SEVENTEEN young farmers left a tidy and well finished length of stockproof hedge after completing the annual Hedgelaying Competition organised by the Worcestershire Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.

It felt like the coldest day of the winter as a northerly blast swept across the winter wheat field at Finch End Farm, Finstall, near Bromsgrove, where farmer Phil Harper was hosting the event for the third year running.

The competitors were kept warm enough by their exertions, but the rest of us were glad of plenty of layers to keep out the wind.

George Bevan of Whitbourne was judging as usual, this time with Roly Morris of Tibberton as co-judge.

Both of them still enjoy laying a hedge, a task which has probably given them more satisfaction than any other job on the farm.

The art of hedgelaying has been practised for centuries and for good reasons. It maintains a secure, living barrier while encouraging wildlife.

Unfortunately, this skill is in decline as hand labour on farms has been replaced by mechanisation. Powered hedgecutters trim the top, but leave a build-up of debris at the base of the hedge, discouraging growth from below and leading to unsightly gaps through which livestock could escape.

One sees many a hedge which has been progressively reduced in width by the annual treatment with the flail cutter to the point where it is scarcely an effective fence.

A great many hedges have been removed in the last 50 years as extensive arable cropping demanded very much larger fields.

But now the pendulum is swinging the other way and we are seeing many more new hedges being planted than old ones ripped out. Government grants for new plantings are available as part of the emphasis on wildlife conservation and enhancing the countryside and landscape.

This is good news for hedgelayers. Their services will be in demand if newly plantings are to be properly managed in their formative years.

To make a hedge that will last 50 years, it is best be allow it to grow up for perhaps eight to 10 years to a height of eight feet or more. It will then be at an ideal stage for laying, while the stems are still reasonably slender.

Of course there is a much bigger challenge to the hedgelayer's art when confronted with an overgrown, neglected hedge, with hawthorn stems the size of tree trunks.

The chainsaw is an invaluable modern aid in a massive sorting out to see the "wood for the trees" and the skilled operator will find a way to rejuvenate a neglected hedge, allowing it to start growth again from the base with renewed vigour.

George Bevan's enthusiasm to help beginners learn the basic skills is so keen that he has produced his own instructional video, Traditional English Hedgelaying: A Practical Guide to An Ancient Craft.

He was able to do so thanks to the professional expertise of two of his neighbours, the late Derek and Mrs Cynthia Waterman. Sadly Derek fell ill and died after completing the first part of the video.

It gives a brilliant introduction, featuring the farmland landscape of the Hereford-Worcestershire border. Cynthia has completed the 40-minute video in which George tackles a very large hedge, patiently explaining each stage of his task and the reason he tackles it the way he does.

"There is always a right way and a wrong way of doing the job," he says.

"I have seen so many beginners making hard work for themselves and spoiling their work that I was keen to make this video to put them on the right lines. It is something they can always refer back to."

I was glad to have a preview and especially liked George's natural manner and conversational way of speaking. The first public showing was in the Live and Let Live at Whitbourne and attracted a lot of interest.

"We sold several there, and a lot more since," said George.

It is not only farmers who can benefit from a well-laid hedge. Such a feature can enhance your garden while providing a self-renewing living boundary well able to outlast a fence of wood that will rot away. I can vouch for the immense satisfaction of having planted a quickthorn hedge and successfully laid it after a few years, after which it has only needed trimming.

The YFC competition was keenly contested, especially among the strong Junior section, accounting for no less than 14 of the 17 total entries. The Junior Champion was John Baines of Cutnall Green Club, with 2nd Chris Morgan of Bromsgrove and Andy Williams of Crowle 3rd. Senior winner was Mike Shaw of Crowle Club, 2nd Adam Lynch of Wythall and 3rd Matthew Morgan of Bromsgrove Club. Overall Champion was Mike Shaw.

n The video, priced at £12.99, can be obtained by readers for the special price of £11 from Cynthia Waterman, Croft Video Productions (Tel: 01886 821599) or from George Bevan (Tel: 01886 821276).