Thinking some more about the grass down at the meadow, I'm a little surprised that there isn't greater species diversity across the plot.
I've a feeling from memory back in the mid 1980s, when the larger landscape had a raised by-pass put through - that the construction site-huts were on the plot that I am now custodian of and that it may have been re-seeded.
Inspired somewhat by an excellent book A year in the life of an English meadow - I'm tempted to apply a specialist meadow flower seed mix (initially in small trial areas) in what will remain as traditional meadow long term.
That would also require a structured seasonal mowing / grazing routine.
A website I found interesting was Meadowmania with specialist and selectable seed mixes.
An interesting suggestion has also been traditional natural dyestuff plants, interestingly a section of Louden's Encyclopædia of Agriculture from the 1800s that I browsed through had several paragraphs on this, but I'm reluctant to set down much of an area as a crop.
Friday, 30 July 2010
Monday, 26 July 2010
A quiet week
Back home in Cheshire after a long weekend at the Secret Garden Party festival in Cambridgeshire.
Dropped by the field late evening and relatively quiet - no sign of the bees, which I thought had moved into a hollow tree.
The south-west corner has some activity at a burrow - just one hole and possibly a bit big for a rabbit, but not sure what? The grass is greening up after mowing and harrowing, but a couple of clumps of dead cut grass to remove.
Looking over old maps with my brother, the track that used to be tree-lined and along the south boundary caused some interest - quite why is uncertain, but at the ash tree at the south east corner the remaining track would have split three ways...
Dropped by the field late evening and relatively quiet - no sign of the bees, which I thought had moved into a hollow tree.
The south-west corner has some activity at a burrow - just one hole and possibly a bit big for a rabbit, but not sure what? The grass is greening up after mowing and harrowing, but a couple of clumps of dead cut grass to remove.
Looking over old maps with my brother, the track that used to be tree-lined and along the south boundary caused some interest - quite why is uncertain, but at the ash tree at the south east corner the remaining track would have split three ways...
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
a harrowing experience...
The weekend's mowed grass was given a going over with a frame-mounted harrow to lift the places where the weather had layered it.
Probably another cut to do in a couple of weeks time on a lower setting, once a bit of fresh green growth comes through.
It looks like the bee colony has moved on, in fact a bit quiet for wildlife all-round late into the evening.
Probably another cut to do in a couple of weeks time on a lower setting, once a bit of fresh green growth comes through.
It looks like the bee colony has moved on, in fact a bit quiet for wildlife all-round late into the evening.
Saturday, 17 July 2010
mowing
A mower purchased and collected locally late on Wednesday, tractor sorted on Thursday afternoon, some preparations at home on Friday for transporting equipment with the trailer.
Saturday morning got rather wet with the rain here in Chester, putting a cloud over the plans for mowing - but it soon cleared into quite a sunny mid-day and afternoon.
Down to the field and mowing carried out, probably for the first time this year:
Along the south hedgerow I fortunately spotted a random bee colony hanging from a hawthorn branch - right in the line of the tractor exhaust (no cab)! and fortunately avoided.
Amongst the docks, thistles and buttercups taken down, the only significant other flower was meadowsweet - apparently good for the innards if infused.
A couple of random burrows along the south and west hedges, but one had a few bumble-bees buzzing around, so guess they were the only inhabitants.
Between one run along the length of the field and back, 2 mole-hills appeared in the time taken to return.
Up above a Merlin or small buzzard was circling around.
A couple of walkers along the track-way near-by, one couple lost and needing directions back to the picnic area by the mediaeval bridge at Farndon.
Saturday morning got rather wet with the rain here in Chester, putting a cloud over the plans for mowing - but it soon cleared into quite a sunny mid-day and afternoon.
Down to the field and mowing carried out, probably for the first time this year:
Along the south hedgerow I fortunately spotted a random bee colony hanging from a hawthorn branch - right in the line of the tractor exhaust (no cab)! and fortunately avoided.
Amongst the docks, thistles and buttercups taken down, the only significant other flower was meadowsweet - apparently good for the innards if infused.
A couple of random burrows along the south and west hedges, but one had a few bumble-bees buzzing around, so guess they were the only inhabitants.
