Catkins in abundance

Well the catkins are out on the hazel trees - promising that spring is just around the corner. Click here to find out more about catkins.

Cover crops - photos

Each plot has a different mix of seeds to promote either birds, bees or small mammals.

All the seeds have now been eaten by the birds

This is how the cover crops currently look - at face value their benefit to wildlife might look limited but just wait a few short weeks .... The birds are still getting valuable food from them too

Look closely and there is lots of new growth!

Food webs

Do you want to know more about food webs? Sometimes people talk about food chains, and food pyramids too. Well check out this fantastic website by Woodlands Junior School in Kent. The site uses really great ways to communicate about what farmers all over the country are trying to support as well as growing nutritious and safe food.

Cover crops in March

We had a meeting this week to discuss the Natural England cover crop plots and the exciting plans for this year.

It is still quite amazing how many birds are feeding on the cover crops. The problem is the delay on the camera, and my reactions are too slow to picture them as they fly away from the plots. The plants are starting to renew and grow and we have been planning this years farm visits so that we can show other farmers the benefits that we have seen especially in the winter plots.

Some of the plots are alive with insects especially spiders which will be a good food source for other birds and small mammals. This will help the food web on the farm as the small mammals provide a food source for the owls which we have seen hunting this winter.

March flowers - snowdrops

The snowdrops have been bravely herading spring for a few weeks now - they survived the February snows and look beautiful amidst the March frost - a real flower of hope. To read more about snowdrops click here.

February flowers

Spring flowers despite the snow - find out more about celandines here.

February snow

We were hit with a lot of snow in February which slowed us down a bit on the farm and meant that we had to burn lots of gas to keep the chickens warm! Still we managed to capture this beautiful sunrise!