Hello and a warm welcome, my name is Hen.
This blog follows my journey to finally fulfilling my lifetimes dream of building my own no-dig market garden and home in Devon.
It's full of all sorts, scroll right down the links and labels on the left hand side to see if there's anything that interests you.
I might take this blog back up.. a lot has changed!
It's been a while since I wrote on here. Looking back at my recent posts it seems I've started a few like this! Well, I hope to write more about what is going on in my life as I've realised that nowhere but here on my blog, can I explore fully some of the experiences I'm having and some of the eye opening things I've been learning. For now though, here's a blether about my morning...
My wee hoose
The weather this year has been astonishingly wet and cloudy. That means not much Sun. That means lots of work trying to keep the animals healthy, as well as ourselves. Living under canvas in this weather is fine but it's a very careful juggling act to stay healthy (physically and mentally), especially when the weather is wet but not cold as it's unpleasant to keep the wood burner going but of course to keep dry & prevent moulds, you have to! No such problems at the moment though, it's blooming freezing so we're back to happily running the woodburner all the time, making toast and stews all day!
Today it's a beautiful, crisp, clear day and all of a sudden
I've forgotten the wettest year for 100yrs and I'm filled with the joy
of it all! Sunrise this morning was utterly magic, as last nights Full Moon set in the purple sky.
Some of our ex-battery hens free ranging (pic from a couple of months ago!)
In the morning I get up at sunrise to do my animal rounds. Letting out the poultry first and making sure they've got a ton of food and fresh water. I don't let them out to free range fully until lunch time because I like to see they've got a full crop before sending them on their adventures.
Goatforms (this was them last month!)
Then it's off to give the goats their breakfast and let them out to go exploring. None of the girls are in milk at the moment, which is a real shame, I miss my goats milk!
I take a few moments to enjoy the gorgeous morning, let the beauty of it seep into my soul and give thanks to the Holy Moles for this rare dry, still day to collect my thoughts in.
My boy, Jingo the Shetland ram
I love my Shetland sheep and I particularly love Jingo, my main ram. He's a beaut, with a loving soul, a penchant for the fleecy ladies, fresh hay and head scratches. The Shetland and Castlemilk moorit girls are looking strong and healthy, so I'll be getting them a ram in within a couple of weeks. Jingo doesn't get a go this year poor lad!
Cheeky stinkdog pinching the warm spot!
Finally, I get to come back into the yurt for my coffee and breakfast in the warm chair by the woodburner... or not...
I'm re-blogging this blog post from back in July 2012 after reading my friend Sarah's brilliantly researched article on scrubland.
Hello there..
The 4.5 acre slope we were going to flatten to the ground and plant with trees is now an area of scrubland, heathland and natural regeneration. This was a HUGE decision for me to make. I LOVE planting trees and always thought it was better to plant trees, than not. However, I have learned a thing... sometimes it's better not to plant trees. It's true, honest! I won't be able to explain our thinking fully in this post but hopefully I can give you a wee insight in my thinking...
Firstly, here's a link to a blog showing me clearing some of this area with a slasher and then a pedestrian tractor rough cutter. This was in our first year at Stockwood and I had taken advice from the local Exmoor authority, the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust before doing anything. All were very keen for me to crack on and flatten the lot, plant it up with trees, put a massive red deer fence up around the whole area and manage the new trees with glyphosate.
It's worth mentioning here that the Forestry Commission made the point to me that if we can afford to, we
should use a local tree nursery using native seed stock grown-on in this
country. I had to refuse the 1500 free trees that the Woodland Trust gave me
because they were coming from Holland. I refused them because I was concerned over the health of the tree stock, the embedded energy in transportation and the likely use of fertilizers and chemicals to propagate and grow on the trees. At the time I didn't know about the threat from tree diseases from trees imported from abroad, I was worrying about the weakness of the trees causing them to catch a disease after I planted them. Thank goodness I did refuse those trees from the Woodland Trust or I would
have been planting ash trees infected with Chalara Fraxinea. Goodness
knows where those trees destined for my scheme on Exmoor ended up.
