22,000 COPIES DISTRIBUTED FREE THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST

Jul/Aug 2016 | Issue 61

WORKING DOG FOOD COMPETITION FROM COUNTRYWIDE

Connecting kids to the countryside Moor View Alpacas Goats - a sheep without a fleece? How to use and store your herbs “It’s life Jim but not as we know it!” A response to Brexit Articles from River Cottage, Riverford, Lye Cross Farm Competitions courtesy of Countrywide, HAIX® and Backdoorshoes Plus: Country news, diary, green issues and wildlife

rural issues | livestock | equipment | poultry | fieldwork | diversification | gardening1

A FANTASTIC BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Whether you are an established glamping operator or planning to launch a glamping business; a visit to the Glamping Show will pay dividends! Discover the latest products and services and attend any of over 60 seminars covering every aspect of setting up and running a glamping business - FREE.

DEvELOP YOUR NExT BUSINESS AT THE GLAMPING SHOW

TO REGISTER visit:www.theglampingshow.com THE GLAMPING SHOW 22nd – 24th September 2016 NAEC, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

inside this issue GET IN TOUCH thelandsman Think Media (UK) Ltd The Granary & Sawmill Tickenham Court Washing Pound Lane | Clevedon North Somerset | BS21 6SB www.thelandsman.co.uk twitter.com/landsmanlife Editorial Rebecca Hacker [email protected] Art Editor Christy Walters Designer Laurie Edwards Production Rachael Ellway [email protected] T. 01275 400778 Advertising Sandra Hardie [email protected] T. 01460 55105 Contributors Benjamin Barber BVetMed (Hons) MRCVS Colin Knapman BSc (Hons) Demuth’s Cookery School Farmlink Gillian Dixon Ian Dixon Jeremy Hobson Keith Wheaton-Green Moor View Alpacas Pammy Riggs RHS Garden Rosemoor River Cottage Riverford Sally Gregson Stephen Davy-Osborne Stewart Horne Printed by Mortons of Horncastle Ltd Printed on 70gsm Woodfree paper Disclaimer Every effort is made to ensure accuracy of dates, event information and advertisements. thelandsman accepts no responsibility for events that might be cancelled and can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any information or claims made by advertisers included in this magazine. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of thelandsman. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission strictly prohibited. © Copyright 2016. Think Media (UK) Ltd

Country news

4

Connecting kids to the countryside A classroom in the countryside

9

Connecting kids to the countryside Free range children

10

Competition11 Win a pair of Backdoorshoes® Property12 Stapleford Cottage Farm Rural issues “It’s life Jim but not as we know it!”

13

Green Issues Big industrial energy users need sustainable energy

15

Diversification17 Moor View Alpacas Livestock18-19 Sheep handling Competition20 Win a year’s supply of Working Dog Food Veterinary practise Goats – a sheep without a fleece?

21

Poultry23 Hen pen security fencing Making a country living Working Horse Centre

24-25

Competition26 Win a pair of HAIX® footwear Equipment27 Tractor to implement connections Fieldwork29 The killing fields Gardening31-39 Low maintenance coastal and dry gardens 31 Gravel gardens 33 ‘Hot’ Garden planting 35 Grow it, eat it 36 Recipe – Beetroot and walnut hummus 37 How to use and store your herbs 38-39 Raw food Demuth’s Cookery School

40-41

Wildlife42 Devon’s hedge tree crisis Book review 42 Like Farmer, Like Son by Adam Henson Foxes Unearthed – a story of love and loathing in Modern Britain by Lucy Jones Country diary

43

Our country year Happy snapping

47

twitter.com/landsmanlife 3

country news

Seize this opportunity to shape the future, says CAAV Disentangling 43 years of engagement with the EU will be a monumental project, but it’s up to British businesses and advisers to seize the opportunity to shape the future. That’s the view of Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers, who was speaking at the CAAV AGM on 24 June. “This is probably one of the most historic occasions of at least a generation,” he said. “It changes the climate, not just the weather of where we’re going.” EU regulations permeated every tributary of UK law, so it would take years to translate that into an independent British framework, he added. “I strongly suspect that we’ll simply have an enabling statute that says EU legislation remains in force, purely for continuity – the task is too formidable.” Trade agreements were clearly going to be important, and it was too early to tell which model the UK would adopt, warned Mr Moody. “Our share of trade with the EU is slowly declining – it’s at 45% now and on a 15-year forecast it’s at 30%. But farmers are distinctively exporters to the EU and agricultural products face high import tariffs. That is an immediate issue to face up to.” The sharp drop in the value of the pound would help UK exporters and buoy agricultural commodity prices in

Competition Winners Countryfile live tickets Kay webber, Alex Luffrum and Chloe James Dartington Hall Sue Matejtschuk and Vivien Hurley Dr. Martens Andy Haywood and Peter Vallis Woodbury Park Beverly Crocker 4

the short-term, he added. “But we are heavily dependent on migrant workers: It’s very easy to make the case for highly skilled workers but we need people on the farms, and they would fail a visa test, so we need to look very closely at that.” Farmers relying on the Basic Payment were likely to continue to receive some support from the British government, although implementing an agricultural policy across devolved regions could be tricky, and the focus on taxpayers’ value for money was likely to intensify, said Mr Moody. “We are going to need something to bridge the gap in 2018, as applications will be received in May but the EU won’t be there to release the money later in the year,” he warned. Other major concerns were the future for a united UK, with a land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic that couldn’t be policed. “And the EU itself is hit by all this: It’s losing a major voice – how much else unravels?” However, now was the time – at every echelon, from individual businesses to a national level - to seize the opportunity to shape the world, added Mr Moody. “There is an awful lot of work ahead. But it’s up to us to shape the future. As a professional body to rural land owners and businesses it’s for the CAAV to find practical ways in which the advantage is to be seized.”

stags.co.uk STAGS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Stags Team can offer a range of specialist services including • Compensation Claims • Wayleave Agreements and Capitalisation • Negotiating New Easements • Compulsory Purchase • Part 1 Claims Please call 01392 439046 or Email: [email protected] to be put in touch with your local member of Stags’ Professional Services Department in Devon, Somerset, Dorset or Cornwall.

Three cases of rare condition MCF reported Vets at Dorset-based Synergy Farm Health have reported three confirmed cases of a rare and fatal condition, Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF), in three cows on three different farms. Spread only from sheep to cows, the Synergy Farm Health team recommend farmers are especially vigilant when cattle and sheep are grazing in succession. Alasdair Moffett, vet at Synergy Farm Health, says, “The only known risk factor for MCF is being around sheep and in each of the three cases the common link was cattle grazing in a field that had previously grazed sheep, risks can also increase around lambing time. This disease is caused by a sheep herpes virus and is usually fatal for the cow but does not cause any disease in sheep. I have only seen two other cases of this condition in the last eight years so it is a surprise to find three cases in one month so close together.”

WE BELIEVE QUALITY HOME INSURANCE CAN’T BE RUSHED We’ll invest time to help you ensure you get the right cover for your home. Call 01404 549003 for a quote or pop in

NFU Mutual Branch, The Dutch Barn, Woodhayes Farm, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4TP

Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited. For security and training purposes, telephone calls may be recorded and monitored.

The three cows presented with very high temperatures, lack of appetite, painful red eyes which develop a blueish colour across the cornea. The cattle also find light extremely painful and cannot tolerate daylight. Prevention is very hard as it is a sporadic disease. Cows and sheep do not have to be in the field at the same time as the incubation period can be long and clinical signs in a cow can take up to a month to appear. Dairy farms renting out fields for sheep grazing during the winter or mixed farms would be most at risk of the disease. Alasdair concludes, “We can blood test live animals to confirm this disease as some of the symptoms could also look like BVD, severe IBR or listeria. Once confirmed, we would put the animal down on welfare grounds as there is little likelihood of survival.”

At Beviss & Beckingsale we have always enjoyed a close relationship with those living and working in the rural community. Whatever the nature of your concerns, we have an expert to help. Offices At: Axminster: (01275) 630700 Chard: (01460) 269700 Honiton: (01404) 548050 Seaton: (01297) 626950

www.bevissandbeckingsale.co.uk [email protected]

5

country news

Land agents and land owners should review the charges they make for licences to anglers and others who pay to hunt or shoot on their land, so they can make sure they are applying the correct rate of VAT. The estate will be liable to penalties and interest, potentially costing more than the VAT at stake, if mistakes are made or if they delay in settling the tax. “A recent tax case confirms that VAT at 20% should be charged on the total cost of a licence whether or not it includes an agreement to take a certain amount of fish or game,” said Brigitte Potts, associate tax director and a VAT specialist at Smith & Williamson, the accountancy and investment management group. Brigitte continued: “This ruling applies to all sporting rights, ie to hunting and shooting as well as fishing. Only where separate a charge is made for taking the game,

fowl or fish can zero-rating be applied to that charge.” “Angling rights in particular often give rise to confusion regarding what is, and isn’t, liable to VAT. But only where you allow the angler to either take away the fish caught, or throw the catch back in the water and you make a separate charge solely for the fish taken away, could you charge a zero rate of VAT on the fish taken. Of course, the fish should be of a type normally eaten by people in the UK.” “If land agents or fishery managers have already provided people with a licence for the season and did not apply VAT to the whole cost of the licence – and if it includes the right to keep the fish or game that is caught - then this error should be rectified and disclosed without delay. This will reduce the risk of penalties being charged by HMRC.” The rules for fishing licenses have been reinforced in a recent case brought by Stocks Fly Fishery against HM Revenue & Customs when it was found that VAT should be charged on the whole licence fee, including the cost of any fish taken away. In that case the price of the ticket depended on the number of fish that could be taken away, but was an inclusive price.

All-terrain scooter opens access to Tamar Trails As we move into summer, with (hopefully!) plenty of dry, warm days to enjoy, a reminder that there is an all-terrain scooter, known as a Tramper, available to hire from the Tamar Trails Centre, Gulworthy, near Tavistock. The Tamar Trails were created as part of the Tamar Valley AONB’s £7million Mining Heritage Project. 25km of multi-use routes are now available for all to enjoy. As the Trails are not particularly wheelchair friendly, the Tramper makes access possible for anyone who might struggle with mobility in the countryside. Kate Blake, from Tamar Adventures who run the Centre at Tamar Trails, says; “The Tramper is crucial to our aims of making the Trails accessible to as wide an audience as possible. At just £2.50 per hour, it’s 6

an affordable way of getting into the heart of the Trails and getting that bit closer to the abundance of wildlife here.” To hire the Tramper, users need to sign up on arrival to the Countryside Mobility Scheme (£10/year or £2.50/ 2 week ‘Taster’). Membership then provides unlimited access to the 36 Countryside Mobility hire sites around South West England. Advanced booking of the Tramper is essential. For further information and to book please call 01822 833409, Tamar Trails Centre.

© Simon Burt, Tamar Trails

Recent case reinforces VAT is chargeable on fishing licences

REDUCE

IMPORTANT NEWS FOR SEPTIC TANK & BIO-FILTER OWNERS...

N O s ’ 0 £10

Organic Sludge by up to

97%

SAVICETANK PUMUPC-KOMUUNTCSHERS T mentally Friendly M SEP Environ with

✓ Vastly Reduces Need for Expensive Pump-Outs ✓ Prevents Blockages Unpleasant ✓ Eliminates Smells

natural Non-Chemical ✓ Safe Formulation ✓ Eliminates Grease Build-Ups Detergent and ✓ Counteracts Chemical Contaminants ✓ Reduces Potential Health Problems

12 MONTHLY TREATMENTS

ONLY

£29.95!

Create an ODOURLESS AND BLOCKAGE FREE Sewage Tank

MUCK MUNCHERS Helping the Environment The Environment Agency and EU Commission have concerns about waste water and pollution of water courses. The action of Muck Munchers has a very positive effect on reducing pollutants and ensuring water released in to the surrounding soil is cleaner and purer.

Muck Munchers are all entirely biological – containing naturally occurring enzymes and helpful, healthy little micro-organisms that set to work in their billions to allow your tank to digest waste naturally too. In breaking-down organic solids, and eliminating awful smells, blockages and overflows, they are just doing what nature intended. The net result is that solid waste is reduced by as much as 97% – that means fewer expensive pump-outs.

How do I set Muck Munchers to work... 1. Disolve the contents of your Kick-Start Bio-Booster pack 2. Now, just flush it down the loo, to get things going 3. Then each month, simply flush down a Muck Munchers soluble sachet pack.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER TODAY CALL

FREE Start-Up Booster Kit

Kick Start Your CLEANER, HEALTHIER Septic Tank!

01626 880 912 or visit muck-munchers.co.uk YES – I want a cleaner sewage tank, free-flowing drains and to save on pump-outs. Total Price Qty Price 12 Months’ Muck MM12BB1 Munchers Programme £29.95 (12 x MM Solu-Packs) Kick-Start Booster PLUS £17.50 1 FREE 100g Treatment Postage, Packaging & Delivery Insurance £4.95 TOTAL AMOUNT

Please Send Me -

¨ I enclose my cheque made payable to Bio-Gard Limited ¨ Debit my VISA ¨ Mastercard ¨ Maestro ¨

Name

Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms

WORTH £17.50! When you order your first 12 Month Treatment Programme, we’ll also send you a FREE Super-Booster Start-Up Kit to ensure rapid biological activation in your tank.

100%

Satisfaction Guarantee

Delivery Address

We guarantee you’ll see and smell the difference within a couple of weeks. Postcode Email address*

If not satisfied, return the remaining 11 months’ packs and we’ll return every penny you’ve spent.

Telephone

Code AKK68

Card Number Start Date

Name on card

End Date

Maestro Issue Date

Card Security Number

(last 3 numbers on signature strip)

*YOUR MONTHLY FLUSH AND FORGET EMAIL – By including your email address, we’ll send you a reminder each month to treat your tank. Please tick ¨ if you would prefer not to receive offers other than from us.