Between one run along the length of the field and back, 2 mole-hills appeared in the time taken to return.
Up above a Merlin or small buzzard was circling around.
A couple of walkers along the track-way near-by, one couple lost and needing directions back to the picnic area by the mediaeval bridge at Farndon.
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Tithe Map
Just after purchasing the field about a month ago, I started looking up local history and found the Local Council website had an interactive archive map.
It presents two windows for comparing maps of different ages / aerial photos and information and is scaleable for direct comparison.
From a Tithe Map plot 285, my originally larger field was owned by a Mr. Rowe, a modern map shows how a by-pass has left it annexed from the river as an almost triangular plot.
What I hadn't noticed until I started to compare the amount of veteran trees in the hedges, was a lane parallel to the south boundary 'mature' hedgerow.
This lane has long gone (an outline in the ground can just about be seen on the b&w 1970s aerial photo). It explains why there is a random large oak tree outside the hedge line in the neighbour's field to the south west corner.
From just over two weeks ago, I think there might have been an otter visiting - some of the long grass had a track too narrow for someone to have walked through, the ground has been too hard for paw-prints for confirmation, but a splatter like a small cow-pat would suggest an otter with it difficult to think what else.
It presents two windows for comparing maps of different ages / aerial photos and information and is scaleable for direct comparison.
From a Tithe Map plot 285, my originally larger field was owned by a Mr. Rowe, a modern map shows how a by-pass has left it annexed from the river as an almost triangular plot.
What I hadn't noticed until I started to compare the amount of veteran trees in the hedges, was a lane parallel to the south boundary 'mature' hedgerow.
This lane has long gone (an outline in the ground can just about be seen on the b&w 1970s aerial photo). It explains why there is a random large oak tree outside the hedge line in the neighbour's field to the south west corner.
From just over two weeks ago, I think there might have been an otter visiting - some of the long grass had a track too narrow for someone to have walked through, the ground has been too hard for paw-prints for confirmation, but a splatter like a small cow-pat would suggest an otter with it difficult to think what else.
Sunday, 11 July 2010
more paperwork
A sensible short phone conversation Friday morning with The Rural Payments Agency - not that I'm going to be bestowed by coffers of funding from the Common Agricultural Policy (the plot size mostly precludes this), but I was pointed in the direction of downloadable form CReg 01 to ensure the land remains on the Rural Land Register (over and above Land registry now it has it's own Title Number after being divested from a larger farming enterprise.
Registration is also necessary if I explore opportunities for planting under the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme.
A couple of 'paper exercises' for planting schemes and some notes scribbled for odd jobs over the next couple of months and deliberating over a small topper or finishing mower for behind a compact tractor.
Main focus so far for 2010/2011 with the land is to:
Make the boundaries stock-proof
Mow and maintain +50% of the area as traditional meadow with an alternating mowing / grazing strategy over future years
Recover the hedgerows by layering and maintain species diversity
Plant a few specimen black poplars in the meadow area
Finalise a planting plan for the shadier narrow side with native local provenance trees
Plan and partially plant an informal 'traditional' orchard, including a nursery stock of experimental hybrids and a few specimen mulberry trees.
Liaise with interested parties for Biodiversity Action Plan targets.
Registration is also necessary if I explore opportunities for planting under the Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme.
A couple of 'paper exercises' for planting schemes and some notes scribbled for odd jobs over the next couple of months and deliberating over a small topper or finishing mower for behind a compact tractor.
Main focus so far for 2010/2011 with the land is to:
Make the boundaries stock-proof
Mow and maintain +50% of the area as traditional meadow with an alternating mowing / grazing strategy over future years
Recover the hedgerows by layering and maintain species diversity
Plant a few specimen black poplars in the meadow area
Finalise a planting plan for the shadier narrow side with native local provenance trees
Plan and partially plant an informal 'traditional' orchard, including a nursery stock of experimental hybrids and a few specimen mulberry trees.
Liaise with interested parties for Biodiversity Action Plan targets.
