Today we’re making a dead hedge using wood from pruned fruit trees and a downed elder.
Dead wood habitats are extremely important for a whole host of species. We never burn wood or brash or take it off site; it gets turned into dead hedges or log piles.
This probably deserves a longer thread, but a few days ago we spooked two red-legged partridge, which then flew into the new panes of our glasshouse. It was a quick death.
We took the opportunity to harvest the meat for dinner, showing our kids the process. They were fascinated.
Oops! Willows such a staple here I forgot to even mention it! To be fair we never start cuttings in trays we just shove them straight in the ground. We’ve done 250 this winter, most close spaced for basketry but also some to pollard for fencing material
Elder cuttings in our tree nursery seem to be establishing well.
If we’re in luck we’ll have 40 of these to plant into our boundary and hedgerows later in the year.
These are the only trees we’ve attempted from cuttings; other species we’ve sown from seed.
You won’t regret those loppers, makes short work of things if you’re doing large volumes. Just watch your fingers, these things are merciless!
Great! You’ll never regret having home grown willow!
The vertical are actually hazel. Pointed and driven in about 300mm. You could use thicker willow rods but you’d want to season first so it doesn’t root.
If protected against browsers coppice works well, otherwise pollard. Our plan is 1.8m high
A woven fence from start to finish in a day.
Not too shabby!
Started weaving our first section of woven willow hedge.
It’s been a few years since we last did it, but we seem to be remembering ok so far!
We were very kindly gifted some staging and seedling trays from a local farm who have been clearing out an old glasshouse.
In a blink we’ve trebled the amount of propagation space.
Roll on the sowing season!
Sounds like a good mix. This year we’ve trimmed it down. Old faithfuls Biqhuinho, jalapeno, padron, lemon drop and trialing a new rocoto variety
I was informed so but haven’t tasted them. Beautiful big clusters of them on the vine.
The almond tree in our garden is putting on quite the show!
Lots of signs of spring here; blossom, bumbles, bulbs and brimstones!
A shout out for Apios americana, or hopniss.
It’s a climbing vine that produces edible tubers. Starchier than a potato and with a higher dry mass, they fry up really well.
The yield isn’t as high as potato but they’re perfect for scrambling up a high boundary fence.
We’ve started constructing a new woven fence. We’ll be using willow rods from our coppice to weave between hazel uprights.
It’s been a while; pinning our hopes on remembering how we do this as we go!
Chilli, pepper and aubergine seedlings getting pampered under the grow lights.
Next up we’ll be sowing the tomatoes.
Trip down to Sussex today to collect timber harvested from woodland coppice.
Chestnut posts, hazel stakes and Douglas fir boards.
Thanks!
Before and after the digger. Feels bare but a necessary job to remove large volumes of accumulated farm junk
On this section of yard we removed two skips of waste (mostly glass, metal, treated wood and plastic)
This area will be planted up with fruit and nut trees & wildflowers
There’s old down pipes coming off the eaves. Some we’ll direct into tanks, but we’re hoping there’s some sort of water store under ground so we’re going to follow some pipes and see what we find
I’ve worked out they’re too nice, they keep getting nicked!
Yep established in early autumn. A mix of annuals rye and hairy vetch. Well strim to ground level and add mulch in a few weeks
We’ve been finalising planting plans for our new glasshouse beds.
This season we’ll be growing tomato, aubergine, pepper, chilli, tomatillo, cucumber and melon with an understory of herbs and flowers.
This is the first time a crop has been grown in this space for over 20 years!
We’ve planted 30 willows on an area of field that stands wet.
Our aim is to pollard these in a couple of years time by cutting the main stem to shoulder height. This will keep any new growth out of reach of grazing deer.
We plan to use the pollarded rods for woven willow fences
Think we’re 9a here. Not sure, but min temps are about -7C and last frosts mid April
Is it that time again already?!
Our first sowing of the year; chilli, pepper, aubergine.
Plenty more to come over the coming months.
Oyster mushrooms ready for harvest!
First day done of a big week.
We have a digger and dumper in and we’re grading and clearing 50 years of accumulated farm junk from our main work areas.
Great start so far!
Spent the morning planting up trees
These 250 saplings will form a hedgerow to surround a new traditional apple and pear orchard.
Thanks to everyone who came to lend a hand!
So this is very pertinent, and one of those difficult compromises. We’ve trialled in field planting without protection and with brash piles. Every single one has been munched. Roe, muntjac, hare, rabbit, vole.
To make it work we’ve not really had an alternative.
After a few days of making dead hedges we are shifting our focus to some living ones.
We’ve staked out a 50 metre mixed native hedgerow in one of our pastures to provide a more diverse habitat mosaic.
We’ll be planting this up on Saturday with a work party.