Send to Bio-Gard Limited, Clientbase Centre, Woodview Road, Paignton, TQ4 7SR

Martin Harvey Director

country news

Blackdown Beauty: a beautiful beer to celebrate a beautiful place To celebrate the Blackdown Hills’ 25th anniversary as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), a special guest beer from Otter Brewery, Blackdown Beauty, will be sold in a number of pubs throughout the AONB. This is a double celebration as it is also 25 years since Otter Brewery was established in the heart of the Blackdown Hills. The Brewery has generously pledged 5p from the sale of every pint to the Blackdown Hills Countryside Fund. The Fund supports local wildlife, heritage and educational community projects within the AONB, thereby helping local groups to care for the local area. Linda Bennett, AONB Manager said: “The Blackdown Hills is a living landscape - thriving local businesses are vital for our rural communities and the wellbeing of the area. We are delighted to have joined with Otter Brewery to

celebrate our joint 25th anniversaries with this special Blackdown Beauty light summer ale. Do go and try some yourself. While you’re enjoying your pint, you will be helping to make the Blackdown Hills an even more beautiful place.” Pubs stocking Blackdown Beauty beer include: Candlelight Inn, Bishopswood; Cotley Inn, Wambrook; Drewe Arms, Broadhemury; Half Moon Inn, Clayhidon; Merry Harriers, Clayhidon; The Old Inn, Kilmington; Tuckers Arms, Dalwood. The Blackdown Hills, on the Devon Somerset border, was designated an AONB in 1991. It covers 370sqm of unspoilt countryside, rich in wildlife and heritage.

The Kingfisher Award Scheme Engaging the next generation with farming is a crucial part of our children’s education. The Kingfisher Award Scheme helps school children access farms so they can explore the interactions between farming and wildlife. The project demonstrates how sustainable food production can work with the conservation of our beautiful countryside. Set up by the late Poet Laureate Ted Hughes and friends 24 years ago, the Kingfisher Award Scheme now covers Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Cornwall. “Watching groups of children engaged with the countryside and farming, away from distracting technology and the pressures of a classroom, is immensely rewarding.” said Caroline Fowle, the chair of the Kingfisher Award Scheme, adding “our school days are filled with hands-on activities, such as barn owl pellet dissections, bread making, apple pressing, searching for pollinators and owl demonstrations.” Gary Rumbold from the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG SW) that works in partnership with the project says. “The Kingfisher Award Scheme is so much more than just a farm visit. It also entails 8

children developing their own projects, based on what they have learnt with us and a large celebration picnic where we judge their work and award prizes. Every year I am astounded by the creativity of the children.” For more information on the Kingfisher Award Scheme please visit the project pages at www.fwagsw.org.uk

connecting kids to the countryside

by Nick Green MBA Lye Cross Farm Headlines all too common scream out at us about obesity and being overweight. ‘Britain, the fat man of Europe’, ‘obesity triples in men and doubles in women between 1975 and 2014’, ‘obesity has the potential to cost the UK £27bn a year’, ‘33% of 10-11 year olds are currently overweight or obese’. It’s never too late to try and rectify this situation and start living a healthier lifestyle. However, for those adults who have followed their chosen path of inadequate exercise and less than healthy food for years it is harder to do than say a seven year old who has had little influence on their choice of lifestyle. That’s where the farm based charity FarmLink steps in. John Alvis, the founder of FarmLink and Director of his family’s farming business, Alvis Bros comments, ’We don’t want to be dictatorial about what we should or shouldn’t eat, but, on the basis young people aren’t impacted by the likes of the proposed sugar tax and other Government initiatives to penalise unhealthy eating we in FarmLink want to help young people understand what a healthy lifestyle is all about.’ So, what is FarmLink and what does it do? FarmLink is a charity that delivers National Curriculum based lessons to mainly primary school children about farming, food and the environment. Lessons are delivered in school by visiting farmers on a class by class basis to get plenty of pupil interaction and followed up the following term with a farm visit. One of the most popular in school lessons is ‘Farmer Nick’s Lunchbox’. Retired Farm Manager Nick Baker aka ‘Farmer Nick’ to thousands of past and present

North Somerset schoolchildren explains. ‘Farmer Nick’s Lunchbox is about what we eat, how the food is produced and the impact growing, transporting and preparing that food has on the environment. I take in a packed lunch and talk to the children about it. My sandwich is made of one slice of white bread and one slice of brown and I explain the difference between the two and the health benefits of one over the other. I explain how the butter in the sandwich is made and that consumed in moderation it can form a part of a healthy diet. Likewise, the cheese. I also take two apples. One is from an orchard in Somerset whilst the other is from New Zealand. As well as the health benefits of eating fresh fruit, I explain food miles and compare what happens to the two apples before they are purchased and consumed. It is a real eye opener for the children comparing a fruit that has travelled just 25 miles compared to another that has travelled literally thousands. Finally, I get out my packet of crisps. First of all I get the children to tell me what crisps are. It’s amazing how many children don’t know they are potatoes. We discuss the potential impact of consuming crisps on their health. Again, in moderation, a packet of regular crisps occasionally can be part of a healthy diet. As a close, we have a discussion about waste disposal and the impact empty crisp packets have on the environment. The lesson is tailored to age and takes anything between half an hour and two hours. We don’t tell children what they should and shouldn’t eat. What we try to do is give them the information they need to make informed choices about what they eat. It’s not easy for the child to change their parents eating habits but what we have found is the children do go home and discuss what they have learned and in many cases that goes some way to influencing their parents.’ FarmLink will not change the world but there is a genuine belief that however small, the charity can play a part in improving the health of those young people it has contact with. More than 30,000 children progress through this scheme each year. To know more about FarmLink you can contact Dani Mortimer [email protected] or visit the website www.farmlink.org.uk 9

connecting kids to the countryside

Free range children by Louise Kennedy Providing young people with the opportunity to get close to nature and play freely in wild spaces has proved to be an encouraging venture for the Woodland Play Centre nestled deep in the Quantock Hills. As many readers will be all too aware, society is continuously changing and over the past few decades our children have been growing up with unprecedented constraints and restrictions in their lives. In response, many parents and adults working with children/young people know how much they enjoyed and learnt from playing in the wild outdoors during their own childhood, and have sought to offer similar opportunities for succeeding generations. Sue Palmer who has published a number of articles and a book on Toxic Childhood, talks of screen-based adventures ‘they are not real – the children aren’t moving in real space, interacting with real people, or taking real risks: if it all gets too dull or too scary, they can just switch off.’ The Woodland Play Centre was inspired by similar schemes in Scandinavia and offers the opportunity for young people to build dens, explore, enjoy campfire cooking, take part in environmental art and a variety of ‘wild’ activities, as well as to contemplate, listen and be thoughtful. Recent research and evidence has highlighted the critical importance for today’s young people to access outdoor play spaces. Personal development can benefit from adventure and creative thinking without being stifled by a preoccupation of outcome, results and control. For the last 17 years the Woodland Play Centre has been providing wonderful Woodland Adventures, Magical

Woodland Parties, Wild Camp Outs for children and adults, as well as Woodland Playschemes for hundreds of children. The enchanting and magical parties have children running around the woods, hiding in the Rhododendrons, climbing trees, learning bushcraft skills, finding tree fairies and building dens. They light fires, make hot drinks, cook and eat sausages. They toast marshmallows and warm their wet and muddy selves by the fire. Cheeks are rosy and spirits are high by the time they go home, and they are truly exhausted! Louise has great plans for the Woodland Play Centre, as well as lots of woodland conservation management. She will be opening up the wild, magic woodland experiences and adventures to more adults for family gatherings, parties, hen and stag do’s. As well as providing courses on bushcraft, dormice nut hunts, foraging and much more. She is collaborating with a local outdoor adventure organisation to provide a low impact and eco friendly form of paintballing, bushcraft trainers and story tellers to use the woods to facilitate programmes for children and adults alike. ‘I want everyone to be able to come and play in this wild and magical woodland, where the bluebells are beautiful, the knarled trunks of the old oak trees tell stories before your very eyes. We spend so much time as adults and children, sitting in front of our computer screens, our television sets or playing on the ipads. When we go to the woods it brings out the sense of wonder in us, which as adults may have been lying dormant for a long time. It is about finding that inner child with the scuffed knees and the stick in hand and letting him or her out to roam free. Coming to the woods as a family, allows us all to reconnect in an enchanted woodland setting.’ Visit the website www.woodlandplaycentre.co.uk for more information.

10

WIN

A pair of backdoorshoes®

Each winner will receive either a pair of new Men’s Chunky Tread Camo Tree shoes or Ladies Meadow. Just released at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, a new custom designed chunkier, more durable tread for Men. Tyres, Nuts ’n’ Bolts, British Brogues, Grass and Camo Tree (as shown) available. Backdoorshoes® are lightweight, waterproof and have removable, washable insoles. Easy to clean and slip on. Great for leaving by the back or front door! Ladies, Men’s and Children’s designs, something to suit everyone… To enter simply email your answer to the question below along with your contact details to [email protected]

Q. What UK Sizes are available in the new Men’s Chunky Tread shoes? A. 3-6 B: 6-12 C: 8-14

10 PAIRS TO GIVE AWAY!

Like many if you are desperate to get a pair, you can order online using discount code LANDSMAN10%DISC to receive 10% off your order or £25 or over.*

www.backdoorshoes.co.uk

One entry per household. Closing date is 19 August 2016. Please include in your entry if you do not want Backdoorshoes to use your personal data to contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with info about products or services. * This is valid until the 15th September 2016 and UK residents only.

Weekly organic veg boxes delivered to your door We’ll bring you our book for inspiration

riverford.co.uk/carrot 01803 227227 11

property

Stapleford Cottage Farm, Exbourne £535,000

Stapleford Cottage Farm, a smallholding in a quiet rural part of West Devon, offers a sought after combination of dwelling, useful pasture and woodland. The Farm extends to 72.86 acres, of which 34.36 acres is divided into two enclosures and is predominantly level and suitable for the grazing of livestock or mowing for silage. The remaining 37.79 acres is mature woodland. The cottage has the potential to create a comfortable family home once modernized. Made of traditional cob and stone under a slate style roof, the cottage provides various downstairs living spaces and 3 double bedrooms. Outside, the cottage is surrounded by lawned gardens and a number of mature trees providing privacy and protection. A Cob barn offers potential for conversion subject to planning permission, another outbuilding houses an insulated Pump Room for the borehole, with pressure tank and UV filter and there is a garden store. Property: Stapleford Cottage Farm, Exbourne, Okehampton, EX20 3RA Guide Price: £535,000 Contact: Stags Farm Agency | Tel: 01392 680059 | www.stags.co.uk

Letting your

holiday home? ...trust the local experts

✓ Competitive commission rates and high booking levels ✓ Prominent local, regional and national marketing ✓ Bespoke service to meet your needs

Find us at marsdens.co.uk or call us on 01271 813777 to request a homeowner pack 12

GOLD

TRUSTED MERCHANT

2015

rural issues

“Its life Jim but not as we know it!” by Stewart Horne That was my thoughts on the morning of the 24th June when hearing the result of the referendum on Britain remaining or leaving the EU. After 40 years the UK has taken the view that it would be better off outside of the existing partnership with the other 27 countries. The pollsters, the bookies and financial markets all got it wrong as 52% of voters decided to put their mark on leave. The ramifications of the vote have only just started and will in themselves cause a great deal of uncertainty at a time when it’s not needed. The campaign was very divisive and in the end the vote turned out to be more of a protest vote than a reasoned thought process with some people commenting that although they voted leave they thought remain would win; the labour (party) heartlands of the North East and Birmingham protested against the loss of shipbuilding, mining, steel industries and the impact of austerity; most of which was due to competition from countries across the world not the EU! The majority of farmers also voted leave despite needing EU farm subsidies to make a profit, in my view again as a protest against regulation and the mess the RPA has made of the Basic Payment Scheme. The immediate impact is on the political parties with the PM resigning and the labour party in chaos (as I write this 10 members of the shadow cabinet have resigned). What of UKIP having got what they have wanted? Given the problems in the labour party I can see UKIP getting stronger, particularly as any reduction in immigration levels is many years away. Then we have the situation with Scotland (and to a lesser extent Northern Ireland) posturing for a new independence referendum; will the UK end up as an alliance of England and Wales? Within a few hours of the result some of the predictions from both sides started to unravel, the funds for the NHS, the level of immigration, the need for an emergency budget; although by the time you read this things may have changed! In the short term fluctuations in our currency will be the biggest impact on people, fuel prices forecast to increase, imported goods going up in price, possible increases in inflation, interest rates may fall to 0%. On the other hand exporters may be more competitive in the next couple of years balancing the negatives somewhat. What of the future? The country needs strong

leadership and the best possible team to lead the negotiations with both the EU and the rest of the world to get the trade deals our economy needs going forward. The task of re writing UK laws and creating new policies for a wide range of industries, how to address climate change and environmental protection, fisheries policy, agriculture and food policies is one that no country has had to do in such a short time and given the pressures on the economy has to be got right. The views and concerns of all sectors of society need to be considered to inform the negotiations, business leaders, trade unions, community leaders, people who deal with these things on a daily basis; this cannot just be left to civil servants. Ironically the UK vote to leave may precipitate change in the EU itself as it recognises that countries are willing to do the unthinkable. In two years’ time the EU may be the organisation that Britain could have supported; referendum anyone? 13

[email protected]