Ok, on with the story of why I didn't flatten this area and why I cancelled the tree planting scheme
Refusing the trees from the Woodland Trust made something click in me, I began to realise that in my excitement I hadn't really thought this through. I was basing my decision to clear this scrubland and plant all of these trees based on what I had always wanted to do and what I was being encouraged to do by organisations I trusted. I now realise that these organisations are focused on single issues and have targets to reach every year. This isn't a criticism, they're just doing what they believe in, it's my responsibility to take their advice and then go away and get a wider perspective.
The one thing I wasn't doing was listening to the land. Doing just that is how I got my wider perspective! It's the tiny little Grasshopper Warbler we have
to thank for finalising my decision to maintain this area as scrub and heath land. It kept me awake at night for weeks with the crazy-loud cricket noise it makes because it chose to nest in the area of scrubland close to our yurt. The RSPB have given it Red Status, so I chose not to destroy it's habitat.
It was at this stage that whenever I had a visitor to the land I would take them for an explore around the scrubland and after a while I would ask them how they'd feel if I grubbed it all to the ground, fenced it from the red deer and planted it up with trees. My friend Karen, who is as mad about trees, woodlands and forests as me, looked at me horrified and said 'Don't do it. Please, don't do it'. Every one of the people I asked had supported the idea of the tree planting scheme BEFORE they actually met and listened to the scrubland. After meeting and listening to the scrubland not one person thought I should go ahead with the scrub clearance and tree planting scheme.
I'm in my 4th year of observing this area now and it has taught me just how much LIFE there is in scrub. Adders, newts, slow worms, badgers, foxes, red deer, roe deer, bugs, spiders, beetles, loads of butterflies including the heath, pearl bordered and (on the edges) the Silverwash Fritillary, moths, bees and fabulous looking hoverflies & flies, goodness knows how many wild flowers and approximately a million visiting & nesting birds (including Cuckoo, Red Wing, Red Start, Woodcock, Grasshopper warbler, Dartford Warbler, Stonechat, Whinchat, Black cap, Longtailed Tit.. etc, etc...).
The Gorse and Birch are doing a great job of being nursery plants and there are now areas around the edges of the scrub full of young trees like; Hazel, Hawthorn, Oak, Rowan poking out the middle of a dense Birch thicket or an old Gorse shrub about to split to do the great tree reveal! As you head up the scrubland it has more of a heathland feel, with large patches of heather, purple moor grass and other grasses and wildflowers, lichens and mosses all spilling out of the ancient stone bank with a mixed hedge on top. An incredible mosaic of habitat! There is even an ancient badger sett that has been meticulously kept clear of any scrub and is a perfect circle of grass, wildflowers and the odd clump of bramble. The relationship between the badgers and red deer are evident here, with the badgers creating many paths between their network of tunnel entrances and flat areas from their excavations, which the deer find a suitable place for resting in cover and feasting on the lovely grass.
This year I am picking my way through the undergrowth like Mayweed out of Duncton Wood, snouting out the best pathways and finding so many treasures it's hard to contain myself. Here are some I have found today. It was late and the light low but the adventure was great!
I had a visitation on the land this weekend, Karen of Wildely Creative came to stay. The weather was foul so instead of bivvying in the woods we made camp in the bender. After a tour of a bit of the land it was fantastic to sit by the wood stove, carving spoons and spatulas, sharing stories, beliefs and dreams.
When the weather was good, we had a ping. Karen was a natural at it. Strong stance and good eye.. 7 bullseyes wasn't it Karen?!?! :) The only thing to distract us were the Buzzards playing over head, oh and the odd pesk from Stinkhound!
Last night I got a new bow which is well over 6ft, 34lb & much more powerful! That's my last ping on the bow in the pic below. My first bow...
