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Classic Cottages Outdoor living and eating Three essential small items of equipment Breeding your cow without a bull The great outdoor eating experience Competitions courtesy of Countryfile, Dartington Hall and Dr. Marten Plus: Country news, diary, green issues and wildlife Cover photo courtesy of Open Farm Sunday rural issues | livestock | equipment | poultry | fieldwork | diversification | gardening 1 Reduce your carbon footprint... Sole UK Importer & Distributor of Deltalok build it green with us.

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Country news 4

Competition 8 Win a relaxing spa break for two at Woodbury Park

GET IN TOUCH Competition 8 thelandsman Win a place on an artisanal ice cream making course at Dartington Hall Think Media (UK) Ltd The Granary & Sawmill Property 9 Tickenham Court Oaklands Farm Washing Pound Lane Clevedon Rural issues 13 North In or out? BS21 6SB Green issues 15 www.thelandsman.co.uk Would you choose Rolls Royce or Peugeot? twitter.com/landsmanlife Equipment 17 Editorial Three essential small items of equipment Rebecca Hacker [email protected] Fieldwork 19 Art Editor To mole drain or not to mole drain Christy Walters Making a country living 20-21 Designer Classic Cottages Laurie Edwards Competition 22 Production Win Countryfile Live tickets Rachael Ellway [email protected] Poultry 25 T. 01275 400778 Two types of chick

Advertising Veterinary practise 27 Sandra Hardie Parasites [email protected] T. 01460 55105 Livestock 28-29 Breeding your cow without a bull Contributors Benjamin Barber BVetMed (Hons) MRCVS Diversification 31 Colin Knapman BSc (Hons) Tuckers Maltings Gillian Dixon Ian Dixon Gardening 33-41 Jeremy Hobson Outdoor living and eating 33 Keith Wheaton-Green The great outdoor eating experience 35 Pammy Riggs Grow it, eat it – planting out and direct sowing 36 RHS Garden Rosemoor Recipe – Bread beans, meatballs, flatbread 37 River Cottage Sally Gregson Chilli peppers 39 Stephen Davy-Osborne Competition 40 Stewart Horne Tuckers Maltings Win a pair of Dr. Marten safety boots

Printed by Wildlife 42 Mortons of Horncastle Ltd Blackdown Hills dormice Printed on 70gsm Woodfree paper Book review 42 Disclaimer Understanding Bird Behaviour by Stephen Moss Every effort is made to ensure accuracy of Plants – from Roots to Riches by Kathy Wells & Carolyn Fry dates, event information and advertisements. thelandsman accepts no responsibility for Country diary 43 events that might be cancelled and can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any information Our country year 47 or claims made by advertisers included in this magazine. The views expressed do not Abbotsbury swannery 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 twitter.com/landsmanlife 3 country news Discover the world of farming this June Visiting a farm on Open Farm Sunday, Sunday 5th June, is a wonderful way to discover the world of farming. Modern farming is incredibly diverse and impacts on all of us - from the food we eat, to clothing, medicine, fuel and manufacturing. is vital to our future too – so bug hunts and machinery displays. There will also be come along and find out more! a chance to explore the technology and science behind Hundreds of farms across Britain will be opening their farming and food production, and find out about the gates on Sunday June 5th. It is a great day out for the whole business aspects of modern farming. family and a unique opportunity to discover what farmers So round up the family, put on your wellies and head to do and the vital role they have in protecting and enhancing the countryside to meet a farmer and have a great day out the environment. experiencing all the sights, sounds and science of the farm. All types of farms take part and most events are free. Activities on the day can range from farm walks and trailer Find your local Open Farm Sunday event by visiting rides, through to sheep shearing, milking demonstrations, www.farmsunday.org BeeConnected pilot scheme launched A new pilot scheme has started, providing a more efficient permanently or temporarily placed. and effective way of farmers informing beekeepers of Beekeepers will receive a notification when a their intention to apply insecticide nearby. farmer within their locality (up to a maximum of 5km) BeeConnected’s pilot will pave the way for a nationwide is undertaking a spray event within that vicinity. The launch later in year. beekeeper will then be in an informed position to decide BeeConnected plans to operate on a very simple, yet what action, if any, to take. efficient, two-way communication process: farmers in The notification system is being promoted by the Hertfordshire are invited to register, identify their fields and, Voluntary Initiative (VI) who have worked closely with in just a few simple clicks, inform local beekeepers when the Crop Protection Association, British Beekeepers they intend to spray an insecticide in particular fields. Association (BBKA) and the National Farmers Union Similarly, beekeepers across the region are encouraged (NFU). The development of the site has been funded to register and plot the location of their hives, whether by the CPA.