01392 368724

www.offgridsystems.co.uk

WWW.DEVONSMALLHOLDERS.CO.UK OR CALL 01237 405307 FOR DETAILS

Partnership and tree sales

World technology leaders Grant assisted - Any UK location Income of £16-60K per hectare per year For a free information pack: [email protected] or call 0203 356 9606

www.plantationsystems.com WEST BAY BRIDPORT DT6 4EG

Gates Open 8:00am

Off Grid Power & Solar Storage Systems starting from £2000

Call or Email for further details how to provide you with Solar Battery Storage or a fully Off Grid system See us at

| www.buckhamfair.co.uk

Agricultural Show

Honiton

Truffle Cultivation

Hosts to The West of England Hound Show

‘Where Farming Comes First’

TRADITIONAL

COUNTRY SHOW

Come and enjoy the best of agriculture by the sea

ALL CHILDREN

(16 years & under)

GO FREE

FREE BUS * FREE PARKING PARK & RIDE * * See website for more info

On the day: Adults £16 - Advance tickets: Adults £14

Advance tickets available on-line at www.melplashshow.co.uk

14

A fantastic daamyiloyut for all the f

- 6pm th August 2016 | 8am 4 Thursday BOOKED SO FAR… JAMIE SQUIBB FREESTYLE FMX SHOW THE SHEEP SHOW • GRAND PARADE OF LIVESTOCK HOUND PARADE • OVER 400 TRADE STANDS CATTLE, HORSES & SHEEP • DONKEY RIDES VINTAGE TRACTORS • DOG & POULTRY SHOWS PROFESSOR TWISTOPHER’S PUNCH & JUDY (AS SEEN ON DOWNTON ABBEY)

NEW ALPACA VILLAGE

Advance Tickets just £14.00 | Gates open at 8.00am Free entry for under 16’s when accompanied by an adult Apply for Schedules Now Secretary: Marcelle Connor, Bank House | 66a High Street | Honiton | Devon | EX14 1PS

www.honitonshow.co.uk

green issues

Big industrial energy users need sustainable energy by Keith Wheaton-Green The UK is awash with used steel to recycle, with future supplies being imported constantly in the form of cars, washing machines, fridges and so on. Just two miles from where I live in rural Dorset, there is a scrap metal yard piled high with cars, coaches, tractors, agricultural implements and other general old metal. Containers of cut up metal do leave the site but in the 28 years I have been here, the piles seem to have got higher. There are also farms nearby that have small piles of old metal equipment rusting away in a forgotten corner. There is even a large garden where the owner has accumulated numerous old cars over the last 30 years that are just rusting shells filling every available space. In short, I don’t understand why anyone thinks the UK needs to create new steel from raw ore. We don’t even need as much steel as we once did because other man-made composite materials that are lighter and stronger are increasingly substituted. The UK steel industry is in the process of being restructured and whiz kid Sanjeev Gupta, the likely new owner of Port Talbot, wants to switch from coke power blast furnaces smelting iron ore to electric arc furnaces melting scrap steel to create new steel sheet, bar, rod, angle, beams etc. Very forward thinking! Electricity can be renewable whereas the coke needed for a blast furnace obviously is not. Weaning Port Talbot off the 22,500,000 tonnes of coke used each year that emits 73,157,580 tonnes CO2 has got to be a good idea. The proposed Swansea Bay tidal lagoon would be a stone’s throw away and capable of generating 320 MW, which could be cabled directly to a new electric arc furnace. Gupta is investing in Swansea Bay and a biomass burning generator so it seems he has a vision for a sustainable heavy industry future. It needs to be matched by government in their support package for Port Talbot. Let’s hope they don’t simply prop up a reduced sized plant based on the old polluting technology. New renewables might be expensive initially but the tides are free and renewable energy costs will eventually easily compete with gas and nuclear. Also, the efficiency of cabling MW of electricity for just three miles saves up to 11% of the losses given up as heat when transferring across the national grid. A second tidal lagoon proposed for Cardiff would be seven times bigger and generate up to 2800 MW (equivalent to 1.5 million homes consumption).

With another four good sites identified, 8% of the UK’s electricity could be tidally generated. This beats 7% from new nuclear at Hinckley and is more useful as it is widely geographically distributed. Getting all that nuclear electricity from a single site to spread across the national grid is expensive and inefficient. Our government and senior management at EDF are still convinced that Hinckley is a great idea. My prediction is that its cancellation is inevitable. EDF has market capitalisation of E18 billion and E37 billion debt, yet are planning a E22 billion investment in a single project – Hinckley. Considering the first income from the plant following completion would be 2025 at the earliest, surely bankruptcy looms. Luckily, renewables up to the same capacity could be deployed very quickly. The Conservative think tank Bright Blue realise this. In their report published on 7th June 2016, they state “Should the project (Hinckley) not materialise, renewables can easily fill the capacity gap in the late 2020s”. If that’s the case, why doesn’t government cancel Hinckley now and reallocate the subsidy on a short term basis to renewables? The success of renewables has surprised critics. They now account for 25% of UK consumption. Portugal achieved 100% for a period of a few weeks earlier this year. Germany achieved close to 100% during a day last May. When the London array with its 175 turbines 3.6 MW turbines was first planned a capacity factor (percentage of theoretical maximum actually generated) of 26% was estimated. Now it has been in operation for a year we discover that it’s actually 45% and 2,500 GWh/ yr is generated. Goodbye Hinckley! 15

OAK FAIR

Main sponsor Dike and Son, Stalbridge Saturday & Sunday (10am-5pm)

27th and 28th August 2016 A great day out for the whole family!

www.stockgaylard.com

Farmer Dixon Smallholding School A week-long training course covering: Keeping Poultry, Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Cattle, Bees; Land Management and associated Tractors, Tools and Machinery

1st - 7th October 2016 | £395/person | £770/couple Price includes tuition, home cooked lunches, afternoon tea & cakes, refreshments & full information pack to take away Come and learn in a friendly relaxed environment with plenty of opportunity to ask questions & handle the animals - Located in Devon Tel: 01837 810274 | Email: [email protected] | Twitter: @southyeoeast | www.southyeofarm.co.uk

16

Diversification

Moor View Alpacas When gym owner Emma Collison decided to buy a farm in 2011 with partner and university theatre technician Stuart Gillinghurst the majority of their friends questioned their reasoning. But five years on and they are adding even more strings to their alpaca farm bow. Initially, Emma kept the gym going alongside the running of the 10.5 acre farm home to pigs, chickens and 16 alpacas. But she soon found that trying to keep piglets under her work desk and feeding them every two hours was not very practical. After a rethink she devoted herself to the farm full-time, while Stuart continued with his day-job at the University of Plymouth alongside his farm commitments. Emma drew on their mothers’ knitting skills to sell alpaca knitwear and bespoke made bedding, but she realised they would need to take a further step on their diversification journey to make the business sustainable. “We started looking into alpaca meat as a way of diversifying as there didn’t seem to be many people doing it,” said Emma. “We culled one of our older males and had our butcher turn him into sausages. We shared them out between friends and family and took them to a few farmers markets and we were quickly culling more. It was very popular with our customers because of its leanness and low in cholesterol properties, so we started marketing it at shows and events and got featured at the BBC Good Food Show in 2014 and it just flew. “The meat has taken off and has been going very well and we also launched our hot food stand in St Ives this year and it’s gone down really well. We also took the stand with our alpaca burgers to the Bath and West Show and we are also doing two Foodie Festivals in Blackheath and Oxford.” But it is not all about food – the couple are keen to promote alpacas as an all round animal. They still produce their popular knitwear, bedding and skins and this year will be launching a new line of baby knitwear under their Moor Baby brand.

And an appearance on Channel 4’s The Hotel didn’t hurt business either, which hilariously saw Emma lead an alpaca into a lift and through the restaurant. A television appearance also led to the arrival of some of the other residents on the farm when Emma became enraptured with Valais Blacknose sheep - deemed ‘the world’s cutest sheep’ after spotting them on BBC Countryfile. “I knew then they were something special but I kept it quiet, which for anyone who knows me was really hard,” she said. “I did the research found someone who had some and got the ball rolling in February 2014 and I became the first person in the UK to import them and became the biggest breeder in the UK.” The couple have even been featured on Countryfile themselves, as well the farm making appearances on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and a number of radio programmes such as the BBC Listening Project. But it has not always been plain sailing for the pair, who have lived on site in a mobile home while they jumped through hoops in a bid to be granted planning permission to build their dream home within the farm grounds. After many years of demonstrating their robust business plan and proving its success they were finally granted permission in October of last year to build an eco house into the ground with a large glass frontage and a grass roof that will allow them to still graze their livestock around them. “Without diversifying and finding unique options for us we wouldn’t have managed it,” said Emma. “Diversification is so important these days and we are still doing it, we are launching our own knitwear brand and moving into hot food too. As well as working with the beautiful animals we have and building a house. But what I enjoy most is sitting in the field watching the sheep and alpacas roam around me or come for cuddles. It’s the best decision I have ever made its hard work but it’s a lifestyle choice and I wouldn’t go anywhere else. Well for now anyway.” 17

livestock

Sheep handling

by Gillian Dixon

It’s a rare sheep that will let you walk up to it in the field, catch it and administer unto it. Once a group of sheep get wind of the fact you are about to ‘do’ things to them, they are usually off to the far side of the field facing you stamping their feet with disdain and are not readily caught. To ease the process, some form of handling system is required into which the sheep can be coaxed or pushed (with or without dog) and shut in, to enable the shepherd to tend to feet, administer worming drenches, vaccinations, to dag them, remove caught brambles from their fleece etc. When starting out with perhaps five or ten sheep, a few hurdles in the corner of a field could be all that is needed to create a pen to shut in the sheep. With a bit of effort, in just a week or two, they can be trained to go willingly into the pen by feeding just a handful of ewe nuts in a trough there. They will become comfortable being in an enclosed area with you around them so on the day you need to catch one, it shouldn’t be too difficult. As flock numbers grow, however, more advanced systems may be more appropriate, all designed to minimise stress on the sheep and to make the shepherd’s life easier. These range from portable hurdles with smooth bases that are designed to be pulled around a group of sheep in the field, to purpose made ‘trombone’ handling corrals located either in a building, field corner or in the farmyard. As our flock at home has grown, we’ve added pieces of equipment every year as we can afford to and the labour 18

saved quickly pays back. These are some of the different sheep handling equipment that can be used. A ‘race’ A race comprises solid sided hurdles, usually made of galvanised steel, forming a sheep-wide chute that obscure the sheep’s vision to the side, encouraging them to follow their mate up ahead in a straight line as they fear being left on their own and can see the exit at the far end. The race can be one hurdle long (8ft) or longer depending on the space you have available. It is high enough that most sheep cannot jump out, but you can still lean over and work on the sheep, check tags, apply pour-ons, inject etc. and it is narrow enough that most cannot turn around and head back where they came from causing a blockage. If the flock has foot problems, they can be treated en-masse by placing a footbath (usually rigid plastic) containing treatment solution in the race and the flock encouraged to stand or walk through it. Leading into/out of the race are different types of control gate, falling into two categories. First, a guillotine gate that can be controlled by the operator some distance away by pulling on a long rope to slide the gate up to allow sheep in, or down to stop sheep already in the race from backing out. Exiting the race there is usually some form of shedding gate that swings from side to side. As sheep pass through the race, the shepherd can open/close the gate in two or three

directions quickly separating different groups of sheep; for example, at weaning time, lambs can be sent one way and ewes another in a matter of minutes. A curved pen with a sweep gate can be installed to ease sheep into the race with no corners for them to escape or turn back. Again these are usually solid sided to encourage the sheep forward where they can see a route of escape. Weigh scales are a must whether you have a race to insert them into or not. The basic construction is a suspended cage into which a sheep is shut and then weighed by pulling a lever to raise the cage. Weigh scales enable the shepherd to monitor growth rates, determine when lambs are ready to go ‘off’ and to weigh animals to determine correct dosage for medications. Docking crate or headlock Often I am working alone with the sheep and they are difficult to control while docking (dagging, crutching, all the same thing, trimming wool from around the tails) so having some means of restraining the ewe in a headlock saves hours of struggle. Various brands are available that bolt into your race. Alternatives to a headlock are newly available clamps; Ritchey manufactures a ‘combi clamp’ which restrains the sheep in an upright position by gently squeezing the animal allowing you access to feet, tail, head, back etc. with minimal of stress. I saw it demonstrated at the Devon County Show and was most impressed, but fear that with a flock of mixed breeds and sizes, it would involve extra sorting to ensure batches of similar sized sheep went through together before width adjustments are made between groups. Turnover crates With just 10-20 sheep this may not be worth the investment, but with larger flocks a turnover device that securely holds the ewe, rolls her onto her back for you to tend to feet can save both time and one’s own back; let’s face it, none of us are getting any younger! Instead of catching and turning each sheep, often in a

crowd with horned sheep shooting past and mucky feet to contend with, a turnover lifts the animals’ feet to a manageable height in the light allowing quick assessment of what needs doing. They don’t work well for smaller breeds and care must be taken with horned breeds that they don’t become caught up. Portable handling systems Many farmers have sheep not just on their own farm but also in rented fields, often miles away from home, and need some way of catching and corralling sheep when in distant fields. I first saw portable hurdles being used when at the Cotswold Farm Park several years ago, but they have become increasingly common. The hurdles link together in a string that can quickly be pulled around a group of sheep and made ever smaller to contain them without catching on the turf and bursting apart like conventional hurdles. They work best on flat ground and are expensive, but make life an awful lot easier in remote locations. There are several main manufacturers of the above systems and equipment, so do your research before investing. In no particular order, take a look at: • IAE: www.iae.co.uk • Bateman: www.lmbateman.co.uk • Prattley handling systems available through Ritchey: www.ritchey.co.uk/prattley-animal-management • Ritchie: www.ritchie-d.co.uk • Alligator mobile handling: www.coxagri.com/livestockequipment/alligator-mobile-sheep-handling-system • Rappa: www.rappamobileyards.co.uk Some are available from agricultural merchants such as Mole Avon/Valley, Cornwall Farmers, Bridgeman’s or Maunders, others directly from the manufacturer so ring around to compare prices. Visit some of the agricultural shows this summer to compare features to see what you do/don’t think will work for you. Ian and Gillian Dixon farm near Okehampton and run introductory courses for smallholders. Their next sheep course is 23rd July. See www.southyeofarm. co.uk or follow them on Twitter @southyeoeast. Thanks to John Duncan of Westland Countryside Stewards for discussing his experiences using portable handling systems 19

WORKING DOG FOOD WIN A YEAR’S SUPPLY OF COUNTRYWIDE WORKING DOG FOOD Countrywide, the leading supplier of products and services to the rural community, has teamed up with thelandsman to offer its readers the chance to win a year’s supply of its new working dog food, worth over £300. The five varieties of Countrywide Working Dog are available in 15kg bags and provide balanced proteins, carbohydrates and nutrients to ensure a long and happy working life for active dogs, including farm and gun dogs. rwas.wales

To enter simply email your contact details to [email protected] with your answer to this question:

#RoyalWelshShow #SioeFrenhinolCymru

e4707 Petersens RWAS Summer ad 81.5x124mm.indd 1

Countrywide Working Dog Food comes in which size bags?

