Tuesday 27 June 2017

Open Farm Sunday on the south downs 11th June 2017



Wow what a day!  From start to finish open farm Sunday was a real team effort and it really showed on the day when we all took it in turns to speak to the many visitors who came.  Roly and Rue Crowther spoke on the back of one trailer with Tom Turner driving and David Ellin (pictured above) spoke on the other with Hugh Starley driving.  Visitors heard how we are all taking care of the precious environment here on the south downs through hedgerow management, planting areas of wildbird seed mixes to feed the birds during winter, scrub management to allow the native flora to thrive on the chalk grassland banks.  Everyone also saw our herd of Sussex cows and met the General and we all explained how the different grazing of cows and sheep also encourages different species of flora to thrive.

Our other neighbours Pat Weeks, Chris Williams and Harold Turner were on hand next to the machinery to explain the different jobs they all do throughout the farming year, we even had the Crowthers vining tractor to show the how many local farmers are now growing vines to produce delicious local wine.  Our vets Claire and Nanja demonstrated sheep shearing and Millie Nye worked her wonderful sheepdogs for people to see.  We had face painting and crafts and we hope everyone went home with a better understanding and value of farming in this special place.  Thank you to everyone who helped and to all our visitors for coming.

Meanwhile its back to summer jobs and we've made a start on our silage stack for the winter.  North Laine, one of our favourite fields which we reverted back to grass 2 years ago now has a super crop of clover so this was mown, baled and wrapped by our neighbour Michael and we think the cows will think this is pretty tasty when they munch through it this winter!

More soon
Camilla, Roly, Molly, Freddie, Finch, Belle and Fly

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