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RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262 country news Veg nerds Riverford brings organic veg for schools Riverford are inviting schools and nurseries to join Riverford’s new school scheme called The Veg Pot. Riverford founder and self-confessed ‘veg nerd’ farmer The organic farmers are looking for the first school in Guy Watson says, “With the statistics on childhood obesity Devon to join the free scheme, so if you think this could be rising by the year, there is no better time to get children your school or nursery, email natashabeatty@riverford. embracing the green stuff. We want to get as many co.uk for more information. families as possible living life on the veg like we do.” The Veg Pot (‘School pounds for Riverford potatoes’) The scheme is simple: each school registers for free, is an easy way for schools and nurseries to raise funds sends out information to parents and families, and the through parents, and more importantly, introduce PTA receives £15 per family that becomes a Riverford veg children to healthy organic eating as early as possible, box customer, once they’ve received their third delivery. so they know where their food comes from and how A further £15 is paid per customer after 12 months. wonderful veg can be. In addition to all this, the farmers Families get beautiful organic veg and fruit delivered also offer classroom visits where children can learn to their homes, and schools and nurseries get funds to about earthworms, farming, and of course, vegetables, in spend on whatever they need for the children. It’s veg that a fun and accessible way. works for everyone! New hope for woodland owners battling Ash Dieback The CLA, which represents landowners, farmers and The tree located in woodland in Norfolk raises the rural businesses, has today welcomed a breakthrough in possibility of using selective breeding to develop strains tree health as Government scientists have identified the of trees that are tolerant to the disease, ensuring that country’s first ash tree showing tolerance to ash dieback. ash trees will thrive in UK woodland. Who are our leading ladies? At the start of the year we invited you to tell us about the many inspirational women working in agriculture in the south west. The last issue featured the incredible story of Freddie Parker, and we have heard some fabulous stories, however, it seems most of our leading ladies are hiding their lights under a bushel. We want to build our library, so don’t be shy, we really do want to hear from more of you.

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7 Untitled-1 1 11/04/2016 09:44:41

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8 property Oaklands Farm, Cheriton Bishop £475,000

Oaklands Farm, situated just outside the village of Cheriton Bishop, presents a rare opportunity to create a new agricultural holding in a beautiful and accessible part of Devon. Oaklands Farm comprises just under 53 acres with planning permission for a 3 bedroom farm manager’s dwelling subject to an Agricultural Occupancy Restriction, the foundations of which have been laid, planning permission for two large modern agricultural buildings and an existing agricultural building and 15.34 acres of pasture and woodland. The remaining 37.43 acres of pasture is located at Woodbrooke, approximately 4 miles south of Oaklands Farm. The property has stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Oaklands Farm would someone looking to starting their own farming enterprise. For further information please contact George Alder or Rachel Miles on 01392 680059.

Property: Oaklands Farm, Medland Lane, Cheriton Bishop, EX6 6ET Guide Price: £475,000 Contact: Stags Farm Agency | Tel: 01392 680059 | www.stags.co.uk

stags.co.uk At Beviss & Beckingsale we have always enjoyed a close relationship with STAGS PROFESSIONAL those living and working in SERVICES the rural community. For help and advice on all planning matters including: Whatever the nature of • Pre-Application Advice your concerns, we have • Development Land Promotion an expert to help. • Application Preparation and Submission • Permitted Development Rights • Enforcement and Certificates of Lawfulness Offices At: • Appeals Axminster: (01275) 630700 Chard: (01460) 269700 Honiton: (01404) 548050 Seaton: Please call 01392 439046 (01297) 626950 or email: [email protected] to be put in touch with a member of Stags’ www.bevissandbeckingsale.co.uk Professional Services Department in Devon, Somerset, Dorset or Cornwall [email protected]

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10 property Making the most of permitted development rights by Stags Professional Services

