaller!

[oldherbaceous]

That's interesting about the Coppicing bloke, Westi and a very good price for them too...I haven't cut any for a year or two now, so might cut a few for several Sweetpea wigwams.

Many years ago a lovely Lady asked me if I could cut her a Hazel washing line pole, so for a joke, I cut one about 8 feet long and she was only about 5 feet tall...we laughed about that for many years ...

[Shallot Man]

You'd think all these wind turbines would slow it down a bit wouldn't you?

Geoff. Now that's my sense of humour.

[AlexBee]

Wonder if you can help with a Storm Dennis related query? Can I cut a dead tree down that is precariously balanced and threatening to slide down a neighbours embankment onto my land? The neighbour is not prepared to do anything until it actually happens. The tree has been dead for ages but Dennis was the final straw for the tree!

[Primrose]

Alex, I'm no lawyer but common sense tells me that if the tree is dead, it is increasingly vulnerable to falling in a future heavy wind and if your neighbour isn't prepared to do anything about it, you are perhaps entitled to do so, but probably only with his permission.

To protect yourself I'd ask him to confirm in writing that he's prepared for you to demolish it.

And then if you do, I'd try to arrange that it falls on his land, rather than yours, as legally it's his property and he could claim that you were subsequently using his assets for firewood !

[alan refail]

Primrose makes some good points. You certainly are not entitled to do anything without the owner's consent, and even when cut down it remains the property of the owner. Of, course, you can't then force your neighbour to pay for the work. If there seems to be imminent danger, I would suggest you contact the relevant department of your local council, who may be able to mediate or enforce action.

[alan refail]

Alex Bee
This may be the quickest way to get some action. Your Council's contact form is in the link below.

https://secure.chesterfield.gov.uk/forms/?contactus

[Primrose]

You can always quote "Health & Safety " !!!!!! if you regularly work in the area where the tree is likely to fall, this obviously puts you at a greater risk, and a dead leaning tree can fall unexpectedly at any time. You don't have to wait for a heavy wind to risk it suddenly coming down.

Do let us know the outcome. It's always useful guidance for others who might subsequently find themselves in a similar position.

Of course if you're able to reserve a few of the fallen logs for a log pile on your own land you could build a valuable breeding ground for small insects and reptiles. Stag Beetles breed in decaying log piles but can take up to 8 years to gestate and are spectacular creatures to have flying around so always worth trying to encourage them to breed.

[Stephen]

Alex, how about putting a written note through their door to say that you consider it a hazzard, explaining to what or who and asking them to address? Possibly a signed-for letter, so that they can not deny that they received it.

By notifying them you have some protection if you need to make a claim against them.

It is a real shame that it needs to come to such a position.

[Stephen]

Meanwhile, I chatted to my neighbour whose business looking after and caring for ponds and lakes is being significantly disrupted by the incessent rain. Either he can not get a vehicle over the ground or the banks of the lake have disappeared and is feet away from the edge of the water.