6/8/16 5:50 PM

A) 15kg

B) 25kg

C) 35kg

The Working Horse Centre D E V O N

Come and learn how to use sustainable, renewable (and fun!) real horse power on your small holding or farm. Single day courses start at £70 and courses can be tailored to your needs and interests. We also sell working cobs for small holders and can break and train horses for work, carriage driving and riding. Suitable for all ages, gift vouchers available! Call Mike Paddock: 07986 294075 or Email: [email protected] 20

Countrywide offers a wide range of dog food and accessories - from natural diets and advanced dog food to dog beds, health products and expert advice. For more information on finding your nearest store, or to buy online, visit countrywidefarmers.co.uk. One entry per household. Closing date is 19 August 2016. Please include in your entry if you do not want Countrywide to use your personal data to contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with info about products or services. The winner can collect one or two bags at a time and must collect the food from one of the Countrywide Stores.

veterinary practise

Goats - a sheep without a fleece? Although closely related to the sheep, the goat has many important characteristics that set it apart. To begin with, the goat is a browser preferring to eat from trees and bushes rather than graze grass like the sheep. This preference for feeding above the ground means that forcing the goat to graze grass can have important health implications. When grazing, goats will pick up worms as sheep do, but unlike sheep they have a poor resistance to worms and are unable to build up immunity over time. This makes it crucial that when grazing goats you keep your stocking density low, rotate pastures and have a responsible worming strategy to keep worm levels minimal. Though grass can make up the majority of a goats diet, grass or alfalfa hay works just as well. The key when making up the diet for the goat is ensuring that forage, whatever it may be, makes up almost all of it (more than 90%). Many owners will add pellets into the diet and, if fed sparingly, these are a good source of vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, it is common for goats to be overfed with pellets causing digestive upset as well as obesity which will predispose to arthritis later in life. The pellets should also be specifically designed for goats as they require some minerals to be in certain ratios. Excessive feeding of pellets, especially the wrong type, will increase the risk of bladder stones, a condition which can be disastrous if they lodge themselves in the urinary tract. Signs of a goat suffering from this condition will include straining with no urine being produced as well as obvious discomfort; if this is at all suspected then speak to your vet as soon as possible. Vaccines also play a vital part in maintaining your goat’s health. A number of vaccines can be used to prevent disease in goats, the recommended minimum requirement being to vaccinate against a group of diseases caused

by Ben Barber, Synergy Farm Health

by clostridia. Similar to their response against worms, goats also develop a poor immune response to vaccines; because of this it is often advised to vaccinate twice as frequently (twice a year instead of annually), as well as favour vaccines with fewer components e.g. 4 in 1 vaccine instead of 7 in 1. Please discuss any vaccination plans with your vet before proceeding.

Pet pigs? Small flock? Rare breed?

01935 83682

• Meet other smallholders • Share, Discuss & Learn at vet run workshops • Save when you vaccinate • Vet visit and health plan outline • Smallholder specific seasonal newsletter Call us or e-mail us to discuss how being a member could benefit you, and your animals!

Email: [email protected]

www.synergyfarmhealth.com 21

109th Okehampton Show Charity No. 1130942

STOP it Naturally with

Stoney Park Showground Okehampton

.Ruggle-it equine • pet • farm • human • plant

1 Product - 18 Issues 100% Natural Vegetable Oil Mix + Ultra Mild Soap-Free Shampoo NO Tea Tree or Harsh Chemicals

Mystery Itching • Mites • Itchy Pets/Paws/Ears • Mud & Wet-weather Issues • Flies/Midges/Mossies • Fleas/Lice/ Ticks • Itchy Manes/Tails • Scurf and/or Irritated Skin • Fungus • Hair Loss/Crusty Lumps • Head Lice • Aphids...

•“Ruggle-it's long-lasting & saves me a fortune” • “Dog & cat's hair grew back, they've no fleas & it saves buying spot-ons!”

• “Horse's mud issues, chicken mites + head lice gone” • “Midges do U-turns & no fly rugs needed” • “A1 for Alpaca Mites & hair loss” • “No ticks!” • “100% versatile” Recommended by Vets Beat HEALTH issues naturally equine • pet • farm • human

Vitamin D • Joint care • Flu/Colds • Immunes • Skin issues • Protexin Probiotics • Stress • OM3 oils & Green Lipped Mussel • Superfood Green Barley Grass • Pet Treats • Digestion • Skincare

[email protected] | 01837 659965

www.okehamptonshow.co.uk

www.karenruggles.co.uk |

Ruggles

& Stopitall

01823 259952

Ltd – utilising the Power of Nature

Moor View Alpacas FarmSkills Approved Practical Courses & Workshops 6th July – Bovine Lameness 1st Aid Workshop 11th July – Dairy Professional Day 12th July – 1 day Grinder Course 18th July – Mastitis Prevention and Control Workshop 28th July – Practical Calving Course 1st & 2nd August – 2 Day Cattle Foot Trimming More Coming Soon...

Contact us for more information on:

www.raftsolutions.co.uk/our-courses E: [email protected] T: 01935 83682 facebook.com/raftsolutions

22

twitter.com/rafttraining

Moor View Alpacas, situated in the bleak Bodmin Moor. We rear quality Alpacas for fleece and for meat, as well as being the Original breeders of the Valais Blacknose sheep in the UK. We pride ourselves on good quality livestock and produce to the highest welfare standards.

We produce beautifully made Bedding, knitwear and yummy meat from our animals. www.moorviewalpacas.com | @moorviewalpacas www.valaisblacknosesheepuk.com

Poultry

© Toms Hen Houses www.tomshenhouses.co.uk

Hen pen security fencing by Pammy Riggs Keeping domestic birds is a challenge at the best of times. I have seen farmyards full of a marvellous array of fowl, strutting peacocks, shimmying their massive tail feathers, alongside turkey stags and hens gobble gobble-ing for attention, tail feathers up and wings down in show-off mode (unable to compete except in song with fellow farmyard mate, the Peacock, but trying his hardest). Sharing the yard are the smaller but equally beautifully coloured cockerels, suited and booted in myriad hues and textures; hens with and without an attached brood; and both Muscovy and everyday ducks scattered here and there, in the hedge, under trees and up the trees, dust-bathing in piles of leaves and undergrowth. Crowing, gobbling, screeching clucking and quacking – all finding their place within the hierarchy. Just what a farmyard should look and sound like and all fowl running free, free, free! I have never experienced this farmyard at dusk when the menagerie decides where they will roost for the night. Perhaps each has a secure pen, locked door and safe fencing to hide behind, or it may be that their free-to-roam lifestyle has taught them to take refuge in the tallest trees and highest rafters of the coppices, sheds and barns around the place. Whichever it is, this is a busy farm with people and tractors coming and going all day. Crouching feral cats scatter from the undergrowth and I am confident there are free range dogs whose business it is to guard the domestic fowl when not herding sheep or cattle. Woe betide any fox coming near these precious charges. For those with a few chickens in the garden and a job or education to attend to, it is not a feasible option to be leaving Hatty, Henrietta and Hermione the Hens roaming totally free as in the above scenario. So how is it possible to strike a balance whereby your garden flock of birds can be safe and yet have access to a fresh bite of grass from time to time? Immobile ‘Fort Knox’ chicken enclosures, whilst looking pretty before the hens are established, soon take on a ravished and sour look and cost a pretty penny to set up. Electric fencing is a flexible option. Disadvantages can be enumerated thus: expensive to buy in the first place and requiring an energiser (which supplies the pulses of electric ‘shock’ to the actual fence). The source of electric can be either mains or battery. With perfectly mown

perimeters and a constant supervision order placed upon it, there is still the possibility of a fox with a decent spring in his tail leaping over and attacking the hens. Of course, if money is no barrier, then walk-in covered runs, like a giant fruit cage, are now available and a fantastic boon to both man and bird. I favour an economical option for small garden flock, which allows that all important rotation over the ground, a free-range approach and interest for the hens and can be used within the not-quite-perfectly-flat garden whilst maintaining safety as its key objective. It does need regular attention, but then so does keeping any animal, hens being no exception, and making a mental check list – to water, feed, collect eggs and check fencing – is an excellent habit for animal keepers to adopt. So, what is this marvellous hen pen? A simple chicken ark with attached covered run, small enough not to break the bank, strongly built with stout handles to withstand being heaved around single-handed, designed for ease of access and cleaning by humans, but secure enough to stop crafty foxes finding a weak spot. The real pièce de résistance (literally meant, to resist fox attack), is a clever apron of chicken wire attached part way up the walls of the run, with length enough to be bent at right angles outwards along the ground for 18 or so inches. This can easily be pegged down strategically to accommodate any bumps or lumps on the ground and gives the much needed protection from foxes which can easily dig under normal compound walls. Before attaching the chicken wire, think it through. I have successfully helped secure hen pens in this manner with some niftily placed cable ties and pegs left over from a ruined tent. Foxes, known to live in a lair just yards away have not been able to breach these defences. Haha fox, find your dinner elsewhere, we have eggs to eat! 23

making a country living

Working Horse Centre

by Stephen Davy-Osborne

Having previously worked in marine conservation studying dolphins and turtles, Ellie Taylor decided she wanted to focus on something more land based that would embody her love of a sustainable way of life. Less than a year after ploughing her love of horsepower into a farm in Devon, she and partner Mike Paddock have found their skills are highly in demand by those who share their passion for equine-led farming. This summer they are preparing to share their expertise with even more smallholders keen to work the land by more traditional means. In October of last year the pair established The Working Horse Centre at Highampton in West Devon. They manage the farm using a combination of modern and traditional horse-drawn machinery, a method that many thought they had seen the last of with the advent of ever bigger tractors. But far from it: the use of working horses to farm the countryside has enjoyed a notable resurgence as more and more people seek to take advantage of the benefits of such a way of working. “We have seen quite a rise in the number of people 24

who are interested in using traditional horsepower instead of tractors, obviously because it is a sustainable and renewable method of working the land and you don’t have to put fossil fuels into the horses” said Ellie. “We manage our 35 acres entirely using a team of horses. Our main aim is to be self-sufficient, but recently the centre seems to have taken on a life of its own. We haven’t advertised yet but we have had a lot of interest through word of mouth so there is obviously quite a demand for it.

making a country living “What we have at the moment is a two acre market garden where people can come and take part in training courses and taster days when they can learn how to do farming work using horse-drawn methods. At this time of year our horses are busy managing the vegetable garden and hoeing weeds. We do also sell working cobs to people with their own smallholdings and break and train horses for work, carriage driving and riding.” They also offer their services to a number of local shoots and hunts, using the horses with a specially modified tool that keeps the bracken down low. This summer they also expect to be making their own hay, using a conventional New Holland bailer behind an I and J Amish horse cart, which uses ground drive to power tractor machinery. This combines horsepower with modern day advances in technology. Mike was the first to complete an apprenticeship with the British Horse Loggers around seven years ago and was employed by the Duchy of Cornwall as their horse farm worker. Ellie, meanwhile, had a degree in conservation biology, which she had taken due to a real interest in sustainability. This saw her put her skills to use with a local wildlife trust monitoring dolphins and whales off the Cornish coast. She has also worked in far sunnier climes, carrying out other conservation projects in Greece and Costa Rica. Ellie first learnt to carriage drive at 14 and has previously worked on farms with Suffolk Punch draught horses. Now she is using her desire for a more sustainable future to drive their new venture forward, and using their 30 horses to share this with those who also want to learn more self-reliant methods of working the land.

“It’s bizarre that eight calories of fuel go into every calorie of food produced in this country – it’s a scary thought” she said. “I think a lot of people are now interested in going back to a local community level. Many of our customers are buying horses for things like community facilitated agriculture projects. These are the sort of projects where there is a lot of local involvement and they want to reduce outside input and be selfsufficient in what they do. People concerned about soil compaction and those keen to improve soil conditions are also turning to horsepower.” This summer they are branching out further and expanding on the courses they offer at their Highampton farm, with the first one taking place from 25 July to 29 July and a second course between 15 August and 19 August. “The course is a hands-on course, where you’ll learn how to use horses on your holding, in lieu of a tractor” said Ellie. “We will be focusing on market gardening and work in the woods.” But the best thing about working the land with horses, as Ellie explains, is being out in the quiet of the countryside. “I am probably used to it by now” she said. “But it is really nice to be working the vegetable patches, which are down by the river, so sometimes we see a kingfisher pop up and we’re right next to the moor so we often see the red deer as well.” No prior experience is necessary for their courses, which cost £400. For more details or to book a place call 07896 294075, or email mike_paddock@hotmail. co.uk. They also run one day taster courses, for anyone that wants to give horsepower a try, for £70.

