Spring

A busy few weeks at the field...
Most of the lorry-load of topsoil now used for levelling a couple of low spots

From Meadowcopse 2012

and for planting the last for now of the nut and fruit trees in a traditional orchard setting.

From Meadowcopse 2012

A fine full moon and reasonable weather meant an opportunity to work quite late a few nights:

From Meadowcopse 2012

Although I'm sure the conversation "I think there's someone in that field with a wheelbarrow and shovel..." for the random car that turned up one night down the track at 9pm might have caused the amorous occupants some concern.

Chestnuts, walnuts and a line of named variety and hedgerow hazels now form one edge of the orchard.

From Meadowcopse 2012

A couple of willing helpers moved things on with the planting and preparations:

From Meadowcopse 2012

The overhanging young willows along one boundary have been taken vertical.

From Meadowcopse 2012

This is to get to the blocked ditch and to fix the fencing (and also re-seeding with a native hedgerow wild-flower and grass mix beneath.

From Meadowcopse 2012

A few trees planted too.

From Meadowcopse 2012

The 'copse' part towards the corner of the gateway boundary finally started, mainly with ash, but with a few oaks and others randomised in the mix. (The intention is to coppice in future years).

The east side of the field has had a new section of hedging put in along the side of the gate-way. Hawthorn with a dog-rose and some hedgerow plants.

From Meadowcopse 2012

Quite a noticeable amount of growth with the grass and along the hedgerows - anemones noticeable in the south hedgerow.

From Meadowcopse 2012

The almond tree is in full blossom:

From Meadowcopse 2012

The quince are the first of the fruit trees into leaf, with various bud development on the other trees, particularly pear and hazel.

From Meadowcopse 2012

Quite a bit of wildlife getting lively, lots of birds - the owls calling in the evenings, a woodpecker near by and small mammals in the hedgerows.

Various visitors over the last couple of weeks - welcome and otherwise.
Some interesting chat with regular and random walkers, but a bizarre situation last Saturday afternoon:
Three people, quite smartly dressed with a black & white terrier (a man and woman about 30 and another male about mid-twenties), walking down the access track, then lurking under the by-pass underpass for about 15 minutes and looking across now and then at me planting trees in the field...
They walked on into the field north of the bypass (not a public path, but often used between the riverside path and the trackway footpath). Something seemed 'odd' - I went to the other underpass along the edge of my field and the 30 year-old was just about to spray graffiti on the concrete structure. He tried to hide the can in his jacket pocket, a polite challenge and they went to move on - although the younger male protested "It's a public walkway!" (as if that made it OK and I pointed out that actually it wasn't).

Meanwhile, I've taken the damaged metal gate from the bottom of the access track for re-welding and repair and to securely refit as soon as possible.

More positively, further pleasant chat with locals and neighbours and a new private alllotment opened up on the Welsh side of the river - also swapped details with a few folk to communicate on suspicious activities and anti-social behaviour.