September 2015

A productive final weekend to September...

A fine sunny day at the Autumn Malvern Show and some good conversations with fruit growers, interest groups and equipment suppliers, as well as some fine produce on display.

Onwards to Marlborough for an overnight stop and relaxed start to Monday, then cross-country past Stonehenge and to Dulford Nursery to pick up replacements for the parent variety apples that got stolen at my field (Malus sieversii and Malus baccata).
A couple of relaxed stop-offs on the journey northwards and home.

College at Reaseheath has started for year 2 of the conservation and countryside course I'm doing.
A contact from college put BBC Radio 4 on to me for a couple of minutes on Farming Today, promptly followed by a quick TV feature on BBC Northwest Tonight.

Out and about, I had the chance of a guided tour around The Old Medicine House, hosted by The Blackden Trust at the home of author Alan Garner.
A fascinating insight into his and Griselda Grimes work on things landscape and history related since the 1960s.
The tasteful translocation of an old timber frame house and a further insight into reading historical clues in landscapes and the characters associated with them.

My orchard has had a profoundly productive year (I should have been more aggressive with pruning, as smaller trees and branches have a bit of weight damage).
Tydeman's Early Worcester has been my favourite apple so far, although plenty more varieties on their way for cooking, juice and cider...

August 2015

Another 2 occurances of fly-tipping, one reported whilst 'in progress' by a neighbour, building waste dumped across the adjoining field gate.

I did a talk for Shocklach Gardening Club for their July meeting. "Starting a traditional orchard from scratch"
It seemed to go down quite well - slide presentation with a few supporting props and a bit of local history thrown in too.

Things seem to be growing pretty well - a reasonable amount of fruit on still relatively young trees.
Annoyingly I've had a couple of wheelbarrows stolen (despite being secured with a lock and chain) and a few bags of compost and some young trees in pots that I had put ready to plant.
I don't tend to leave anything around, so an opportunistic theft by someone with a van and bolt-cutters, overnight on Friday 31st of July...

More positively, the castle across the river has had a make-over with improved public access, including steps onto its upper level and better information boards after a community focussed archaeological eexercise.

I also had a brief spell in North Devon looking at a woodland project and a nosey at some established traditional orchards.

Next task is trying to brew some meadowsweet ale before the flowers are past it...

May 2015

A blustery start to the day and woken up by the rain.

A couple of hours in the orchard checking the younger fruit trees aren't flappkng about too much.
Most of the blossom is still on fortunately.

Mixing in some course sand and topsoil, ready for the next couple of tonnes of old stable manure to dress around each of the fruit trees.

The sun is out and weather quite pleasant, at least the trees and plants would have welcomed the rain in the night...

April 2015 - Gardening Against The Odds

After a mild but damp ground winter, a couple of weeks of sunshine seems to have brought a quick start to spring...

The pear trees were first to blossom in the orchard.

The grass has suddenly started its spring growth and mowing around the rows of trees has begun.
This is to minimise competition around the trees and to make access easier.
It still leaves over an acre of low management meadow grass, but in slightly regimented 4 to 5 metre square blocks.

Wildflowers are already noticeable, particularly Lady's Smock / Cuckoo Flower in the long grass and wood anemones and dog violets in the hedgerows.

Last week, my orchard project made it to The Conservation Foundation' Gardening Against The Odds awards as a finalist.
A very positive scheme that promotes the outward looking benefits of gardens...

December 2014

The year draws to a close with the first flood of the winter.
An automated call from the Environment Agency last Saturday (for the River Dee, Llangollen to Eccleston), but I've just about managed to get by with just a large puddle developing in a low spot and the access track.

During the recent days of rain I've been busy now and then indoors with paperwork for some new project ideas - mainly concerning a large number of young trees, Forestry Commission / Natural Resources Wales detail, agri-environment registration details and legal aspects.
The new year could prove to be quite interesting...

A bit of a wait now until April, after a recent surprise mention of my orchard in The Sunday Telegraph and making the finals of 'Gardening Against The Odds' with a trip to The Grand Conservatory of Syon House pencilled in.

A rather positive end to an initially uncertain 2014, after health aspects reduced areas of activity on several fronts.

August 2014

An interesting and mildly challenging few months...

After little trouble for a while, an incident of fly-tipping along the access track / footpath.

Normally I'd use the local council reporting pro-forma which initiates some minor forensic i.d. attempts and appropriate disposal,

Most of this was food waste / kitchen contents and stinking on a very warm day, so it went on a green waste bonfire in my field. Last bag on the fire revealed some significant i.d. details, so they have been passed on appropriately...

