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Conservation on the Farm |
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More on Ponds on the farm (updated) More on Plants and Trees on the farm More on hedges and hedgelaying on the farm Since we have moved to Beer Mill Farm
we have become increasingly interested in Beer Mill
Farm is a holding of 25 acres situated on the edge of the
Somerset Levels. Roughly triangular in shape it is
bounded on one side by the long disused Taunton to Chard
canal and the small river Fivehead on another side. The
third side consists of an ancient boundary hedge nearly a
three quarters of a mile long, The farm is registered as a Private Nature Reserve (PNR) with the Somerset Wildlife Trust. The land is divided into four main fields and an entrance track about 500 yards long with very wide grass margins. About 8 acres adjoins the river and floods for a few hours several times each winter. Surprisingly this is our driest land since the soil is an unusual combination of clay over alluviel gravel which drains almost instantly. The other fields are wetter but are very rarely waterlogged. The climate is ideal for grass growth at roughly thirty inches of rain per year and although frosts are not uncommon, snow is extremely rare. Altitude is about five feet above sea level to a maximum of twenty five feet.
Right: The hayfield in early May When we arrived half the fields were completely overgrown with weeds including vast nettle patches, areas of teazles, brambles and burdock. The rest had been used to graze dairy cattle and were rather bare. At first we concentrated on getting the pasture back into order for the flock of Portland sheep we had brought with us, but over the last couple of years we have become increasingly interested in managing the land to be as wildlife friendly as possible.
Plans for the future Our aim is to encourage the Flora and Fauna as much as possible by increasing different types of habitat. To that end we are restoring the hedgerows by laying them in a rolling programme and varying the frequency of cutting of the unlaid sections. Clearing ponds and excavating new ones, planting trees and wild flowers and establishing hay meadows. Fertiliser has not been used on the farm since we took it over and this has encouraged the spread of wild plants and flowers. Over the next few weeks and months this page will chart the efforts we have made so far and our plans for the future. |
conserving and encouraging
wildlife. This page will chart our efforts in this
direction.
which
divides the Parish of Beercrocombe from the Parish of
Curry Mallet.
Left: hay field in late
June