With farm profits being put under significant pressure many landowners are looking to generate capital returns avoid a refusal. Stags now have a breadth of experience from buildings that may otherwise by generating little or no of applications under these rules, so we are well placed to return. In other cases, property owners are simply seeking ensure the best chances of success. to make the most of a more relaxed planning system. Whilst it will apply less to rural landowners, it is By now most rural property owners will have heard of also worth remembering that there are presently also General Permitted Development Order regulations for Permitted Development Rights (PD rights) which apply to the conversion of farm buildings to dwellings which were convert offices, storage and distribution buildings, and as of first introduced in 2014. These have since been revised the 6th April light industrial buildings to a residential use. in 2015 but the principles have remained largely the It may be that rural property owners who have diversified same. When the rules were introduced we had to deal could be better off by moving more buildings over to a with the Authorities relying on sustainability grounds residential use. The prescriptions that apply to these PD for refusal. Guidance published in 2015 means this is no rights are similar, but not identical to agricultural buildings longer an issue, however we have seen other hurdles put and Stags can help you navigate the various requirements. in our way. Nevertheless, a number of recent successes In all cases the implications of any proposals should show that interpretation by Local Planning Authorities is be considered in the round as part of your wider now more positive and the process is no longer such a ‘property strategy’ and Stags can help signpost you to ‘postcode lottery’. other professionals who can advise on any tax and legal This means that we have been advising many property implications, which are often the key areas. owners that it is worth revisiting cases where they were not successful in the past. Or, in the case of others, that For more information or an informal chat please contact it is worth appraising all their buildings for development the Professional Services team on 01392 439046 or potential to avoid missing out on what can be a significant email [email protected]. uplift in value. One of the key hurdles that remain is that the building must be structurally suitable for conversion to be able to take advantage of the regulations. Stags have advised clients on a wide variety of buildings, from traditional stone to modern sheds. All types of building can qualify, provided that the structural criteria can be met and we are now advising most clients that they obtain a structural appraisal, as this can pay dividends when it comes to improving the chances of success. Amongst the recent successes for Stags’ clients are; a Dutch barn and a steel portal framed cattle shed, both of which were given consent for substantial dwellings, a single storey block built barn to a four bedroom dwelling, and a 450 sq m steel portal frame shed to a ‘grand designs’ five bedroom dwelling with fabulous views towards Dartmoor. In all cases a significant uplift in value from the initial agricultural value. Because of the strict criteria that the rules apply, it is important to consider the building design carefully to 11 Sherborne Castle Country Fair & Rare Breeds Show

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In or out? by Stewart Horne By the time you read this, the referendum on whether Britain stays in or leaves the European Union will be very close and you will probably have had enough from both sides of the debate to last a lifetime. The problem I have with these things is that we rarely get to hear the full facts on which to make an informed decision; it’s all smoke and mirrors. Donald Rumsfeld (the former American Defense Secretary) summed it up when he said “There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.” income; will they revert to a General de Gaulle stance and A lot of people I talk to go on about the ‘huge’ sums of say “Non”?! money we pay the EU each day but how much is that in For the general population, I expect the issue of the scale of public expenditure? Actually, it’s 1% of annual immigration will be a key influencer when casting their expenditure, half of what we spend on overseas aid. I must vote. Again, do we really know the numbers that have be careful or readers will think I am advocating one side or come into the country and are they contributing? A recent the other! study estimated that between 1995 and 2011, migrants In rural areas we rely on the EU for a large proportion made a positive contribution of more than £4billion to of income: the EU farming subsidies which almost every Britain, compared with an overall negative contribution of farm business needs to stay afloat and the EU grant £591billion for native Britons. Between 2001 and 2011, the programmes (especially in poor areas like Wales and net fiscal contribution of recent arrivals from the eastern Cornwall). An online poll of farmers is showing 70% European countries that have joined the EU since 2004 would vote to leave the EU; I am assuming the reasons has amounted to almost £5billion. On the other hand it is are linked to the rules and regulations surrounding argued that migrants suppress the wages of the poorest the implementation of the Basic Payment by Defra and workers which in turn means higher levels of benefits are the which is currently causing paid out by the UK government’s welfare system. considerable angst for some claimants. What I would like Are you confused? Well I certainly am at the moment. to hear is a detailed proposal of what support system the My prediction is that the vote will be close and the outcome exit camp are proposing to replace the existing schemes will go either way; all I hope is that people vote from an with. In the current state of public finances, I am not sure informed perspective and are not influenced by scare the Treasury will be as generous as some people are stories from either side. Whatever happens, I doubt assuming. As a sheep farmer, the attitude of the French to much will change for a few years and it will take a lot our lamb exports should we leave is very important to my of unravelling if out is the outcome.

