A short while ago I had a chat with a respected local conservationist, he recommended that I looked into waste legislation and the Environment Agency website and exemptions, as arboricultural waste might be useful as compost, conditioning and mulch in my planting schemes...
Well worth looking into, but it won't be something I'll sort with form-filling in just an evening.
Receiving and using appropriate green waste shouldn't be a problem - and I only intend doing so on a small scale, but a transfer licence (£s) and appropriate paperwork will be required for shifting anything (like trailer fulls of dead leaves / tree clippings & shreddings).
May as well include "D3 - Deposit of waste from a portable sanitary convenience" (portaloo) if there is any camping down at the field.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Thursday, 16 December 2010
Until the New Year
Not much time at home or to spend at the meadow the last few weeks due to work and weather delays.
The lack of leaves has opened up the hedgerows a bit - a lot of the rosehips have signs of being nibbled by something - both on the stems and loose ones at ground level.
Quite a few residual maize cobs half chewed along the hedge line and in the middle of the grass - I suspect a fox or something reasonably large finding these and bringing them into the field to eat?
I've scattered a quantity of hazelnuts along the south hedge line - if any are left by the time I get home, the way in which they are gnawed into might indicate what small rodents are there (not sure if dormice completely hibernate, or have some winter activity)?
There are a couple of grey squirrels in the hollow parts of the ash trees (although one less in Bristol, as I acquired a prepared one and ate it in a casserole last week).
A heron has been particularly noticeable in the adjoining field and along the brook / trackway and a thrush and blackbird in the hedges.
Quite a few large fresh mole-hills and something else small has been burrowing a short distance out from the west hedge - too small for a rabbit - a hole nearly 2 inches diameter and soil scattered behind?
Seemingly a bit more wool strands on the fence wires - so I suspect neighbouring sheep are still straying, more fencing to do before the main push on tree planting...
Despite the cycle of thawing and freezing, the River Dee remains at almost drought low level - will be interesting what time towards spring it peaks again.
Someone has been in and partly cleared the main ditch though with a machine - I'll be spending a bit of January sorting the channel along the main road boundary as the Council / Highways haven't seemed interested for a decade or more.
In the post, there was a small selection of seeds to add to the grassland - they've gone in the fridge until the ground is more easily prepared for sowing.
A spell down south - a wander through the tree-lined waterways around Salisbury and it's meadow systems for a few 'compare & contrast' observations.
Still trying to determine if a few large poplars in one of the parks (Churchill Gardens) are specifically black poplars?
An afternoon at Thornhayes Nursery in North Devon for a handy fruit tree training and pruning course.
Also whilst down south, a cultivator head picked up for the Stihl multitool - will do for ground clearance around orchard trees and a few other preparations (Scats Countrystores had a 10% Xmas discount evening - although a bit strange talking plant and machinery to someone dressed as one of Santa's Elves...)
The lack of leaves has opened up the hedgerows a bit - a lot of the rosehips have signs of being nibbled by something - both on the stems and loose ones at ground level.
Quite a few residual maize cobs half chewed along the hedge line and in the middle of the grass - I suspect a fox or something reasonably large finding these and bringing them into the field to eat?
I've scattered a quantity of hazelnuts along the south hedge line - if any are left by the time I get home, the way in which they are gnawed into might indicate what small rodents are there (not sure if dormice completely hibernate, or have some winter activity)?
There are a couple of grey squirrels in the hollow parts of the ash trees (although one less in Bristol, as I acquired a prepared one and ate it in a casserole last week).
A heron has been particularly noticeable in the adjoining field and along the brook / trackway and a thrush and blackbird in the hedges.
Quite a few large fresh mole-hills and something else small has been burrowing a short distance out from the west hedge - too small for a rabbit - a hole nearly 2 inches diameter and soil scattered behind?
Seemingly a bit more wool strands on the fence wires - so I suspect neighbouring sheep are still straying, more fencing to do before the main push on tree planting...
Despite the cycle of thawing and freezing, the River Dee remains at almost drought low level - will be interesting what time towards spring it peaks again.
Someone has been in and partly cleared the main ditch though with a machine - I'll be spending a bit of January sorting the channel along the main road boundary as the Council / Highways haven't seemed interested for a decade or more.
In the post, there was a small selection of seeds to add to the grassland - they've gone in the fridge until the ground is more easily prepared for sowing.
A spell down south - a wander through the tree-lined waterways around Salisbury and it's meadow systems for a few 'compare & contrast' observations.
Still trying to determine if a few large poplars in one of the parks (Churchill Gardens) are specifically black poplars?
An afternoon at Thornhayes Nursery in North Devon for a handy fruit tree training and pruning course.
Also whilst down south, a cultivator head picked up for the Stihl multitool - will do for ground clearance around orchard trees and a few other preparations (Scats Countrystores had a 10% Xmas discount evening - although a bit strange talking plant and machinery to someone dressed as one of Santa's Elves...)
Monday, 6 December 2010
winter stasis
After an absence of two and a half weeks, a light lunch on the hoof whilst walking the perimeter of the meadow.
White with frost and a hint of un-thawed snow in the shadow of the hedges, I'd hoped that if it was still snow covered that there might be some wildlife tracks to identify.
Just a few yellow brown leaves on the trees along the north boundary, everything else has dropped away and most of the rose-hips have gone.
In the south-west corner where previously there were fox hairs caught on the fence, some chewed rose-hips on the ground, but not sure what has been eating them.
Not much wildlife apart from a couple of crows leaving the top of the the tallest ash tree. In the field behind the large oak is surrounded by a frosted carpet of golden brown oak leaves.
At the end of the green lane a couple of lesser-spotted chavvy youths with extra layers of Lacoste and accompanying small ugly dogs.
Back at home a few more packs of meadow seeds have arrived, now in the fridge for false wintering until the ground is soft enough for sowing them in.
I think it'll be a few days indoors catching up with plans and paperwork rather than anything great in the great outdoors.
I've just finished reading the excellent and inspiring The Tree House Diaries by Nick Weston. Quite light and upbeat in style, it details six months living and surviving in a woodland tree-house in Sussex. It's packed with fine recipes and sensible and practical observations.
White with frost and a hint of un-thawed snow in the shadow of the hedges, I'd hoped that if it was still snow covered that there might be some wildlife tracks to identify.
Just a few yellow brown leaves on the trees along the north boundary, everything else has dropped away and most of the rose-hips have gone.
In the south-west corner where previously there were fox hairs caught on the fence, some chewed rose-hips on the ground, but not sure what has been eating them.
Not much wildlife apart from a couple of crows leaving the top of the the tallest ash tree. In the field behind the large oak is surrounded by a frosted carpet of golden brown oak leaves.
At the end of the green lane a couple of lesser-spotted chavvy youths with extra layers of Lacoste and accompanying small ugly dogs.
Back at home a few more packs of meadow seeds have arrived, now in the fridge for false wintering until the ground is soft enough for sowing them in.
I think it'll be a few days indoors catching up with plans and paperwork rather than anything great in the great outdoors.
I've just finished reading the excellent and inspiring The Tree House Diaries by Nick Weston. Quite light and upbeat in style, it details six months living and surviving in a woodland tree-house in Sussex. It's packed with fine recipes and sensible and practical observations.
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