25

HALSE of HONITON

SALES • SERVICE • SPARES Independent Specialists

01404 42121 West End, Honiton, Devon EX14 1JZ www.halse.co.uk email [email protected]

The Machinery Specialists Sawing logs made easy – and safe! The

Hakki Pilke Eagle at £1795 +Vat

Logging Bench c/w Screw Splitter

The

Hakki Pilke OH27 GREAT SEASONAL OFFERS STORE NOW! UnitIN 1A, Weycroft Avenue, Unit 1A, Weycroft Avenue, Millway Rise, Axminster, Millway Rise, Axminster, EX13 5HU EX13 5HU Tel: 01297 631186 Tel: 01297 631186 www.axminstergardenmachinery.co.uk www.axminstergardenmachinery.co.uk

WIN A PAIR OF HAIX® BLACK EAGLE ADVENTURE BOOTS FOR A QUALITY SUMMER IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS This Summer HAIX® is giving you the chance to win a pair of Black Eagle Adventure boots, perfect for a comfortable day in the great outdoors. For a chance of winning a pair of HAIX® Black Eagle Adventure boots available in either flame red, sky blue or poison green, simply send your answer to the following question, with your name, address, contact details, shoe size and chosen colour to [email protected]

26

at £5495 + Vat

combines sawing and splitting with an unloading conveyor Higher specification models as well as log splitters, wood chippers and timber winches also available

Contact Philip Halse and Mark Tucker on 01404 42121

HAIX® footwear is produced worldwide, in the US, Asia and Europe, but in which country is HAIX® HQ based? A) Austria

B) Germany

C) Italy

To find out more about HAIX® footwear, visit www.haix. co.uk, find us on Facebook by searching for HAIX Global or following us on Twitter @HaixGlobal One entry per household. Closing date is 19 August 2016. Please include in your entry if you do not want HAIX® to use your personal data to contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with info about products or services.

equipment

Tractor to implement connections by Ian Dixon

Now you have bought your dream tractor and tootled about on it for a few months, you probably ought to get down to some actual work with it and this means connecting it to something. The most obvious and easiest to understand is the humble trailer. There are three main methods of connecting a trailer to your tractor. The first is with the jaw drawbar and this will involve a pin with a lynch pin at the bottom of it to stop it bouncing out. The trailer will most likely have a ring on the end of the drawbar for the pin to fit through although it will be somewhat of a loose fit. This method requires the trailer ring to be at the correct height to go into the jaw and as such will usually be fitted with some form of screw jack which can be wound fully up when the trailer is in use. Your second option is a pickup hitch. This will have a large hook which can be lowered whilst operating from the tractor seat so you can pick up the trailer as it rests on a shoe fitted on the underside of the drawbar. This is much quicker but it needs a bit of skill to get the hook lined up with the ring as most of this activity usually happens just underneath the tractor out of view. Some modern tractors now have push out pick up hitches so you can see the hook and it makes hitching up easier. To me this is a bit like gas barbeques and electric carving knives where the true skill is taken out of the operation and when you’ve missed the ring once or twice you’ll take a bit more care next time. Thirdly is connecting using a ball hitch. For now, I’m referring to the 50mm variety not the 80mm which is gaining in popularity. The pin which is used with the jaw drawbar can be bought with a 50mm ball on the top. These come in three weight ratings – 1250kg, 2000kg and 3000kg. These ratings only apply with the supplied nuts fully done up and the safety pin installed. So how many of us actually knew these pins have a rating? The jaw drawbar might have to be turned upside down to reduce the height of the ball too. When connecting the safety wire to the tractor, hook it onto something solid rather than looping it over the pin. Moving on now to the three point linkage designed by Harry Ferguson in 1930s and still used today on any sized tractor. This device allows an implement to be lifted, carried and lowered into work at the correct height using the tractor hydraulics while it is attached to the tractor via the link arms. The method of connection is with two ball ended arms and an adjustable ball ended link (in the middle)

forming the top connection (top link). The implement will be fitted with either small or large pins, or perhaps both and these are known as category 1 (22.5mm diameter) and category 2 (29mm diameter). These are the two standard sizes for low to medium horsepower tractors, with a large hook option on larger tractors. Ironically this requires you to buy category 2 balls and put them on the pins of the implement before you can use the hooks. On the right hand lifting rod will be a levelling box which lengthens or shortens the rod to allow the implement to be carried level, and the top link is adjustable for front to back tilt of the implement. Stabiliser bars or chains are fitted from the lift arms to points on the rear axle ends forming a triangle with link arms reducing the sideways sway of the implement, important when travelling on the road or over rough ground. Usually two chains are fitted from a centre point on the tractor to the link arms and these are to prevent the arms catching the wheels when not in use. They are not stabiliser chains. While older tractors have the ability to lift several hundred kilos, sometimes enough to make the front wheels come off the ground, newer tractors have such advanced hydraulic systems that they can, in theory, lift their own weight. There is however a stability issue here with too much weight being carried too high and tyres not inflated to cope with the weight or ground conditions which can be too steep or undulating. If it looks unsafe don’t risk it, take some of the weight off or find another way. So there you go… off to the farm sale to get some implements then. 27

British built trailers, carts, sprayers, water units, equestrian management machinery and much more

Contact your local dealer or call now for your FREE copy of the brochure 01473 328272 Email [email protected] www.schsupplies.co.uk

BLAMPHAYNE SAWMILLS LTD Timber Merchant, Building and Fencing Supplies and Gate Manufacturers based in Honiton, Devon. We offer a wide range of products ranging from Entrance Gates, Field & Garden Gates, Timber for the building trade, Sheet materials, Flooring and all types of Fencing across Devon, Somerset, Cornwall and the entire South Coast. For more info or to get a quote,

call us on 01404 851 357 or email [email protected]

Iron Bridge | Gittisham | Honiton | Devon | EX14 3AN

VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.BLAMPHAYNESAWMILLS.CO.UK 28

fieldwork

The killing fields by Jeremy Hobson A recent photo on Twitter showed horse droppings quite literally linked together by a piece of rusting chain which had obviously been ingested by the animal concerned. Fortunately, all was well as the foreign object had obviously passed safely through the stomach and intestinal tracts – but others might not be so lucky. It is vitally important to keep fields and gardens clean of baler twine, plastic bags and even discarded chewing gum, which song birds have been known to try and ingest. Get into a weekly routine of wandering round your property and picking up anything that may be potentially harmful to both domestic animals and wildlife; it’s surprising what can materialise within a few days. Balloons released as promotions miles away can end up in the field edges and, once burst, can be eaten by livestock out of curiosity or – and one can only imagine how they manage it – trapped around the head, neck and body of song birds. That bane of modern rural living, the sky lantern, is another potential hazard and, until the day comes when it is illegal to release them, it’s essential that any are immediately removed so that none of their many components can cause harm. To find out more, just Google ‘ban sky lanterns’ and take a look at one of the many websites and organisations devoted to making the public aware of their danger.

Discarded baler twine unravels and the tiny strands can (and do) so easily get wrapped around the legs of birds such as pheasant and partridge – and around those of song birds who pick it up and use it as nesting material. Look out for naturally occurring potential problems too. Ragwort is a toxic plant which poses a potential threat to many forms of livestock (although deer are supposedly less prone to its ill effects than are domestic livestock). Contrary to popular opinion, it is not illegal to have it growing on your land but the likes of the Weeds Act 1959 and the Ragwort Control Act 2003 give local authorities the power to order its control in specific areas. No matter what the circumstances, such plants should never be allowed to grow unchecked; whilst there are weedkillers which will destroy them, the simplest remedy is often to pull them up and burn them. Tradition has it that yews were grown in churchyards as, at the time they were planted, such places were the only areas likely to have been fenced and the trees thus protected against livestock. In reality, livestock tends to have an inherent knowledge that even a few mouthfuls of yew leaves could prove fatally poisonous (due to taxines) and tend to steer well clear. Interestingly, deer and rabbits seem able to develop a resistance by continually eating small amounts whilst pheasants and similar suffer no ill effects from eating the berries because it is only the seed contained within the berry that is poisonous and birds tend to swallow the whole thing. Fly-tipping, as well as being an eyesore to all, can also cause problems to livestock and there have been cases where garden rubbish thrown over a farm fence or gate has contained vegetation that subsequently proved fatal. As actor Kevin Whately so succinctly said in a recent interview: “I wish more people would take care of the countryside.” 29

Dulford CONSERVATION, RURAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS TRAINING CREST offers a whole range of short courses covering wildlife and conservation topics, plus techniques for studying our wonderful environment. These include Flora of the UK, Invertebrate Identification; Woodland Ecology - and MANY others. We can also provide bespoke courses for groups by arrangement.

FOR FURTHER INFO ON ANY OF THESE COURSES, PLEASE CALL CREST ON: 07484 605962 OR EMAIL US ON: [email protected] OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE ON WWW.CRESTDEVON.CO.UK

Nurseries

Specialist Tree & Shrub Growers Growers & suppliers of the widest range of Native & Ornamental Trees Shrubs & Hedging in the West Country Many varieties, including rarities, in many sizes For directions & a visit with expert and friendly advice

Tel: 01884 266361

Free catalogue or view it on www.dulford-nurseries.co.uk Dulford Nurseries, Dulford, Cullompton, Devon EX15 2BY

RAINWATER PRODUCTS LTD

SUPPLIERS TO AGRICULTURE AND BUILDING INDUSTRY TUFFA POLYETHYLEN WATER STORAGE TANKS 1000LTRS TO 20000LTR FROM £190.00 THIS MONTHS SPECIAL OFFER 20000LTR WATER TANKS £1675.00 6000LTR WATER STORAGE TANK £650.00

TUFFA BUNDED OIL TANKS & FUEL STATIONS THIS MONTHS SPECIAL OFFER 1345LTR BUNDED OIL TANK £725.00 1400 LTR FUEL STATION £975.00 WE ALSO SUPPLY FIRE PROTECTION OIL TANKS

MARSH SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS 4 - 50 PERSON SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS PUMPED AND GRAVITY OUTLET FROM £1395.00 THIS MONTHS SPECIAL OFFER 6 PERSON FOR £1600.00

MARSH SEPTIC TANKS FROM 2800 TO 20000LTR CAPACITY FROM £475.00 THIS MONTHS SPECIAL OFFER 3800LTR SEPTIC TANK WITH LID £685.00

WE ALSO SUPPLY UNDERGROUND RAINWATER STORAGE TANKS FROM 1000LTR TO 30000LTR PUMP CHAMBERS GREASE SEPARATORS ADBLUE TANKS FIRE PROTECTION OIL TANKS WASTE OIL TANKS POTABLE WATER TANKS MOLASSES TANKS CESSPOOLS

T. 01884 881782 | E. [email protected] | www.rainwaterproducts.com TIVERTON | DEVON | EX16 8DW | ALL PRICES ARE PLUS VAT AND DELIVERY

30

gardening

Low maintenance coastal and dry gardens by Sally Gregson

Many plants are just like us gardeners. Some enjoy basking in the sun. Others prefer the cool shade. And just like us, if they are sent to live in the wrong climate, they are utterly miserable. If your garden faces south and your soil is well-draining, plants such as ferns, hydrangeas and primroses struggle to survive. Whereas those with silvery or very thin leaves are adapted to live in dry soils and the harsh glare of the sun. On hot dry plots, gardeners could use litres and litres of precious water keeping unsuitable plants alive, or they could follow the experience of that great gardener, Beth Chatto. In the early nineties she famously decided to turn her car park into a gravel garden. It was in full sun, the soil was thin and sandy and the rainfall on the eastern side of the country, where she lives, is very low. Beth and her team set about preparing the area by incorporating tonnes of organic matter into the soil to give everything a good start, then they planted suitable plants, and watered them in well. And then they left them alone. ‘Sink or swim’ is not quite the correct phrase. The following summer the whole country experienced a drought. Beth soon learned which plants survived, and which did not, the hard way. The background trees were already in situ, but she added larger shrubs such as the coastal Elaeagnus x ebbingei and Griselinia littoralis and the lower growing Phillyrea latifolia and Osmanthus x burkwoodii that would filter drying winds. Within their shelter she could have chosen unusual smaller shrubs such as Corokia cotoneaster with its zig-zag black stems and leaves, or the startling Pseudopanax ferox like an upside-down lavatory brush. Each is best planted to show off its bizarre outline above perhaps a carpet of silvery pinks (dianthus) or Lambs’ Ears (Stachys lanata). Smaller but short-lived shrubs from the Mediterranean such as lavenders, santolinas or cistus are often planted in dry conditions. They all need not just the sun, but good drainage if they are to withstand the wet of our winter rains as well as the freezing temperatures. Rosemary is especially good in the sea air. Its generic name, ‘Ros-marinus’, means ‘dew of the sea’ (nothing to do with roses). The airy and pretty shrub tamarix also thrives in poor soil by the sea. There are two varieties. The one, T. gallica bears coral-pink flowers in early summer, the other, T. ramosissima later into early autumn. In hot climates what we consider to be wonderfully

exotic are often used in shade or as ground cover. Agapanthus is a case in point. In a sunny, well drained site here in the UK, agapanthus will thrive in the ground and produce stands of glorious blue or white umbels. Choose those that are herbaceous rather than those that are ‘evergreen’. They will withstand the winter ice better if their leaves are tucked up tight. Flowering salvias also dislike winter wet. Many are small sub-shrubs that come from Texas and Mexico and are becoming increasingly fashionable, especially for late summer pots. But in a sunny situation they could be planted out to bring a flash of scarlet or sharp blue to a well-drained border. Try the new S. ‘Amistad’ for a hit of royal blue and black and S. confertiflora with its vertical, vermilion syringes for a shot in the arm. These could be woven through with sun-loving grasses, such as Stipa gigantea with tall 2m awns that wave in the breeze above a 30cm high clump of ‘grass’. Or try a named variety of Festuca glauca for blue or lemon yellow hedgehogs. Or perhaps bronze fennel would lend a feathery lightness to the border to set off all those blues and red. At a lower level towards the front of the border Anthemis tinctoria ‘E.C. Buxton’ makes tumps of lemon daisies in early summer, while sea hollies (eryngium), sedums and lower-growing Aster thomsonii ‘Nanus’ could follow with late summer flowers. The plantings would benefit from a mulch of coarse grit and the paths could be gravelled. The border would need very little watering once it was established. And all this would glory in the light, heat, and sunshine of that ‘Mediterranean’ summer they’re always forecasting. 31

