The Green

With Finals Day done and dusted the hard work continues on the Green in preparation for the following Season.

2022 a group of Members, led by Head Lawnologist Derek Lines, undertook the Autumnal ground work on the Green. This involved hollow tining, scarifying, grass seed sowing, and top dressing the Green in readiness for its dormant period. 

Over the 2 days a dozen or so volunteer Members undertook strenuous manual labour to complete the task. Other volunteers undertook the running of the Bacon Buttie and Tea production line. Without this sustenance the manual workers would have revolted!

Day one saw three wheelbarrows being continuously used to carry the hollow tining and scarifying waste from the Green. Each headed to the compost heap at the side of the garage to dump their spoil. Once dumped, the Keeper of the Compost Heap skilfully shovelled the spoil away from the dumping point and kept the Heap looking tidy. This was essential work as it meant that the Three Barrow Boys could keep on moving. With the Three Barrow Boys constantly moving the spoil, the Three Machine Operators could maintain the hollow tining and scarifying operations. This enabled the work to be carried out, like a well-oiled machine, at a steady, continuous, pace.

After eight long hours, with only the odd break for Bacon Butties, Sandwiches and Tea, day one came to an end. The Green was ready for its final dressing.

Day two saw another early start for the Green Work Party (A non-political organisation!). Having, sort of, ploughed the field, i.e the Green on day one, the good, grass, seed was scattered on the land, i.e the Green. It was less scattered more meticulously spread across the Green by an ingenious seed spreading machine pushed by one of the Head Green Keepers. With this delicate operation completed the, now, Four Barrow Boys started their strenuous work moving 4 tonnes of top dressing (by barrow) onto the Green. The barrows were filled by The Shovelers. The Barrow Boys then had a hazardous route to transverse, up a steep hill and across a small ditch to reach the Green. When the barrows, full of top dressing, safely reached the Green they were met by the Two Chief Spreaders. It was the job of the Two Chief Spreaders to shovel the top dressing from the barrows and then scatter the said top dressing over the Green. This is a highly skilled job and can take years to learn the art. This part of the work took a couple of hours which included an extended Bacon Buttie and Tea break.

With the spreading of the top dressing complete it was time for the Head Lawnologist to undertake the final two tasks before the Autumn Green work was finished. Task one involved sitting on a small ride on mower dragging a sheet of metal chain work behind to break up any small lumps of top dressing and aid the seed to have better contact with the soil. The final task also used the ride on mower, this time it dragged the levelling frame across the Green to ensure that any small humps or hollows were flattened or filled in. With this job completed the Green Work Party’s hard labour on the Autumn Work came to an end.

This is not the end of the story as during the Autumn and Winter months of the Green closure the tasks of swishing and brushing, the Green are undertaken to maintain a healthy playing surface.

All playing members of Bilton Bowling Club owe a big debt of gratitude for the work undertaken on the Green throughout the Year. Under the guidance of Head Green Keepers, Derek Lines & David Croskell, many Members volunteer their time to undertake the various tasks required in producing a good quality Green during the playing season. Without this work we would not be able to partake in the sport we all enjoy, LAWN BOWLS.

THANK YOU GREEN WORK PARTY AND A THANK YOU ALSO TO ALL THOSE THAT KEPT THEM FED AND WATERED OVER THE 2 DAYS

If any Member would like to volunteer their services to help work on the Green please make contact with Derek Lines or a member of the Club Committee. Any time you can spare is appreciated as there is always something to be done in maintaining the Green.

Click on photo to see caption