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14 green issues What would you choose? Rolls Royce or Peugeot? by Keith Wheaton-Green

I’ve just come back from Poland where I was looking at hydro screw turbines. There are many screw turbines installed across the South West but also many more sites that would be suitable. The problem is that these projects can be very expensive. Virtually all UK installations to date have been of German or Dutch manufacture. The engineering quality is excellent and I’ve heard them described as Rolls Royce quality. However, as the prices are so high, I wondered if they were over engineered and whether the Polish approach could deliver a better value product that is equally efficient – the Peugeot of hydro screw turbines. There is just one manufacturer in Poland, Hydromew. The company was formed in 1990 to make propeller turbines but switched production to screw turbines in 2010 and have since installed numerous turbines across Poland, Slovakia and Turkey including what they claim to be the largest (250 kW) ever built. I visited the factory and saw a turbine being constructed. They are handmade. Not a robot in sight. I end of the turbine and slowing it down during the four saw the internal strengthening to the central tube and the months or so of the highest flows. When the bottom end hand welding of the screw flights to the tube. The latter is raised, the turbine will not be at the ideal 22 degrees are cut to be small enough to manhandle so there are a but the additional flow that can get through the turbine lot of welds all of which, although smoothed down, can and the lack of resistance from the screw attempting to still be seen on the finished, painted turbine. However, as plough through deep water will more than compensate. the turbine is tested and balanced (like a car wheel) there Hydromew claim as much as 20% more generation is no loss of efficiency. annually is the result. They have a European patent Certainly the installations I saw were robust and looked on their design. to be working well. The metal support structure means I’ve left the best until last. The total installed cost of no concrete civil works are required. As with all screw a Hydromew turbine is around £6,000 per kW and this turbines, they can be monitored and controlled via the is at least a third lower than from any other source. I internet. The head and flow can be seen in real time and would like to see as much of our electricity as possible any time since installation. So efficiency can be calculated. in the South West generated from renewables. We still I picked a flow of 75% of the theoretical maximum flow have a very significant undeveloped resource at historic and calculated the water to wire efficiency to be 71%. This mill and weir sites but obviously site owners will not is exactly what you would expect of any screw turbine develop hydropower unless they are confident they which suggests the income from the electricity generated will get a good return on their investment. The feed in will be same as for any other choice of manufacturer. tariff for hydropower has dropped to 8.54p/kWhr, which There were two unusual features I particularly liked. has meant that many sites have been considered not First, the turbine had four screw flights rather than financially viable. However, a 10 kW site costing £60,000 the more usual three. This means more flow can be might generate 65.000 kWh/yr (with Hydromew’s passed for any particular diameter of turbine and there adjustment of the turbines bottom end to the tail water is slightly less sloshing around of water with quieter level) worth £5,551 from the feed in tariff and £3,152 operation. Second, the turbine is hinged at the top end from export, giving payback in year six and tax free and a hydraulic piston raises the bottom end to match profit thereafter. If there is on site electrical demand the tail water level. This avoids what you so often see and savings can be made on electricity bills, then even with screw turbines; the tail water swamping the bottom better. Good news all round! 15 HALSEof HONITON 01404 42121 West End, Honiton, Devon EX14 1JZ www.halse.co.uk email [email protected] The Machinery Specialists Sawing logs made easy – and safe!

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16 equipment

Three essential small items of equipment by Ian Dixon Smaller equipment for ground care and general maintenance is not necessarily a very exciting topic but actually when giving it some thought, there are several things worth looking at. For the purpose of this article, I am including the ubiquitous quadbike in the discussion, as this really is a tool which sees a lot of use year-round on the farm. Now slowly being usurped by the larger UTV, such as the John Deere Gator, Kubota RTV and Polaris Ranger (which is a cross between a quadbike and a 4x4 pickup), the quadbike is fast, manoeuvrable, enormous fun to use, carries a small payload and can pull attachments. I can visualise that it directly replaces the horse in some respects for what it will do, such as checking stock over rough terrain, delivering feed perhaps one bale at a time. Yes, I know there will be someone who claims to have stacked 20 bales of on the quad, but you get the point I’m making... it gets the single human from one place to another and does not make a mess of the ground compared to larger heavier vehicles and, in my humble opinion, it has a place on most farms. Attachments for quads are generally tow-along behind and, in the case of toppers and mowers, are self-powered, i.e. have their own engine on board. This is possibly not the most economical option but if you have a small area and are using the quad more and to its fullest extent, then it is worth considering. As it is smaller and lighter than a tractor it also makes far less mess on softer ground. Finally the petrol strimmer, a piece of equipment found Second item on my list is the chainsaw. Another tool operating in a diverse range of places from the humble which is always in use on farms and usually lurks beneath back garden to the motorway verge. It also has its place a pile of old fencing wire in the corner of the workshop on the farm. Key to its successful operation is the cutting and is brought out several times a year to cut up anything head, of which your options are either a rotating metal from overgrown hedges to old railway sleepers. Make no blade or nylon line. Firstly the blade: these are designed mistake this is a dangerous beastie; while a cut from a to cut brush and scrub, brambles, thorns, nettles etc up knife just parts the flesh, a cut from a chainsaw actually to about the thickness of a finger. We have had particular removes about ¼in width of it and spits it out amongst the success with a three pronged blade which is better at rest of the sawdust. If you are new to chain-sawing – go long grass, then onto brambles, nettles etc whereas the on a course. A couple of days spent learning about how to four pronged version tends to fold down the grass before use it properly could save you a spell in hospital. getting stuck into the other stuff. Be warned though, the As with all tools (and regular readers will know my take three prong blade won’t stop at scrub; we are the proud on this) you get what you pay for. Buying something from owners of several 3in tall plastic fence posts, created Sweden or Germany will generally start better, use less when clearing the nettles under an electric fence. Caution fuel and last longer than something from…say…the Far is advised. You may find that the blade option is more fuel East! Also it may be tempting to go for a bigger saw than efficient as the machine only has to cut the material and really necessary for your intended use; just think about not bash it to bits as with line. what you are likely to do with it before buying. I use a saw Nylon line comes in various thicknesses, so go for the with a 15in bar and that does everything I need on the heaviest you can get into the cassette and ideally have farm. It is light enough to carry and small enough to get two cassettes so you can spin one off and put another into the tractor cab but yet has enough power to cut up a on quicker than teasing out new line when the lines have tree 18in in diameter. Replacement parts such as chain, broken off close to the cassette. Watch out for the left clutch and plug are readily available and are easy to fit. hand thread though… catches us all out at least once. 17 BLAMPHAYNE SAWMILLS LTD Agricultural

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18 fieldwork To mole drain or not to mole drain by Jeremy Hobson

“Bother!” and “Hang spring cleaning!” exclaimed Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s book, Wind in the Willows, as he abandoned the chore of giving his housing chambers and tunnels the once-over in favour of spending quality time out in the sunshine. Tunnels formed in nature by Mole and members of his family are the inspiration for artificial drains used by farmers, landowners and gardeners. Mole drains are, in technical jargon, ‘unlined channels formed in a clay subsoil with a ripper blade with a cylindrical foot, often with an expander which helps compact the channel wall. [They] are used when natural drainage needs improving due to lack of slope or a heavy clay subsoil prevents downward drainage.’ So now we know the whys and wherefores, where does it all fit in when it comes to ‘field-work’? Often it’s thought that Having assessed its suitability, given an average any waterlogged surface areas in the winter are a result of year weather-wise, now is likely to be the best time to poor drainage underneath. In reality, it may simply be that commence operations. Ideally, the soil below the surface the surface has been over-worked, become ‘panned’ on the will be moist enough to ‘hold’ the drain as the mole-plough top few inches and there’s nothing wrong below. cuts through – yet not so dry as to crumble and break Occasionally however – and dependent on the soil type down. A moisture content of 20-25% at draining depth is and structure – there may be a need for at least a little a good figure at which to aim. help under the surface. Mole draining is undoubtedly But what’s the ideal drainage depth? How long is a piece an option but it doesn’t work in every situation (and it’s of string? Obviously a mole drain inserted too close to the only short-term, lasting only in the region of five years). surface is likely to become damaged by machinery and It doesn’t suit steep slopes or unstable ground, nor is it livestock in a heavily used field situation, whereas one satisfactory in a stony subsoil. Furthermore, those in the running across the smallholding or garden is not. Most know maintain that it can only be successfully employed recommend a depth of around 400mm (15.5in) but, as just on soil that contains a minimum of 35% clay: anything mentioned, this depends on circumstances. The distance less and drains will very quickly collapse due to having between individual drains varies too and can be anywhere insufficient molecular structure. between 2-6m (6.5-19.5ft). Mole drains around 100m in length work well but can be double that when large areas need attention. Because the work needs specialized equipment, it’s unlikely you’ll be carrying out the work yourself and your local mole drainage contractor will be able to advise on specific details. As to where the water taken away by a mole drain eventually goes, most seep into an open ditch. It is therefore doubly important that such ditches are regularly maintained (see ‘Field-work’, May 2015). To work efficiently, the mole drain outlet needs to be above the average level of water normally carried by the ditch. Occasionally, in situations where the need to drain surface water isn’t quite such a major problem, a single furrow ploughed across the worst area can be quite effective. It will, though, need periodically reinstating as its sides become damaged by general Images courtesy of South Yeo Farm East erosion, machinery and/or the hooves of livestock. 19 making a country living

Classic Cottages by Stephen Davy-Osborne

Classic Cottages has transformed the holiday cottage industry in the West Country since it was established in 1976, when they set about marketing properties that were a true home away from home with all mod-cons and more. And now their venture into something rather more feral is taking holidaymakers by storm.

When Classic decided to venture into the glamping market Jakie explained that Classic was keen to find its own in 2012 there were very few landowners in the South West niche within the market. She said “The glamping industry offering such facilities. But just four years later and with was starting to get bigger, but we needed to separate its own dedicated arm of the business, Classic Glamping ourselves in the industry, and we would only market is able to put holidaymakers looking for something a bit glamping accommodation that had en suite facilities – a more off the beaten track in touch with 42 different sites hot shower, so you didn’t have to wait for the sun to heat in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Hampshire. And the solar power and a flushing toilet – and a proper commercial manager Jakie Jewell expects this to hit the 60 flushing toilet, not a compost/camping loo! Four years mark by the end of this year. ago glamping sites of this type were very few and far Glamping – or glamorous camping – has seen a huge between but now we have grown the brand and have up to surge in popularity in recent years for those eager to get 42 places in the South West and I expect we will be up and a taste of nature, without having to compromise on some past 60 by the end of this year.” home comforts. Made popular in part by the rise of luxury She added that although the word ‘glamping’ itself reality TV shows such as Made In Chelsea and The Only was an awkward one to come to terms with, it had now Way is Essex, glamping has opened up the rural world to been widely accepted by the wider general public. “Year a whole new generation. Eager to add to their portfolio of on year it just gets bigger and our website is 200% up 800 holiday cottages, Classic set about looking for glamping on hits” she said. “We now offer safari tents, yurts, pods, opportunities in the region – with a very strict remit. Airstreams, cabins, shepherd’s huts, tabernacles, gypsy 20 making a country living wagons and a tin tent which was featured on Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and we have even got a treehouse – you name it we have got it. Most of the accommodation is booked all year round with the exception of the safari tents that can become harder work to keep warm in during the deepest winter months of December, January and February. “People appreciate that if you want to provide glamping accommodation you need to take it to the next level and for success and longevity in the market, it needs to have as many of the facilities that you would find in your own home where possible – bar the fact you’re in the middle of a field overlooking glorious countryside surrounded by farmland.” She explained that a huge draw of glamping sites for landowners was undoubtedly the quicker returns on an investment; a cottage or barn may cost upwards of £250,000 plus renovation costs, whereas installing luxury glamping accommodation should reap a return on investment after two and a half years earning anything from £10,000 per annum right up to £20,000 per annum. While all types of glamping accommodation require planning permission, Classic has the expertise to guide landowners through the process from start to finish. “We are very spoilt here in the West Country” she Landowners from all walks of life have been keen to said. “Our guests tell us that the children arrive on site get on board and offer the luxury accommodation, from and are in absolute awe because they’re allowed to run farmers looking to diversify to families looking to build around the field and go and kick a ball and they’re in on what they offer alongside their holiday homes. Local no danger whatsoever. We even find that with guests authorities do consider the diversification question facing bringing their dogs as well! It is all about the opportunity landowners when making their decision and Jakie added to appreciate countryside living like no other. You don’t that planning from the outset was vital. But the location of have an enclosed garden, you have a field. Perhaps it’s a site remains key. just about the freedom of the countryside and I think for a lot of families – particularly from cities – they never get that opportunity. They arrive at the site which is a car free zone, they pack the luggage in a wheelbarrow and walk to their accommodation, light the log-fired range or wood- burner and they start slowing down and taking time to enjoy nature and the countryside. “And that’s something you don’t get with a cottage because it’s a home from home, so you still have WiFi and TV and everything you would have at home whereas glamping takes you back to a place that is very hard to find nowadays. “Glamping is different from camping too because you’re not worried about wet tents – and you have cooking facilities and of course the en suite facilities too. People say to me, what about the weather? That’s all part of it, the best thing about glamping is being inside cosy accommodation with the fire lit, playing a game of scrabble while it is pelting down and you’re lovely and dry. That’s what it is all about.”

If you would like to investigate the possibilities of offering luxury glamping accommodation, please contact us www.classicglamping.co.uk, or come and see us at The Glamping Show www.theglampingshow. com at NAEC, Stoneleigh Park 22-24 September. 21 WIN TICKETS!

WIN TICKETS TO BBC COUNTRYFILE LIVE! New for 2016! Between the 4th – 7th August, BBC COUNTRYFILE LIVE, will be staged within the spectacular grounds of Oxfordshire’s iconic World Heritage site Blenheim Palace, celebrating the best of our British countryside.

Explore every aspect of the British countryside over four extraordinary days featuring; the Countryfile presenters, Adam’s Farm, live arena shows, rare breed and other animal displays, the latest farming machinery, outdoor fun for kids, hundreds of food and crafts stalls to shop, the best of British food and drink plus much more.

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To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to BBC Countryfile Live, answer this question correctly: WHAT IS A GROUP OF PHEASANTS CALLED? A) A BOUQUET B) A PEEP C) A DROVE Email with your answer, full name, email address, contact number and which date you would like to attend to [email protected]

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Terms and conditions: Entrants must be 18 or over. Winners will be selected at random from all correct entries. Competition closes 20 June 2016 Winner receives a pair of standard tickets to BBC Countryfile Live at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire on either 4, 5, 6, or 7 August. Full details on the event and the venue can be found at www.countryfilelive.com. The prize is for your entry ticket only and does not include any additional extras on site or travel to and from the venue. The venue is open from 9.30am till 6pm and tickets are to be collected from the box office on the day of your visit. Tickets are subject to availability and once confirmed, cannot be resold or transferred to another date. Competition is run by www.booments.com on behalf of SME London. Please include in your entry if you do not wish to be contacted by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with info about products or services.

22 BW SHOW INFO2015 AW:Layout 1 13/10/2014 19:50 Page 1

SHOW INFORMATION

HOW TO FIND US

Newport Airport – Contact Bristol Airport on 08713 34 44 44 M4 M5 Cardiff Swindon Trains – From London and Penzance to Castle M4 M4 M4 Cary Station. For all National Rail enquires ring – M32 08457 48 49 50. Chippenham Bristol A4 M5 Airport Buses – Contact ‘First’ on 08456 06 44 46 or the A37 Bath A350 A38 Travel Line on 08706 08 26 08 for times and details of services (8:30am – 5:30pm Mon to Sat) GREAT A36 Showground Cheddar A367 A361 A371 A39 A362 Coaches – Services from Castle Cary, Shepton Mallet A37 Frome and Yeovil. Contact South West Coaches BRITISH Wells M5 Shepton Warminster Mallet A303 Tel – 01963 33 124 (9:00am – 5:00pm Mon to Fri) A361 AGRICULTURE Bridgwater B3081 Glastonbury A371 A303 Castle Cary SAT A37 ENTERTAINMENT A372 Salisbury NAV? Taunton A303 B3081 A30 Wincanton FOOD & DRINK M5 A303 Yeovil 27-30 MAY 2015 A303 design enquiries – www.onedotdesign.co.uk

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For further information please visit our website – www.bathandwest.com – Alternatively contact – 2 CHILDREN GO FREE WITH ADVANCE ADULT TICKETS SHOW MANAGER – ALAN LYONS TRADESTANDS – SANDIE COLLISHAW SPONSORSHIP– RACHAEL HANN e. [email protected] e. [email protected] e. [email protected] t. 01749 822 203 t. 01749 822 231 t. 01749 822 215

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1 - 4 June 2016 SHOW INFORMATION Bath & West Shows Ltd Do you have a passion The Showground HOW TO FIND US for glamping? Newport SheptonAirport – Contact Mallet Bristol Airport on 08713 34 44 44 M4 M5 Cardiff Swindon Trains –Somerset From London and Penzance to Castle Put these dates in your diary noW! M4 M4 M4 Cary Station. For all National Rail enquires ring – M32 08457 48 49 50. Chippenham Bristol A4 BA4 6QN the GLaMPinG shoW 2016 M5 Airport Buses – Contact ‘First’ on 08456 06 44 46 or the A37 Bath A350 A38 Travel Line on 08706 08 26 08 for times and details of services (8:30am – 5:30pm Mon to Sat) GREAT A36 Showground Cheddar A367 A361 22nd – 24th sePteMber 2016 A371 A39 A362 t. 01749Coaches 822– Services 200 from Castle Cary, Shepton Mallet A37 Frome and Yeovil. Contact South West Coaches BRITISH M5 Wells Warminster Shepton Tel – 01963 33 124 (9:00am – 5:00pm Mon to Fri) naeC, stoneLeiGh Park, WarWiCkshire. Mallet A303 A361 f. 01749 823 169 AGRICULTURE Bridgwater B3081 Glastonbury A371 A303 Castle Cary SAT see outstanDing proDucts …. A37 ENTERTAINMENT A372 CompanySalisbury Number 8680261NAV? Taunton B3081 A303 Wincanton A30 learn from the experts….share your Dreams! FOOD & DRINK WWW.BATHANDWEST.COM M5 A303 Yeovil 27-30 MAY 2015 A303 theglampingshow.com WHO SHOULD EXHIBIT? WHO IS GOING TO ATTEND? G Bell Tents G Adventure Parks G Camping Vans G Architects

design enquiries – www.onedotdesign.co.uk G Camping Wagons G Camping and Caravan Club G Consultants and Planners G Camping Sites G Eco Toilets G Caravan Club G Gypsy Caravans G Caravan Parks www.bathandwest.com G Landscaping G Country Houses G Lighting G English Heritage For further information please visit our website – www.bathandwest.com – Alternatively contact – 0844 77 66 777 SHOW MANAGER – ALAN LYONS TRADESTANDS – SANDIE COLLISHAW SPONSORSHIP– RACHAEL HANN G Log Cabins G Farmers e. [email protected] e. [email protected] e. [email protected] G Magazines and Websites G Festival Operators t. 01749 822 203 t. 01749 822 231 t. 01749 822 215 G Medieval Tents G Fisheries th G Outdoor Garden Offices G Glamping Sites Bath & West Shows Ltd 109 Okehampton Show The Showground G Portable Toilets/Washrooms G Holiday Park Groups Shepton Mallet Charity No. 1130942 Somerset G Safari Tents G Holiday Parks Independent BA4 6QN G Shepherd Huts t. 01749 822 200 G Hotel Operators f. 01749 823 169 Stoney Park Showground Company Number 8680261 G Solar Energy G National Parks WWW.BATHANDWEST.COM Okehampton G Storage Containers G National Trusts G Tipis G Pre Pitched Tent Operators G Tree Houses G Pubs G Utilities and Accessories G Theme Parks G Wigwams G Visitor Attractions G Wooden Tent Structures G Woodland Managers G Yurts G Zoos SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS Experts will be hosting a full seminar programme on all Glamping related issues. Assisting to increase revenues, service, profit and guests! Contact Dan for details of how to exhibit: Follow us on Twitter for more news: @TheGlampingShow

Contact: Dan Wiseman, Show Manager T: 07958 030 785 [email protected] | 01837 659965 E: [email protected] www.okehamptonshow.co.uk W: www.theglampingshow.com 23 Lino print designed by Roz Howling View more prints at Ponarty on Etsy.com Chick Crumb v Dust extracted crumb suitable for all breeds v Quality protein, with methionine for feather production & skeletal development v Fully balanced with vitamins & minerals (includes zinc & selenium for skeletal development) v Contains Sel-Plex® organic selenium for its antioxidant properties in helping fight infection v Uniquely includes Bio-Mos® natural prebiotic to optimise gut & immune response v With betaine to help reduce the risk of dehydration

Fancy Feed Company Tel: 01371 850 247 [email protected] www.fancyfeedcompany.co.uk Poultry Two types of chick by Pammy Riggs

There are two types of hatchlings to watch out for at this time of year. