Seasonal Diary
Dust & Snow
(April 10, 2013)Working the land under Burrough Hill shows an amazing contrast. Snow is still lying in exposed places on the hill fort ramparts, but the top of the clay soil has dried out over the last few days. We are re-drilling the field with spring oilseeed Rape called 'Tamarin'. The pigeons and the weather have claimed the seed drilled last autumn.
Whilst walking the field today, I discovered a nice sherd of roman greyware, two pheasants eggs lying in the soil and buds on the Acer Freemanii, planted last June in the parish boundary hedge.
We have a lot of Ash trees on the farm, including an ancient specimen in this hedgerow - some of the newer imported trees have succumbed to Ash Dieback disease, but we are very much hoping that our 'old girl' is immune.
We have been seeing some Jays flying around in the trees behind Moscow Farm Cottages. Good news and bad. They are said to 'plant' most of our oak trees but also attack the nests of other birds..............