Got there at last

[L Austin France]

@L Austin France We used to have one of those at our old place (if I remember rightly it was a Morgnieux) - much better than the gyrobroyeur. It did an excellent job in our plantation. I see you've no back on your tractor either - I used to wear ear defenders when using the cutter !!!

[L Austin France]

I see you've no back on your tractor either - I used to wear ear defenders when using the cutter !!!

No back is correct. It smashed yonks ago.
Interesting now when I lift the broyeur with the relevage & a storm of cuttings is blown into the cab
Always ear defenders now as I lost a fair bit of my hearing ages ago with loud guitars/shotguns/power tools etc with no protection.
Bit like bolting the stable door...... . I now try telling anyone I see doing the same stupid thing but do they listen?

[Blaze]

Always ear defenders

I've always been an advocate of ear defenders. I did a lot of shooting as a reservist yonks ago and they were compulsory. Since then I've used them for anything noisy, even using a lawnmower ! I work as a first aider at concerts here and wouldn't be without them but have only just realised how important they are for playing in our group : the bombard is unbearable so I've just bought a pair of proper musician's earplugs and will be testing them with the bombard player tomorrow. I tried the usual boules quiès at our last practice but couldn't hear myself play

[Mangetout]

I'm yet to get to the point where I feel I'm winning. 5,000 sqm, lots of trees, bushes and flowers borders plus the external ditches, veg plot etc. Cutting the grass takes about 4 hours, strimming the ditches 2 hours and another hour strimming in the garden. I'm starting on the hedges today by hand as it's a holiday so no power tools. My plot is square, 2 sides are lleylandi about 3 metres tall but just as wide as it's old. 1 side is laurel and the other side is wild hedge. I've decided to go at it metre by metre. It's not so much the cutting, although that is hard enough, but picking up and tidying. But it's wonderful to stand back and see what you've achieved. I'm nearly 70 with enough health problems to keep the average doctor happy for hours, but I won't give up without a fight

[Polly]

I'm yet to get to the point where I feel I'm winning. 5,000 sqm, lots of trees, bushes and flowers borders plus the external ditches, veg plot etc. Cutting the grass takes about 4 hours, strimming the ditches 2 hours and another hour strimming in the garden. I'm starting on the hedges today by hand as it's a holiday so no power tools. My plot is square, 2 sides are lleylandi about 3 metres tall but just as wide as it's old. 1 side is laurel and the other side is wild hedge. I've decided to go at it metre by metre. It's not so much the cutting, although that is hard enough, but picking up and tidying. But it's wonderful to stand back and see what you've achieved. I'm nearly 70 with enough health problems to keep the average doctor happy for hours, but I won't give up without a fight

Power to your elbows, Mangetout, you’re doing splendidly. Don’t forget to take breaks - it’s hard on the joints and back.

[Mangetout]

Thanks Polly. I stop every half hour or so. Just 5 mins, stretch and maybe sit down. I know I can do it if I take it bit by bit.

[suein56]

My plot is square, 2 sides are lleylandi about 3 metres tall but just as wide as it's old. 1 side is laurel and the other side is wild hedge. I've decided to go at it metre by metre

But just think if you employed a gardening person on chèque-emploi then you could possibly work together.
It's good to have someone to share hard work with sometimes.

[Mangetout]

I agree, help would be great. But I've tried to find someone at a reasonable price but no luck. If I was willing to pay 4k or more I could get someone to cut the hedges, but I'm not able to afford that. I've asked in the village, the Mairie, amongst my friends. No one wants hard work. Yes, lots of people are willing to cut my grass, sitting on a mower is easy, but hedge cutting, weeding, cutting back bushes and overgrowth, no.

[L Austin France]

I'm yet to get to the point where I feel I'm winning. 5,000 sqm, lots of trees, bushes and flowers borders plus the external ditches, veg plot etc. Cutting the grass takes about 4 hours, strimming the ditches 2 hours and another hour strimming in the garden. I'm starting on the hedges today by hand as it's a holiday so no power tools. My plot is square, 2 sides are lleylandi about 3 metres tall but just as wide as it's old. 1 side is laurel and the other side is wild hedge. I've decided to go at it metre by metre. It's not so much the cutting, although that is hard enough, but picking up and tidying. But it's wonderful to stand back and see what you've achieved. I'm nearly 70 with enough health problems to keep the average doctor happy for hours, but I won't give up without a fight

If you've a problem with large hedges ask around to see if anyone has a Lamier.
It's a gizzmo on the back of a tractor with 3-4 circular saw blades which makes short work of hedges.
Our hedge gets the treatment every two years when it takes about a couple of hours to get it looking smart again.

[suein56]

https://www.cesu.urssaf.fr/info/accueil ... mes.html#/
There is an annuaire that Cesu have so you put in what/who you need and your dept and Cesu try and match you with someone as close as possible.
You will need to set-up a Cesu a/c at some point.