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Meadow grazing ideas
Although a lot of my interests revolve about trees and woodlands, not wishing to overlook the habitat conservation value of lowland meadow - I stumbled across a handy website matching land with grazing opportunities from a conservation aspect: Grazing Animals Project
In the more immediate future, I've organised a Kubota B8200 compact tractor for running a topper over the grass and for general groundwork.
In the more immediate future, I've organised a Kubota B8200 compact tractor for running a topper over the grass and for general groundwork.
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
Paper chase
Quite a bit of exploration through Natural England and other websites and a couple of emails to see if the land qualifies for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).
This would help with guidelines and sensitive management framework (and potential subsidy) particularly with the land use and hedge-row restoration for wildlife and biodiversity.
Apparently it won't qualify.
A couple of useful pointers here in Cheshire with non-statutory projects, 'Habitats and Hillforts' looks interesting.
Meanwhile I'll pencil in some time over winter for hedgelaying the south boundary and restoration rejuvination of the short east boundary against the Public Footpath / Marches Way.
This would help with guidelines and sensitive management framework (and potential subsidy) particularly with the land use and hedge-row restoration for wildlife and biodiversity.
Apparently it won't qualify.
A couple of useful pointers here in Cheshire with non-statutory projects, 'Habitats and Hillforts' looks interesting.
Meanwhile I'll pencil in some time over winter for hedgelaying the south boundary and restoration rejuvination of the short east boundary against the Public Footpath / Marches Way.
Friday, 2 July 2010
To-do list, paperwork and barn owls
A message left with a local barn owl group to see if the ash trees in the south hedgerow would be suitable for an owl-box.
An email to the Local Authority regarding the overgrown willows in the drainage channel along the road to the north and to try to find a way forward.
An email to the Woodland Trust with an outline for guidance regarding establishing a small wooded area appropriate to the rest of the land (before approaching the Forestry Commission, hopefully with grant assistance for planting.
An email to the Rural Payments Agency regarding registration now that Land Registry have issued a unique Title Number for the land.
A list of things to do, particularly stock-proof fencing repairs, the overgrown willows on the north boundary to trim back (and uses for the wood larger than shredding diameter) and the hedge that needs layering over winter and renovating on the south boundary. A replacement gate and posts to go in for access on the east side.
A potential planting plan for a small woodland on the narrowest side and planting preparations and protection from grazing for specimen black poplars to go in what remains as open meadow area, together with ideas for an informal orchard if seasonal flooding isn't too much of a compromise...
An email to the Local Authority regarding the overgrown willows in the drainage channel along the road to the north and to try to find a way forward.
An email to the Woodland Trust with an outline for guidance regarding establishing a small wooded area appropriate to the rest of the land (before approaching the Forestry Commission, hopefully with grant assistance for planting.
An email to the Rural Payments Agency regarding registration now that Land Registry have issued a unique Title Number for the land.
A list of things to do, particularly stock-proof fencing repairs, the overgrown willows on the north boundary to trim back (and uses for the wood larger than shredding diameter) and the hedge that needs layering over winter and renovating on the south boundary. A replacement gate and posts to go in for access on the east side.
A potential planting plan for a small woodland on the narrowest side and planting preparations and protection from grazing for specimen black poplars to go in what remains as open meadow area, together with ideas for an informal orchard if seasonal flooding isn't too much of a compromise...
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Environment Agency & flood warnings
The meadow sits within the River Dee flood plain a few miles south of Chester. The Environment Agency give automated flood warnings if you sign up, although the online form expects a house or business postal address.
I've sent them an email with the Ordnance Survey grid reference and the nearest postcode at the same land level along the river.
Also in the email, I queried the general condition of the drainage ditch along the A543 and it's channel being overgrown with willow trees.
I'm not sure whose responsibility this would be (it's just outside my boundary), but it was constructed as part of the Holt-Farndon bypass which effectively split the originally larger meadow in two with a raised section to cross the River...
I've sent them an email with the Ordnance Survey grid reference and the nearest postcode at the same land level along the river.
Also in the email, I queried the general condition of the drainage ditch along the A543 and it's channel being overgrown with willow trees.
I'm not sure whose responsibility this would be (it's just outside my boundary), but it was constructed as part of the Holt-Farndon bypass which effectively split the originally larger meadow in two with a raised section to cross the River...
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