Rose Festival 6 June – 10 July Late Evenings 7, 14 & 21 July until 9pm

STUNNING GARDENS & AMAZING EVENTS

Vintage Weekend 23 – 24 July Rocket Science Summer Holidays 23 July – 29 August The Artist’s Garden Exhibition 2 – 18 September

Great Torrington, Devon. Tel: 01805 624067 Book tickets online at rhs.org.uk/rosemoor and save 10%. RHS Members go free RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262

Thornhayes nursery

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS GROWING IN DEVON

£5,280

inc VAT

Buy direct from the nursery Monday to Saturday. Visit us for our arboretum, fruit, ornamental and hedging demonstration areas and our expert advice Full range of ornamental, fruit and hedging trees, plus select range of shrubs Consultancy from Kevin on all aspects of planting and land management Buy online or by phone, friendly advice always given

T. 01884 266746 | thornhayes-nursery.co.uk Dulford | Cullompton | Devon | EX15 2DF

Woodland and countryside management •

Tree planting and woodland management

Please contact your local team for friendly, helpful advice

•

Parkland and estates management

Launceston: 01566 772 802 | Exeter: 01392 444 432 |

•

Meadow creation and landscaping

Bristol: 01275 464 466 | Marlborough: 01672 560 243 |

•

Invasive weed control

Blandford Forum: 01258 458 341

•

Tree surgery

Visit: southwest.glendalelocal.co.uk 32

“Established over 25 years”

gardening

Gravel gardens by Colin Knapman Mediterranean, dry gardens and coastal gardens are usually assumed to be the same thing and basically, with a few variations, they are. As many of us don’t live near the coast, without the coastal plants and features such gardens become gravel gardens. Gravel gardens are therefore a style and method of gardening where the planting and ‘gravel’ varies depending on the conditions. Traditionally, going back to the Arts and Crafts period, English gardens had a central lawn with borders of flowering perennials, shrubs and the occasional ornamental tree. There may also have been island beds within a larger lawn that acted as focal points. There would be lower ground cover plants at the front rising up to taller perennials and grasses as you progress to the back of the border, with the larger shrubs interspersed to give it some structure. The soil in between was left bare and soon attracted many weeds. They are probably still the most popular style of garden today but, however good they look, they do require high maintenance and a fair degree of expertise in maintaining interest throughout the year. Enter the gravel garden, coastal, dry or Mediterranean garden – call it what you will! Essentially this style has no lawn and a very informal planting regime. Because the ground is covered in thick gravel mulch, weeds are suppressed and it is very low maintenance. Gravel gardens (I’ll call them that for now) can be any shape or layout with planting as dense or scattered as you wish. Larger spaces enable you to walk through the area, often with stepping stones and plants can be seen up close as individual specimens. The plants need to be suitable for the soil and aspect i.e. right plant, right place and can work just as easily in a shaded area, using the appropriate plants, as on a hot sun-scorched slope. This style of garden can be used in urban spaces or on top of a moor as long as the plants and gravel are appropriate to their surroundings. But what sort of gravel, or aggregate to be more accurate, to use? For coastal gardens, pebbles are the natural choice but here in the West Country we are blessed with a wide variety of local materials, from Dorset shingle to Cotswold chippings and Cornish slate to Purbeck stone. Larger rocks and boulders add points of interest and for sheer drama, large slate monoliths, vertical oak or recycled sleepers set amongst the planting can be stunning. Further features can be added such as driftwood, old tree stumps, cast iron troughs and rusty bits of farm machinery but try not to be ‘naff’ with loads of lobster

pots and nets, say, in the middle of a woodland garden. If you enjoy a more natural style then allow the plants to self seed and spread themselves, then watch how they develop as the fittest survives. But if you like to take a more controlled approach where every plant and rock is a feature in itself then it’s best to lay a weed suppressant membrane before planting and mulching – this has a touch of Japanese style about it so you could include bamboo. Builders’ merchant and larger garden centres are your best place to start when looking for materials and they should also be able to advise you on quantities but usually a 5cm (2”) depth of gravel is about right. If you want further advice call me Colin Knapman on 01425 655038. 33

WILLOW HURDLES

taste a e v a H “ o f the e” good li f Ferrymans wide range of products and accessories give you the choice and flexibility that you want.

Our woven willow hurdles are made from willow grown on our Somerset farm and have a rustic charming character and are strong enough to create a practical, attractive fence. We offer a full range of willow hurdles, willow fence panels and willow trellis, many to collect today. Choose from our standard sizes or talk to us about our bespoke service to achieve exactly what you want for your garden. Please contact us with your requirements and we can price both the hurdles and the delivery.

Tel: 01823 490249 | Email: [email protected] Web: www.coatesenglishwillow.co.uk Coates English Willow, Meare Green Court, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton, Somerset TA3 6HY

Polytunnels • Fruit Tunnels Shade Tunnels • Polytunnel Cloches Replacement Covers Polytunnels to view by appointment FREE BROCHURE - Ferryman Polytunnels Westleigh | Morchard Road | Credition | EX17 5LS T: 01363 84948 | [email protected]

www.ferrymanpolytunnels.co.uk

01803 872124 DESIGN

CONSTRUCT

MAINTAIN

Landscape Design Hard and Soft Landscaping Grounds Maintenance Sportsfield Maintenance Weed Control

Tel: 01278 653205

www.greenslades.biz [email protected]

DGM specialists in New and Used turf and grounds care equipment USED ISEKI TXG237 Compact Tractor with Lewis loader with bucket Low Hours Hydrostatic transmission 4 Wheel Drive 48" rear discharge mid mount deck Industrial pattern tyres.

£9950.00 +VAT

Not actual machine

Main Road, Cannington, Bridgwater Bridgwater TA5 TA5 2LD 2LF

USED Danelander 5Ft Flail &Collector Little used, Excellent Condition PTO Tipping Hopper.

£3750.00 INC VAT

Good selection of Herbaceous, Roses, Rockery, Shrubs, Fruit Bushes and Trees, Vegetable and Herb Plants. AVAILABLE FROM MID AUGUST Spring bulb selection including Daffodils, Hyacinths, Tulips and Crocus etc. Autumn bedding plants including Pansies and Wall Flowers etc.

Open: Mon-Sat 9-5pm | Sunday 10-4pm

www.risingsunnurseries.co.uk 34

EX-DEMO Balfor 70cm Saw Bench

PTO driven, fits most compact tractors Tungsten Tipped Saw blade

£1345.00 INC VAT

Showroom, Parts, Hire & Service

Kerswell Gardens, Newton Road, Torquay TQ2 7HX MORE USED &NEW MACHINES AT

www.devongardenmachinery.co.uk

gardening

‘Hot’ Garden planting by Richard Wilson, Rosemoor Horticulturist Since 2008, the Hot Garden at RHS Rosemoor has been a firm favourite with our visitors. It provides a spectacular display of a multitude of perennial blooms in hues of orange, red, purple and yellow; drifted through and around subtle, complementary coloured trees and shrubs with annual ‘spot’ plantings placed to tie the whole spectacle together. The freshness and longevity of this garden is key to maintaining its attractive nature, so the basic planning for the seasonal displays begins around October with an objective assessment of the structure, plants and overall feel of the area. Key jobs are the removal and replacement of any plants that are old or maybe haven’t performed as well as expected; the lifting, dividing and re-planting of established plants to ensure vigour and to maintain scale; and the introduction of new plants to further add to the attraction. From my experience, those most appreciated by our visitors are: • Monarda ‘Prärienacht’ and M. ‘Gardenview Scarlet’ AGM • Helenium ‘Sahin’s Early Flowerer’ AGM and H. ‘Chelsey’ • Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii AGM and R. fulgida var. sullivantii ‘Goldsturm’ AGM • Crocosmia ‘Orange Lucifer’ and C. ‘Emberglow’ Not only do these plants provide a good cross section of the main ‘hot’ colours, but are easily sourced, hardy and will thrive in almost any garden environment. Using these as a starter you can form your own hot themed area to be enjoyed every day throughout the summer and into the autumn. This year’s Hot Garden jobs include the cleaning and structural overhaul of the hard landscaping, the pollarding of our Ulmus glabra ‘Lutescens’ to maintain its

Image: © RHS/Sheila Dearing

scale within the area, the removal or reduction of some miscanthus and euphorbia to facilitate an improved view through from the lower entrance and the removal and replacement of some of our potentilla and hemerocallis.

What will you use your garden building for?

Specialising in Garden Studios, Offices, Garages, Workshops and Sheds. Call now for a brochure on 01837 82442 or visit our display, open all day every day - you will be sure of a warm welcome

www.shieldsbuildings.co.uk de Bathe Farm | North Tawton | Devon | EX20 2BE

35

gardening

Grow it, eat it I find it very comforting that of all the people I meet in the gardens at River Cottage HQ, most are growing at least a little of their own food, no matter where they live. The truth is you don’t need acres of space to grow some of your own fruit and vegetables. The food that you pick at home will inevitably be amongst the most delicious you will ever eat. Some of this is scientific – as soon as you harvest your crop, all of those lovely sugars that the plant has been producing during growth will begin to revert to starch, so the quicker you eat what you have grown, the sweeter and more delicious it will be. However, most of the enjoyment comes from that overwhelming satisfaction of success thanks to all your efforts. When choosing our own dwellings, garden space often comes secondary to the house itself, which sometimes results in less than ideal outdoor areas. This poses a few problems to the keen home grower. Your garden may not be south facing, limiting the yield and health of most food crops; it may be shadowed by a neighbour’s ghastly Leylandii hedge sucking any remaining life from your soil; or it may be infested with a hoard of neighbourhood cats digging, defecating and generally driving you to distraction. All is not lost however – there is always something you can grow successfully, despite adversity. Raised beds or pots can be the only option for growing in small spaces as they allow you to create a good soil media in the first season, avoiding the laborious task of improving what you have; sometimes in built up areas, you dig down to find only rubble and rubbish. I normally suggest building your raised beds to about seat height, 50cm or so – this will add an element of comfort to the jobs of planting, weeding and harvesting your raised bed. 36

by Will Livingstone River Cottage Make the centre of your bed arm’s length from the edge, meaning you can reach into the middle without walking on the soil, reducing compaction. Wood is usually the cheapest and easiest material to build your raised beds from, but reclaimed bricks, blocks or corrugated tin can work as well. Avoid old railway sleepers, as they can leech toxic creosote into your soil. I would suggest a blend of roughly 60% top soil and 40% compost, giving your plants a nice varied diet of mineral and organic matter. Be sure not to fill the bed up to the top as, in an ideal world, you will be adding more compost in following years. Build the raised bed directly onto bare ground, allowing worms to colonise and water to drain away, much like a well-placed compost bin. No need to line it. If you are growing in pots, make sure there are sufficient drainage holes and be aware that you will need to replenish the soil every two years or so, as nutrient depletion is inevitable. Container growing requires more care; you will need to be quite diligent with watering, as you have raised the soil surface away from natural ground level moisture. The edges of raised beds and the base of pots can be the perfect habitat for slugs and snails, so check regularly and remove. If you have limited space, grow what you use the most of. Salads, soft herbs and strawberries are a good place to start, as they have shallow, fibrous roots which respond well to container growing. Tomatoes and chillies are firm favourites for the urban kitchen gardener but will need a sheltered, sunny position in order to thrive. If you have areas of partial shade, oriental greens, chard, kale, spring onions and spinach do quite well with only 3-4 hours of sun per day.

gardening

Beetroot and walnut hummus This glorious purple concoction – a revelation for people who claim not to like beetroot, or walnuts come to that – is wonderful with crisp crudités, in a sandwich with goat’s cheese, or scooped up with flatbreads. SERVES 4 50g walnuts 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 25g stale bread, crusts removed 200g cooked beetroot (not pickled), cut into cubes 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste) 1 large garlic clove, crushed Juice of 1 lemon Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper A little olive or rapeseed oil (optional) as Mark 4 for 5-7 minutes, Put the walnuts on a baking tray and toast in an oven preheated to 180°C/G until fragrant. Leave to cool. dry fry them, shaking the pan Warm a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and should take less than a this – aroma their release and almost constantly, until they start to darken or a spice grinder. mortar and pestle a with seeds the minute, so be careful not to burn them. Crush the walnuts and blitz until Break the bread into small chunks, put in a food processor or blender with the lemon juice, a little half cumin, the of pinch good a garlic, fine. Add the beetroot, tahini, most of the paste. thick a to salt and a good grind of pepper, then blend salt and/or pepper, Taste the mixture and adjust it by adding a little more cumin, garlic, lemon, it needs it. Refrigerate think you if oil of dash a with Loosen it. blending again until you are happy with serve. to ture until required but bring back to room tempera This recipe features in ‘River Cottage Every Day’, published by Bloomsbury available from rivercottage.net

Publishing plc and

37

gardening

How to use and store your herbs Fresh herbs can transform a dish by adding depth or brightness to the flavour, as well as adding interest to the overall look. Here we share our knowledge of some of our favourite herbs, their distinctive flavours and tantalising notes, and we give you some ideas on how you might like to use them and helpfully, how to store them. Basil Basil is a delicate herb that bruises easily so treat it with care. Spicy and fresh in equal measure, basil pairs beautifully with tomatoes - raw, roasted or cooked into a sauce. To avoid it going black, store it somewhere cool rather than cold and slice the leaves with a very sharp knife, or tear them with your hands. Whizzed into a pesto, basil will keep its vibrant colour and flavour for a couple of days in the fridge if covered with a layer of oil. To store pesto for longer, freeze it in little tubs. Once you've picked off the leaves, keep the stalks and throw them into a bubbling tomato sauce to infuse, then fish them out before serving. Chervil The flavour of chervil is somewhere between mild parsley and tarragon, with a note of aniseed. It pairs well with delicate flavours such as poultry, fish, eggs and summer vegetables. Use chervil as a garnish, or blitz 38

By Riverford

with tarragon, chives, parsley, oil and capers to make a vibrant green sauce that is fantastic on salmon. Chives Chives have a mild oniony flavour that makes them very useful in the kitchen. Pair them with eggs, potatoes, cheese, fish or anything else that usually benefits from a dose of onion or garlic. Chop them finely to release their flavour and add them at the end of cooking, or use them in salads or as a garnish. Mixed into sour cream, chives make a lively dip for potato wedges. The purple flowers are edible, too: break them up and sprinkle them over a potato salad.

Coriander Grassy, cooling and citrussy, coriander leaf is a match for hot and spicy food - Indian, Thai, Vietnamese and Mexican. Try it, too, on tomato salads, in guacamole or with fatty meats such as lamb and pork. Coriander's flavour dies when cooked, so use it raw as a garnish or add it to a dish right at the end of cooking. Coriander stalks can be whizzed, along with garlic, ginger or galangal, green chilli and shallots, into a vibrant green Thai curry paste. Dill Feathery dill's mild aniseed flavour is underrated in the UK. Try it in salads such as tomato, cucumber and radish, or with beetroot and feta. Dill also pairs brilliantly with sour dairy produce - soured cream, yoghurt and cream cheese - and enhances simply cooked salmon, chicken, new potatoes and eggs. Mint Mint has a fresh, sweet flavour and cooling aftertaste. It works well with fatty foods such as lamb or spicy Middle-Eastern dishes. It is particularly good with feta, yoghurt, cucumber, melon, peas, oranges and aubergine. Mint is also great in drinks, from a soothing mint tea to a refreshing mojito. Mint leaves bruise easily: a good way to cut them, which avoids this, is to stack a few in a neat pile, roll up tightly like a cigar and then slice crossways into thin ribbons. Oregano and Marjoram These herbs are closely related and can be used interchangeably. Quite strongly flavoured, especially when dried, oregano and marjoram can stand up to spicy flavours, for example in a Mexican-style beef or bean chilli. They work well with meat, fish and vegetables to be grilled or roasted, along with some garlic and olive oil. They also enhance tomato sauces for pasta and pizza, especially with a little red chilli in the mix. As strong herbs, they are generally not used as a garnish and are better off added early, to give them time to cook and infuse. Parsley (flat-leaf or curly) Fresh, cool and green, parsley's powerful flavour is versatile, be it in flat-leaf or curly form. Stronger flavoured flat-leaf is perhaps more favoured, but unless you particularly want the flat leaves for decoration, they're pretty interchangeable in recipes. Just use a little more curly for the same flavour. Sorrel Common sorrel has arrow-shaped leaves, which look a little like miniature dock leaves. Its flavour is strongly acidic and sour. Combine young sorrel with other leaves

for a zingy green salad, but go easy on the vinegar in the dressing. Use it to brighten up buttery mashed potatoes, meat or cheese pies, or rich spicy stews as is done in parts of West Africa. Tarragon A little tarragon goes a long way so use its distinctive anise flavour with care. It goes well with fish, chicken and egg dishes. It suits certain vegetables too, especially asparagus, mushrooms and carrots. Try it in a simple mushroom omelette or an asparagus quiche. Tarragon excels in creamy sauces for chicken and rabbit, and in Bearnaise sauce for steak. Cut tarragon quickly blackens, so chop it at the last minute. Tarragon vinegar is delicious in chicken salads: infuse a few sprigs in a bottle of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar for a week or so. Storing Herbs To lengthen the life of fresh herbs, remove any rubber bands or ties and swish the herbs around in a big bowl of cold water. Let them sit for a few minutes while any dirt sinks to the bottom. Lift out then spin dry in a salad-spinner or by shaking in a clean tea towel. Layer the herbs in a plastic box with sheets of kitchen paper to absorb the remaining water. Finish with a final sheet of paper, then seal and store in the fridge. Many herbs will keep like this for a week or even two. 39

raw food

Demuth's Cookery School Aradhana Kaur of Beautiful Heart Raw Kitchen brings her passion for food to help others rediscover their love of food and introduce a new way to nourish themselves. A lifelong foodie and longstanding vegetarian, Aradhana describes herself as an intuitive chef. She teaches raw food workshops and one-to-one sessions from her kitchen and Demuth’s Cookery School. Her knowledge, enthusiasm and joy for food are celebrated by students. Aradhana has been ‘mostly raw’ since 2009 and has been teaching and inspiring others on their raw food journey since 2010. For Aradhana, it’s part of a healthy lifestyle that nurtures intuition and connection, and paves the way to a happy and healthy long life. Why raw? I’ve always been a foodie and in my journey, raw food was a natural progression from about 20 years of eating a vegetarian diet. I heard about the health benefits of eating raw food and my rationale was to future-proof my health. I’m anticipating living into my 90’s and I want to enjoy my years, not be battling with health issues. The concept of raw food trickled into my awareness over a period of years, from being on a detox retreat and finding a reference to Rudolf Steiner saying that a 70% raw diet was highly beneficial to health, to several years later trying raw chocolate made by a friend. The tipping point was when I listened to a webinar in 2009. The host, Karen Knowler, listed many benefits of raw food, I started eating raw food the very next day. 40

What's the benefits - is it health? Raw food is food that has been prepared below 118 degrees F, which is about 46 degrees C. Many vitamins are denatured by heat so by keeping the temperature low during food preparation, the vitality of the nutrients is preserved. We create dishes from vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, sprouted seeds, sea vegetables and superfoods. As I see it, by eating these living foods, I am rebuilding the cells of my body with light. Raw food is an alkalising diet so this promotes health. The baddies for acidity are junk food, meats, dairy, grains, some fruit, bad fats and sugar – none of which feature in raw food. Meanwhile, the goodies are vegetables, especially raw green leafy veg, fresh herbs and spices, most fruit, sprouted seeds and wheatgrass. Diet is not the only factor, however, and stress is a major contributor to blood acidity, as well as toxins and parasites. The raw food diet omits the common ‘problem foods’ such as wheat, dairy and sugar – but without any sense of deprivation as delicious meals are created using a different mindset and new range of ingredients. Raw food recipes offer a solution for people with food allergies and intolerances (apart from nuts!), e.g. breads, crackers, cookies, sweet treats etc. For me, raw food is about balance and it is important to listen to your body. Initially I ate mostly raw food, including a few periods of 40 days of exclusively raw food for a cleanse. These days I eat a combination of raw and cooked foods.

Budget? People often ask if it’s expensive to eat raw food. It’s relative to what they’re spending on food already. It’s true that the cheaper items that fill you up, like bread, biscuits, pasta are off the shopping list, and instead vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds are the main ingredients. Buying in bulk from a wholesaler or online can reduce your costs. I choose to eat organic food as much as possible and undeniably this costs more than non-organic ingredients. I prefer to ask: What is the cost of poor health? What would you prefer to fuel your body with? Would it mean a complete lifestyle change? The change starts in the kitchen, in the food preparation habits/methods and getting organised to pre-soak nuts and seeds or make batches of food in the dehydrator. If you’re used to eating packet food then yes, you would find you’re spending a lot more time in the kitchen. But if you tend to make meals from scratch you might even find it’s quicker preparing raw food! Just imagine, you don’t have to wait for pans to boil or dishes to bake, and there’s no greasy pots to wash up afterwards. You might find yourself throwing out the microwave and toaster and using the space for a juicer and dehydrator instead. Eating in general becomes more conscious with raw food. More chewing is required so meals take a slower pace and you notice what you’re eating. Eating out becomes more of a conscious choice, but these days there are raw or healthy options available on menus. Or perhaps you choose to make this the cooked meal of the day/week. The changes are much deeper too – the palate changes, the ‘sweet tooth’ becomes less sweet, the tastebuds and sense of smell become more refined. As my body has become cleaner, I have noticed that my intuition has become sharper (this has then been boosted by practising kundalini yoga). Can some raw meals be easily incorporated into daily life? Breakfast and lunch are the easiest meals to have raw. Juice, smoothies and chia pudding are an easy option for breakfast, whether you make it at home or grab one on the hoof – these are popular items on café and takeaway menus nowadays. If you have a kitchen at work, you can store a Nutribullet (a personal blender) to make your smoothies there. A raw porridge or flax cereal bowl are easy to mix up, or for a weekend treat I’ve made a raw version of cinnamon buns. A raw lunch is pretty straightforward to make or buy. Salad is the obvious thing but be sure to bulk out the leaves and veg with something dense like avocado, seaweed, olives or sun-dried tomatoes, together with a dressing and some seed sprinkles to make it a filling

meal. You can top up a salad with raw crackers and nut or seed butter or a fermented nut cheese. Other lunch possibilities are no-rice nori wraps, flax or coconut wraps with salad, raw pizza, raw soup. People tend to want a more substantial meal in the evening and can be stumped by what to eat for a raw dinner, but there are plenty of options (including raw lasagne, curry and cauliflower rice, thai curry and spiralized vegetable noodles, a mushroom burger prepared in the dehydrator). If you’re aiming to eat 100% raw then go for it, but if not then don’t beat yourself up. Dinner can be the time you return to your familiar repertoire of cooked dishes, and just add a salad for a raw element. All in all, the key to easy raw food is organisation. Spending a bit of time in an evening or weekend to prepare batches of crackers, nut butters, energy balls etc is a worthwhile investment of time to stock up the larder so you can open the fridge or cupboard and prepare a quick raw meal or snack. At my Raw Food Menu Planner workshops at Demuths I cover ‘raw food shortcuts for busy people’ to make life easier for everyone, however raw you choose to eat. To find out more please call Demuth’s Cookery School, Bath on 01225 427938 or visit www.demuths.co.uk 41

Devon’s hedge tree crisis – a new competition will help There’s a crisis looming in Devon’s countryside. Many hedge trees are mature or moving to the natural end of their lives and there is a lack of young trees to take their place. Diseases such as ash dieback will make the situation much worse – worse even than when Dutch elm disease struck. Ash dieback disease is starting to spread rapidly throughout Devon. In the next 5 to 15 years it is expected to kill or severely damage most ashes, and ash is Devon’s second most common hedgerow tree. The sooner we start encouraging new trees of a range of different species to replace them, the better. To start to address this, a competition has been launched to find and reward farmers who are looking after their hedge trees. Do you encourage trees in your hedges, or know someone who does? If so, please enter the Devon Hedge Tree competition or encourage the person you know to enter. First prize is £200, second prize £100 and third £50. All entrants will receive a free copy of The Hedge Tree Handbook and free tree tags.

The competition closes on 31 August 2016. Rob Wolton, chairman of the Devon Hedge Group, says “We want to ensure that future generations can enjoy the magnificent hedge trees that currently grace our countryside. They are a vital part of our beautiful landscape and hugely important for wildlife. Through this competition we hope to recognise the achievements of those farmers and landowners already working to ensure there will be hedge trees around for centuries to come”. Jon Stokes of The Tree Council said ‘To keep Britain’s hedge tree population healthy, we need to grow 15,000 new hedgerow trees each year. We hope this new Devon competition will encourage farmers to celebrate their hedge trees and plant more. Once again Devon is leading the way nationally in protecting its hedges and hedgerow trees’. To enter the competition please download a form at the Devon Hedge Group website http://devonhedges.org/ or ask for one from [email protected]

book reviews Like Farmer, Like Son by Adam Henson Adam Henson is the well-known farming presenter on BBC’s Countryfile and farms with his family and business partner Duncan at Bemborough Farm in the Cotswolds. He specialises in rearing rare breed livestock like his father, Joe Henson, before him. His father was instrumental in establishing the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and opening Britain’s first ever farm park, and sadly died last autumn; consequently Adam’s memoir is peppered throughout with tributes to his father. We think we know our public figures, but this is a fascinating behind the scenes look at Adam’s early childhood up to the present and particularly examines the close relationship he enjoyed with his father. Along with early family photographs, this is a surprisingly absorbing read for an autobiography, I was sorry when it came to an end. BBC Books | 312 pages | £18.99 hardback | Published June 2016 Foxes Unearthed – a story of love and loathing in Modern Britain by Lucy Jones Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr Fox remains Lucy Jones’ favourite heroic fox, despite a childhood of being banned from anything involving a vulpine protagonist. Coming from a fox-hunting family the freelance writer, who has had work published in BBC Earth, BBC Wildlife The Guardian and TIME, is perhaps best-placed to put both sides of the hugely divisive fox question forward. And her deep-set enchantment with the countryside’s most cunning character has led to her writing Foxes Unearthed – a story of love and loathing in Modern Britain. In this thoroughly enjoyable study she explores some of the myths surrounding foxes – including shedding light on urban and rural foxes to reveal that there are even commuter foxes living among us in this modern world. Whichever side of the fence you are sat on, this study will both inform and entertain. Published by: Elliot & Thompson | £10.49 hardback 42

Image: © Robert Wolton

wildlife

country diary July/August Diary 6 Jul Lameness 1st Aid Workshop This course is ideal for people working with cattle who have limited or no experience of hoof trimming. For more information visit www.raftsolutions.co.uk 9 July Charcoal Production Over a day you’ll learn to unload the kiln, grade and bag the charcoal, how to reload the kiln and light it. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 9 July An Introduction to Keeping Pigs Beginners guide to choosing, handling, feeding, housing, managing and transporting pigs. Contact: 01837 810274, [email protected] or www.southyeofarm.co.uk 9 July Liskeard Show The Liskeard Show is one of the biggest in the South West. For more information visit www.liskeardshow.org 9 July Blacksmithing Be a Blacksmith for a day, in a fully equipped forge. Cost £130.00pp. For more information visit www.dorsetruralskills.co.uk 9 July Sedgemoor Livestock Market Monthly catalogues sale of Suckler cows. 12.30pm Ring1. Call 01278 410278 or visit www.gth.net/sedgemoor-livestock-market 9 -24 July Sweet Pea Fortnight Up to eighty varieties of sweet peas will adorn the gardens in 2016. For full details visit www.fordeabbey.co.uk 12 July Natural Animal Health This course is an introduction to zoopharmacognosy the ability that animals have to self-medicate. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 12 July 1 Day Grinder Course For people with significant experience of cattle foot trimming who are using an angle grinder or about to start doing so. For more information visit www.raftsolutions.co.uk

15-17 July Introduction to Permaculture Follow-on from our 'What is Permaculture?' course. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 16 July Land Management Managing your land for production &/or nature, what stock, and meeting the regulations, best practice. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 16 July Plants and Bees For more information contact Clare at Buckfast Abbey [email protected] www.buckfast.org.uk/ bee-keeping-courses_173.html 16 July Wildlife in the Garden Meet Devon Wildlife Trust to find out what you can do to attract all kinds of wildlife into your garden. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor for details 16 July Sedgemoor Livestock Market Collective sales of purebred poultry. Call 01278 410278 or visit www.gth.net/sedgemoor-livestock-market 16-17 Jul Carnivorous Plants Exhibition Join The Carnivorous Plant Society and learn more about these fascinating plants. For more information visit https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 16 July - 21 August Rocket Science Exhibition Made up of photographs and panels from Exeter University and the RHS Rocket Science exhibition at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in 2015. For more information www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 18-21 July The Royal Welsh Show Showcasing the cream of Welsh livestock and the high quality food and drink produced in Wales. For more information visit www.rwas.wales/royal-welsh-show 20 Jul Shoreline Fishing Join us on the beach for a session of sea fishing and expert tuition. Visit www.rivercottage.net for details 43

SHROPSHIRE SHEEP National Show & Sale We bring all the pressing equipment to you! We wash, pulp and press your apples to your requirements. Turn your apples into traditional cider or apple juice. Call 07824 609 435 or 01626 362229 or email [email protected] Find us on

www.applepressingservice.co.uk

Halls Shrewsbury Sunday 24th July Melton Mowbray Friday 9th & Saturday 10th Sept For more information, please visit our website www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk or contact our Sales Officer, Claire Jakeman 07766 238 346

Waterless toilets for remote sites. High and low use. Garden studios Summerhouses Remote work locations Rural churches Allotments Community Orchards Parks

      

01686 412653 [email protected] www.natsol.co.uk

For all Windows, Doors & Conservatories Domestic - Commercial ForFor allbrochure Windows, Doors 01258 455049

FAST FINISHING LAMBS OFF GRASS

43172728

43172728

FLYSCREENS FLYSCREENS DORSET DOWN

For all Windows, DoorsDorset Down Sheep Breeders’ Association & Conservatories & Conservatories Havett Farm, Dobwalls, Domestic-- Commercial Commercial Liskeard PL14 6HB Domestic For brochure Tel: 01579 320273 [email protected] For brochure 01258 455049 www.dorsetdownsheep.org.uk [email protected] 01258 455049 KING of the PRIME LAMB BREED

For all our latest special offers and unique discounts please visit

www.thelandsman.co.uk

STEAM UP!

ATV’s NEW & USED Quads for Sale, Trailers & Equipment Supplied, Near Axminster

Sunday 28th August 10am-4pm A great family day out! Coldharbour Mill Working Wool Museum, EX15 3EE

Agricultural & General Engineering and Fabrication work undertaken

SIMON DUFF ENGINEERING 01460 220731 www.axe-atv.co.uk

5 mins drive from M5 J27 www.coldharbourmill.org.uk

Tel: 01884 840960 Reg. Charity No: 1123386

Streamcombe Cookery School Dulverton - Exmoor - Somerset

Breadmaking Fish cookery Culinary techniques Game & seasonal food Indian and Italian plus

Team building Private groups Day courses from £125 [email protected] 01398 322873

www.streamcombecookery.co.uk Silky Fox Saws Silky Fox Saws Foxley Estate Office, Mansel Lacy, Hereford HR4 7HQ Tel: 01981 590224 Secateurs and Hedgeshears in superb Fax: 01981 590355 high quality tempered Japanese steel plus… the world’s finest pruning saws www.silkyfox.co.uk

twitter.com/landsmanlife 44

country diary 21-22 July After Dark - Dartington A series of secret intimate gigs and events opening up hidden, dormant and unseen spaces on the Dartington estate. For more information visit www.dartington.org

28 July Forde Abbey’s Summer Fair With over sixty stalls in the shopping village, traditional funfair attractions, a Farmers’ Market, food avenue, live music, and lots more. www.fordeabbey.co.uk

23 July Mid Devon Show One of the best One Day Shows, and the finest offerings available in Mid Devon. www.middevonshow.co.uk

31 July Folksy Theatre presents ‘As You Like It’ Enjoy this wonderful Shakespeare comedy in the beautiful setting of Hestercombe’s Edwardian Garden. Roll out a blanket and enjoy a picnic on the lawn. For more information visit www.hestercombe.com

23 July An Introduction to Sheep Keeping A beginner’s guide to sheep keeping including, current regulations, choosing a breed, feeding, annual management, handling, health problems. Call: 01837 810274, [email protected] or visit www.southyeofarm.co.uk 23-24 July Vintage Weekend An antiques and collectors fair organised by Devon County Antiques Fairs. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 23 July - 29 August Rocket Science – Summer Holidays Drop-in activities for families EVERY WEEK DAY Monday Friday, 11am - 1pm and 2pm - 4pm. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 24 July An Introduction to Sheep Keeping A beginner’s guide to sheep keeping including. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 25 July Chainsaw Competence CITY & GUILDS NPTC LEVEL 2 AWARD IN CHAINSAW MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS - OCCASIONAL USER (NPTC, C&G 0029-04). For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 27 July Dunster Country Fair Held in the picturesque setting of Dunster Castle Lawns. For full details visit www.dunstercountryfair.co.uk 27 July Sedgemoor Livestock Market Orange Market Dedicated Sale for bTB Restricted Cattle. Store Cattle – 15 Months & Over, Prime Cattle & Barren Cows. Stock to be booked in with the market office by 20th Jul. Licenses to be obtained from Truro Trading Standards. For more information call 01278 410278 or visit www.gth.net/sedgemoor-livestock-market

2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 August Terrific Tuesdays at Hestercombe Enjoy a day filled with crafts, trails, sports & more. Normal garden admission applies. For more information visit www.hestercombe.com 1 & 24 August Veg Cookery Who needs meat? Learn to turn local, seasonal produce into delicious veggie dishes at the River Cottage Cookery School. For more information visit www.rivercottage.net 1 & 15 August Shoreline Fishing Join us on the beach for a session of sea fishing and expert tuition, followed by preparing, cooking and eating your catch. For more information visit www.rivercottage.net 2 August Folksy Theatre with As You Like It Forde Abbey is delighted to welcome back Folksy Theatre to present As You Like It in the gardens. For more information visit www.fordeabbey.co.uk 4 August Honiton Show “Where Farming Comes First” The show has grown to be one of the largest one day agricultural shows in the country. For more information visit www.honitonshow.co.uk 4 & 12 August Scything for beginners Tutor Andi Rickard (UK ladies Scything Champion) will teach the history of scything, how to sharpen and use the scythe and try different designs. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 5-6 August Taunton Flower Show Vivary Park, Taunton. Email [email protected] or visit www.tauntonfs.co.uk 45

country diary 6 August Charcoal Production Over a day you’ll learn to unload the kiln, grade and bag the charcoal, how to reload the kiln and light it. For more information visit www.devonsmallholders.co.uk

20 August Local Produce Show Get growing and join in the fun of our local produce show, in conjunction with Great Torrington Horticultural Society. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor

9 August Botanical Stroll Trill Farm retains a range of natural habitats: marshes; old flower-rich meadows, and relict patches of limestone grassland. For more information visit www.trillfarm.co.uk

20-21 August Yesterday’s Farming Show Manor Farm, Puckington, Somerset. A Gate way back to the past. www.yesterdaysfarming.co.uk

10 August Exford Show Lots of classes, craft marquee and trade stands. Contact 01598 710512 or visit www.exfordshow.co.uk 11 August Okehampton Show Horse and livestock classes, Devon food hall special children’s programme. All-day entertainment. inc. fun dog show. www.okehamptonshow.co.uk 12 & 24 August Anyone can weld Learn Arc MIG and gas welding, suitable for beginners or refreshers. Cost £170.00. www.dorsetruralskills.co.uk 13 August Preparing Bees for Winter A half day workshop. For more information contact Clare at Buckfast Abbey [email protected] or visit www.buckfast.org.uk/bee-keeping-courses_173.html 13 August Sedgemoor Livestock Market Monthly catalogues sale of Suckler cows. 12.30pm Ring1. Call 01278 410278 or visit www.gth.net/sedgemoor-livestock-market 16 August A morning with small animals Meet Trill’s smallest and cutest mammals! For more information visit www.trillfarm.co.uk 18 August Chagford Show Over 200 Trade Stands, and show visit us for a traditional fun day out. www.chagfordshow.co.uk 19 August Dunster Show Dunster Show a fun filled day out for all the family. Email [email protected] or visit www.dunstershow.co.uk 46

21 August Mid Somerset Show A one day show with livestock, show jumping and stands to peruse. www.midsomersetshow.org.uk 23 August Pond Dipping The stream and ponds are home to specialist mini beasts, fish, water birds and even otters. Put your wellies on, grab a net and see what you can find.Visit www.trillfarm.co.uk 23 August Falconry Display – North Devon Falconry Centre See displays by Harris Hawks, Falcons and a magnificent Bengal Eagle Owl. www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 24 August Sedgemoor Livestock Market Orange Market Dedicated Sale for bTB Restricted Cattle. Store Cattle – 15 Months & Over, Prime Cattle & Barren Cows. Stock to be booked in with the market office by 20th July. Licenses to be obtained from Truro Trading Standards. Call 01278 410278 or visit www.gth.net/sedgemoor-livestock-market 25 August Melplash Show One of the largest one day agricultural shows in the area.  www.melplashshow.co.uk 27 August Blacksmithing Be a Blacksmith for a day, in a fully equipped forge. Cost £130.00pp. www.dorsetruralskills.co.uk for details. 27-28 August Monmouth Rebellion Re-enactment The scene is set for the Monmouth Rebellion at Forde Abbey. For more information visit www.fordeabbey.co.uk 27-28 August Stock Gaylard Oak Fair A celebration of the Oak Tree with lots of associated crafts and skills. Call 01749 813899 or www.stockgaylard.com

our country year

Happy snapping With summer now well and truly upon us, there is no better time to get out and about and enjoy the countryside in the sunshine. Those with a good eye for a photograph are being urged to take their cameras with them to help a local tourist board capture the very best scenes on offer. VisitWiltshire has once again launched its annual photographic competition and is calling on people across the South West to visit the county and put their photographic skills to the test to be in with the chance of winning a £300 voucher. Jenny Butler, VisitWiltshire’s marketing services manager urged aspiring photographers and those with more experience to get their entries in. She said: “VisitWiltshire is very excited about the launch of our Wiltshire-wide photo competition for 2016. Wiltshire is a breathtakingly beautiful county, with iconic attractions, picturesque towns and villages, great local food and drink and a fantastic range of festivals and events, so there’s no shortage of inspiration out there. We can’t wait for the first images to start coming in. There are some great prizes on offer, and this year entrants can maximise their chance of success by submitting more images than ever before.” Entrants can submit up to five photographs per month to the end of September. VisitWiltshire has already received a number of entries, including eye-catching photographs of Avebury by John Newbury from Warminster and picturesque scenes from the Kennet and Avon Canal by Andrew Stevens from Bradford on Avon. Della Cook from Trowbridge has captured spring in full swing with a scene of bluebells in woods at Urchfont, while Bill Riley has submitted photographs of Stonehenge at sunset. Photographers need to try and capture the essence of life in Wiltshire, its people and landscape. To help them along, VisitWiltshire has set four ‘timeless’ categories for them to consider entering. These are:

• Timeless Wonders, including Stonehenge, Avebury, Salisbury Cathedral, the Kennet and Avon Canal and Wiltshire’s White Horses • Timeless Places, including market towns, villages and other attractions • Timeless Pleasures including shopping, food and drink, festivals and events, arts and entertainment • Timeless Nature including big skies, rolling hills, flora and fauna Last year the competition was won by photographer Josh Jones with his beautifully captured image of Avebury. Jenny added that the judges had already been very impressed by the beauty of some of the photos taken in the spring and she was looking forward to receiving some awe-inspiring images of summer in Wiltshire. She said: “As we head into July there should be plenty of inspiration for keen photographers around the county – I’m sure we will receive some lovely images over the next few weeks and I can’t wait to see them.” Submissions should go to photocompetition@ visitwiltshire.co.uk. The competition is open to anyone aged 18 and over.

47

Smallholder Insurance that won’t pile on the pounds

Property Damage - Livestock - Liability - Home One comprehensive policy designed specifically for smallholders and small farms.

Quote & buy online from £316

www.myfarminsurance.co.uk No Claims Bonus Sheep Worrying Fatal Injury £5m Public Liability Environmental Liability All included as standard

My Farm Insurance is a trading style of Farm & General Insurance Consultants Ltd. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Policies are underwriien by Aviva Insurance Limited.