 

 

The meadowsweet flowers were harvested and 10 gallons now brewing / fermenting to the recipe in Nick Weston's book 'The Tree House Diaries'

 

 

 This year as well as reasonable fruit on its way in the orchard, quite a few sweet chestnuts and hazelnuts, including filberts (a corruption of 'full beard' from the husk around the nut...

 

Because of some previous health aspects (mainly Crohns Disease secondary issues), I hadn't made any great targets for the field this year, apart from subtle incremental management and seeing how wildlife was doing.

Quite a noticeable number of owls in the evening and leaving the main grass area in its entirety for a few weeks longer, there is certainly evidence of small mammals and a few frogs and toads in the long grass.

Now the meadowseet is beyond the best of its flowers, the mower and tractor will be put to use in the next week or so (as well as a simple hay-turner / mounted rake).

The possibility of some interesting extended projects around the corner, but as they involve initially third parties, there are some aspects and a look-ahead to define and sort, before I get too involved...

July 2014

Some long spells of sunshine throughout June, causing a little concern for watering of the less established fruit trees in the orchard. Just enough rain for new growth to flourish quite prolifically (as well as the grass coming on well, but layering slightly in breezes and odd spells of dampness).

For the first time some (fortunately minor) rabbit damage around the graft line of a couple of trees.

The meadowsweet seems a little earlier this year, so brewing of the flowers will have to get going next week.

I managed a trip to the Malvern Spring Garden Show. I bought a Medlar from Mr Darcy's Heritage Fruit Trees, variety 'Royale'
Another recently acquired tree was Malus sieversii - a historically interesting variety considered a progenitor for the modern apple. A more adventurous blog by others here...

Curiously I've had a take down request regarding an inoffensive and neutral / positive blog reference to a local high quality greenhouse manufacturer who was exhibiting at RHS Hampton Court in 2012 and is at most of the major garden shows. Most people will know I am enthusiastic about supporting local business, particularly if there is a good level of quality and service, social responsibility in local employment and skills training and retention.
Unfortunately there was no reason given by http://www.integrityseoexperts.co.uk and I don't think they expected me to wander a mile up the road to the company referenced in the post to discuss the matter, who then contacted them within 30 minutes.
In terms of reputation management and how the internet works, their initial style of approach could be quite damaging if they provoke anybody who has made legitimate negative comments about a client.

 

Moth Mallow

 

Rabbit (or vole) damage

May Eve

As night falls before the 1st of May tomorrow, sounds of youth frollicking in the enclosure of the ruined castle across the river, on a relatively mild night.

Not sure a Maypole would be a useful addition to the meadow and orchard?
However, heavy rain and maybe frost is expected over the next couple of days and nights.

Spring has been relatively mild and the ground drying out a fair bit. Everything has really greened up over the last couple of weeks.
The field and trees are mainly looking after themselves, my own level of activity is still a little reduced due to ongoing Crohns Disease problems. The opportunity of a large green space to relax in as nature cycles through the seasons is a pleasant distraction.

Early evening view from the south west corner of the orchard:

 

Hedgerow dog violets 

 

Cuckoo flower / Ladies Smock (Cardamine praetensis) 

 

Black Mulberry breaking into leaf (late compared to other species) 

 

Medlar fruit forming 

 

Malus pumila niedzwetzkyana - historic natural parent of most pink / purple fleshed apples 

 

Tom Putt apple blossom in foreground 

 

Doyenne du Comice pear fruitlets  

 

A row of 13 pear trees 

2014 and a New Year

By the start of the year, the River Dee was in flood, peaking around 8.7 metres at the Holt / Farndon Bridge height gauge.
This is around the gate top for water level at the field,  but the trees seem to cope (an old established orchard at the same ground level near by, as well as mature ash, oak, lime, hawthorn, blackthorn and walnut give me no real longterm concerns).

The waters now back withon the river channel, the ground is walkable and the flotsam debris removed and burnt to ash from the gateway.
Unfortunately some fly-tipping on the lane at the top of the access track, but the council have a handy web page / app for reporting for investigation and removal.

A couple more hedging plants ordered for filling gaps and the final planning of the finished orchard layout to plod on with...

Winter 2013

Up until Xmas week the field had been reasonably dry until the rains and an expanding River Dee filling up from Wales...

Ongoing Crohns / health distractions have rendered most of 2013 a slow year.
I did manage to get nearly 30 litres of cider prepared from the orchard trees as well as a couple of litres of fresh apple juice refreshingly drunk soon after pressing.

A handy implement was acquired from a talented local blacksmith - a sturdy levelling ring for dressing over a couple of low spots in the grassland. Based on an old cartwheel iron tyre used for similar in one of Louden's old agricultural encyclopaedias.

Tree stock at home for transplanting has a minor backlog, but includes the interesting malus pumila niedzwetzkyana

Autumn 2013

August and September came and went reasonably but a low level of activity due to continued health interruptions (Crohn's Disease).

A good year for the apples and the time of year for a few events and activities out and about (such as the Apple & Quince Day at Norton Priory)...

My orchard and grassland had done rather well this year.
The young pear tree that still had fruit, lost it to badgers, but the majority of the apple trees and some quince varieties have been quite productive.
The cider varieties have produced enough fruit to make some potentially good single variety fermentations and some blends and juice.

One early success from the couple of acres of grass, was a meadowsweet ale brewed (to an elderflower champagne recipe). Early appraisals by others are commending it.

Farmers weekly had a publicity push for agricultural environmental waste exemptions - onerous but important paperwork for even small scale activities registered with the Environment Agency. For me these include composting, using vegetation shreddings, chippings or ash, burning hedge trimmings etc.

July 2013

A run of sunny weather not seen for a couple of years.
Not been up to much at the field recently whilst Crohns Disease continues to be a distraction to general levels of fitness.
Meanwhile, the trees and grass have been doing ok mainly by themselves...

One of the quince trees is reasonably abundant as well as one of the pear trees and the medlar.
A noticeable amount of apple trees are bearing fruit and a couple of mulberry trees have signs of fruit forming.

The grass has a few more wild flowers noticeable this year and the meadowsweet particularly has proliferated as intended (with s few gallons of meadowsweet flower ale now brewing).

As the hot spell commenced, I managed to get a couple of watering sessions done from a tanker behind the Landrover.  I use a dilution of Maxicrop to feed the fruit trees (as well as a kindly donation of a couple of tonnes of horse muck for around the tree bases).

Some interesting conversations with locals and passers-by. One farmer neighbour has got a hay crop in after losing last year to summer floods, although another neighbour has maize struggling this year.

The local history society and archaeologists have been busy across the river at the castle, as well as geophysics and trial digs on the English side. Quite a bit of local community engagement for them too. 

3 Years

I've had the field three years now (from June 2010).
I'm quite pleased that I found a local plot of land to plant the collection of  fruit trees as a traditional orchard.
Enough time has passed to get a feel for the cycle of nature, minor mistakes erased and the introduced trees established without compromising the grassland and wildlife.

May 2013

Another month quickly passing...
The RHS Malvern Garden Show gave an opportunity to acquire a few more  trees for the orchard. From Mr. D'Arcy's Heritage Fruit Trees (Lincolnshire):
Quince, Isfahan
Apple, Grenadine (American variety, red fleshed)
Plum, Blaisden Red
The event seemed a little quiet compared to a couple of years ago... (preferable to RHS Tatton and Hampton Court). Also picked up a couple of Blueberry bushes, herbs and some watering / irrigation sundries and hand-tools, as well as viewing some interesting and inspiring displays and stalls.
Onwards further south and some perry pears to select from Bernwode Fruit trees.
Sharp's academic
Hellens Early
Brandy
Sanguinole
Also a crab apple (Malus sylvestris), of old provenance grafted onto M111.

Back to the field, a kindly donation of a couple of tonnes of well-rotted horse muck (and loaded too), from just over the border.
Quite a bit of local chat, interest and engagement with a wide mix of locals and walkers.
The pear trees were first in blossom this year, although the quince were first in full leaf, but only just forming flower buds now. Most of the apples have formed leaves and flower buds and some in blossom.
The walnuts have only just come into leaf and the mulberries are only just now breaking bud.
The hedges (including the gaps filled over winter) are all pleasantly green.

April

Another month quickly coming to an end, seemingly faster as the light nights get lighter at their equinox peak.
Mixed weather with quite a bit of snow at the start of the month, I was expecting a river flood, but the extreme snow in North Wales thawed so slowly that it wasn't a concern. In fact the ground has taken on its spring dryness and now the fruit trees are finally coming to life a couple of weeks later than last year, some additional watering may be necessary (hopefully Dalefoot Composts sheepwool & bracken mix will keep things going.

A few anti-social things going on in the village - some feral teenagers causing damage getting mentioned in the Parish Council minutes and on the Cheshire Police Western Rural web-page.
A couple of neighbours mentioned some odd goings on. One morning I noticed a quantity of loose hay & straw across the access track - turns out someone was trying to mask fly-tipping of other debris out of the back of a horse-box trailer, but got spotted and despite attempts to obscure their registration plates an incident was able to be recorded.

A couple more pear trees added to the orchard, varieties Uvedale St. Germain and Maxstoke Nibbler from Bernwode Fruit Trees - a slower than normal task due to a hiatus hernia making digging problematic.

The grass and herbage is starting to go well after a wet previous twelve months, quite a bit of meadowsweet through too, so hopefully some interesting brewing options from it this year.

March

Quite a quiet month for me due to the weather and a few other things.
Lots of stuff coming out of winter stasis at the field though.
The hedges are in bud, as are a few of the orchard trees (pears mainly, so I suspect further frosts will wipe out this years fruit potential).
In the base of the hedges, quite a bit of green undergrowth, including a reasonable amount of wood anemones.

In the grass, quite a bit of meadowsweet starting, as well as buttercups and celandines.
An early light harrowing during a rare dry spell lifted a bit of thatch from last years disjointed mowing due to 2012 being so wet.

Lots of robins in the hedgerow, buzzards occasionally above as well as another kestrel type bird of prey (possibly larger).
A cormorant is along the river by the castle quite often. Also woodpeckers and kingfishers in the ditch along the trackway.
One of the barn owls is noticeable early evenings.

A few visitors dropping by: locals, landowners, local history society and the Environment Agency (pleasant chatting all around) - a few unwelcome ones included 5 persons arrested by Cheshire Police for theft, after suspicious vehicle activity in the lane above. Also a few feral teenagers nearby causing a bit of nuisance and vandalism.

A sunny morning and hopefully a proper start to spring now the snow is melting...

February: A quieter than anticipated few weeks

Another seasonal minor inundation from the nearby River Dee across the meadow / orchard at the weekend.
Although the level wasn't too extreme
Unfortunately a dead brown badger on the main road near by.
Lots of water-fowl on the surrounding flood-plain fields.

Managed a brief stroll around to check for debris and damage and to check the mature trees. This week has seen a few days with sunshine and no rain, but I've been unable to take advantage, being laid up with a particularly aggressive turn in the Crohn's Disease I got diagnosed a few years back (hence my enthusiasm for decent, natural local food and produce).

Only really managed a bit of seed and cutting preparation at home with respect to plans for 2013.
In between planned and unplanned visits to hospital and writhing around in agony, I've been browsing through Twitter at what other like minded folk are up to around now and what their ground conditions are like (surely things will dry up a bit one day)?

Quite looking forward to getting a few native seeds in the patched up bits of hedge, including some extra hops (a few growing wild). It'll be interesting to see how well the meadowsweet has proliferated after deliberately leaving the flowers to seed (I'm suspicious I might have missed opportunity with moist ground conditions to run a cambridge roll over to see if that helps germination of extra patches).

Considering I spend 2 weeks of time away with my proper job, I'd underestimated how much of an outdoorsy type I am when stuck inside with no choice...

January

January came and went, partly uneventful at the field due to more winter flooding from the River Dee.
A few things pottered about with at home:
Owl boxes, plants for transplanting into the field when ground conditions are better and greenhouse preparations. A few more heritage variety apple pips germinated in a propagator, giving the slight chance of a credible hybrid variety or more likely some mildly interesting crab apples.
A few more interesting books acquired and read, or partly read with respect to the vast tome of J.C. Louden's Encyclopaedia of plants from the mid 1800s.

Hopefully the weather for February and the months ahead will be more conducive to horticultural activities, grassland management, tree-planting and wildflower and wildlife proliferation...

looking ahead

The ground at the field is still a bit too wet for much at the moment, but I'm pleased that the seasonal floods have gone for now and that the hedging plants that went in last month haven't been washed away.

On Wednesday evening I went to the Nantwich Walled Garden AGM.
A project that has been running a few years now to highlight awareness of forgotten, but historically significant remains of a walled garden under threat from development.

This Saturday I'm off to another walled garden for an orchard wassail near Bristol at The Ethicurean.

Back at home, I await the arrival of a few orders:
Owl & wildlife boxes
5 European olive plants
3 Cornish tea plants

The time of year to be getting on with a few maintenance and servicing jobs of tools and equipment back at home and to go over the stock of stuff for transplanting down to the field...

2013...

The River Dee at Farndon briefly went out of flood warning conditions over Xmas with the monitoring station near the old Holt / Farndon bridge.
Back at 'warning' status and probably over a 1 metre of water on the field...

I'm away with other work (my full-time job), but doubt the land will be dry for much soon.
The last couple of days nearer home ended up with a quick evening pint in The Bull at Shocklach and some interesting talk about historic landscape features near by.

Meanwhile I have bought a print of the old bridge at Farndon - not as topographically inaccurate as the comment suggests.
I'm wondering if the young tree by the people is actually the now old hollow oak at the end of the board-walk / bottom of Meadow Lane?
I think the artist may have sat on the sandstone outcrop in the field to the south-west of Appleby's Brook.

From http://www.theowlbox.co.uk/ I've ordered owl and dormouse boxes.

Time to review the to-do list and plant list for the year ahead...