We tapped a young Birch tree and managed to collect a cup full over night. The purity of the sap is astonishing, after a few minutes I get a wash of feeling totally energised. Only lasts a short time but it's definitely there.
Ok.. now I appreciate that the next picture is probably not going to excite you at all but it's one of the most exciting things I saw this weekend! There's Bluebells in an area of regeneration between the woodland and the coppice. In the few years I've had the land I've only ever seen one Bluebell. This deer track has created a perfect seed bed for Bluebells to pop out of. After decades of over grazing with cattle and Bracken creeping in, finally, finally, finally I'm seeing the benefits of letting the land rest.
On Saturday night the stars came out and the half moon was diamond bright. Intensifying the weekends spiritual adventures. The next day everything was luminous. Mosses, lichens, branches, grass, stone, all of it, totally luminous. Everything was bursting and glowing with spring.
We saw 8 stags over the other side of the valley on Saturday night too. They got chased off by my neighbours lovely little Exmoor ponies. Who celebrated by chasing each other as fast as they could up and down the side of the hill!
I'm really grateful to Karen for keeping us warm using her fire lighting kit and cooking the best breakfasts and BEST baked chocolate bananas ever! I'm also grateful to her for being efficient with fuel, water and our space. Thank you Karen :)
Been coppicing and chopping down Trees this weekend. Not properly, but in our own small way which is last minute & messy but with clean cuts and great reverence for the Trees! This might sound a bit soft to some of you but I can assure you I'm not as fluffy as you might think :)
Coppicing doesn't pose a problem to me but felling a Tree does. I spent some time sitting with how I feel about it and trying to understand why my needs were important enough to take down the Tree. Truth is they aren't really. However, in order for us to be able to afford the land we have to make a living. Leo makes incredibly beautiful things from wood that, if sold, could enable us to continue to care for the land. We also need fire wood for next winter and we need wood for building. [EDIT: Thanks Coyopa! I should have mentioned how, by felling these trees, we're enhancing the life of the coppice & the health of the standard trees we've elected to leave.]
Since humans began we have had this relationship with Trees. Treating them almost like a parent, taking them for granted until it's almost too late. Well, I think we're in the 'almost too late' part of our relationship with Trees.
My sense of this gives me the motivation to share as much of what we do on the land and with Trees with others. That way, I'm hopefully giving something back to the Trees, helping to fight their corner and showing them how grateful I am for what they give me.
I have to say that I wasn't sorry to see this giant Laurel go. It was dangerous to fell as it's very snappy & we didn't take the top heavyness off of the branches before felling. However... it's mostly down now and I'm excited to see what pops out of the ground now the Sun can get to it!
Leo found this little noggin in an Ash tree branch, where a small mammal sat and tested these nuts for nutty goodness. I don't know what little mammal made these holes... hopefully one of you can tell me! Click the picture to see it bigger.
I went for an explore along the river to see what I could see. I didn't see any sign of Otter sadly but it was very beautiful down there and there's a lot going on!
I found this poo amongst the Hazel trees next to the river. What did it come out of? Click the picture to see it bigger.
I also love trying to spot the female flowers of the Hazel tree ( I do like other, exciting, things too!)! You can just see it bursting out of the bud in the middle of the picture below. I remember the first time I saw one I couldn't believe I'd never noticed them before! Click the picture to see it bigger.
I tried Birch tapping for the first time this weekend and unfortunately my tap was pants. Luckily though we were felling some Birch so when we made a cut into one and the sap started to gush out I ran for my cup. That first spurt slowed down by the time I got back with my cup but it was still flowing!
I did drink some straight from the tree and it was very beautiful. Hard to describe but like very pure, subtly sweet, water with a hint of the smell you get when you cut green wood. I felt amazing after drinking it too, totally energised. I could get addicted to that!
That evening I collected some nettle tops & gentle warmed the Birch sap (I didn't boil it) and made some Birch sap and nettle top tea. It was beautiful and had the same effect on me as it did when I drank it straight from the Tree. I was energised!
The Laurel that was felled is growing on the bank opposite the old linnhe. So lots more light is getting to it now. It got me thinking about how to care for the ruin as I've got no idea about looking after old buildings. So I thought I'd post this photie and see if I could get some advice from you! Help!
Well, I've been busy organising the Exmoor 6000 Trees project amongst a few other things! Above is me firing my new Longbow for the 1st time. Leo made it for me from an ash stave he bought from Chris Boyton. It's not quite finished yet & this weekend was about me having a go on it to see what adjustments need to be made.
I got a bulls eye!
Well, it fired beautifully! A longbow has to have arrows specific to it and I was using Leo's arrows so it was hard to tell what changes might have to be made. He's going to put a bend in the middle to make it more powerful and fit an arrow plate using some antler. After that it can be oiled & a handle fitted. Then I can ping ping away!!
Excitingly the antler he's using is probably from one of the stags in the video below. I found it a couple of yrs ago!
Yesterday morning I went tracking deer. It was freezing & misty but otherwise a cloudless, beautiful morning. I walked around the top of the woodland & saw nothing but tracks. Lots of them! Oh and a noisy Lesser spotted woodpecker! (NB: I could only see red on his head not his bum & he looked distinctively smaller than a Great Spotted Woodpecker).
Trying my best to stay quiet I rounded the edge of a clump of gorse and, even though I'd been looking for them, I shockingly came across the three awesome red deer stags above. They had spent the night in a cosy corner of the regeneration area at the top of the woodland. Initially I made them jump by being a rubbish tracker. I stood stock still & practiced some gentle breathing techniques to help my heart rate drop. I like to think it stopped them from bolting! You'll see in the film how they slowly mooch off, keeping an eye on me but without fear. One of them even stops to eat & have a scratch!
An incredibly powerful experience.
Another rather special thing happened at the weekend too... we picked up our Ger!!
Paul King & Zac of Woodland Yurts (I forced them to let me take a photie! Thanks guys!)
Paul & Zac of Woodland Yurts were enlisted about 4 months ago to build Leo and I a Ger. We've been finding it increasingly hard to work on the land while camping. Our backs can't take all the stooping and bending anymore so we needed something more comfortable. The times we go to the land to do the heavy, cold & exhausting work can continue without fear of ending up prematurely in the knackers yard! Yip yip!!
We put it up for the first time on Saturday, it's rare that you get to say this these days but we were astonished at the quality of the craftsmanship. When we couldn't get something to fit, instead of immediately blaming the maker, we knew it was something we were doing. That's just how much confidence we had in Paul and Zac's work! Everything fitted beautifully & with a precision that amazed us!
This is the roof of the Ger. The centre piece is the Tono and is made of English Oak, the poles are of English Ash. All hand made by Paul and Zac in their workshop just outside Bristol. I spent a long time lying underneath the Tono. To me, it looks like the Sun.
The Ger is 16 foot in diametre. We took our time putting it up as we were learning how to do it, took about 3 hours in all, it took us half the time to take it back down again!
The frame is just beautiful. The walls subtly curved for strength. Zac pointed out that each join in the walls was knotted by him & took him ages! Precision knotting! Well done matey!
We chose the green roof cover to help it blend in with the natural surroundings but felt it would be too dark to have the whole Ger green so the walls are white. Paul suggested we also have a roof light, so there is a plastic window over the Tono.
The picture above gives a good idea of just how light and warm it is in there. I fell asleep in the doorway soaking up the sunshine! The roof, because it is a dark material, soaks up the warmth of the sun and the ash roof poles felt warm to the touch too. Enhancing my fantasy of the roof representing the Sun!
Such a beautiful space, even without any furniture in it!
The little bender has a charm to it I love but the Ger has a warm energy to it, an openess that means it's now my favourite! Goodness knows how many hours Paul & Zac spent on making the Ger but I bet it was more than the 6 it took me to build the bender!!
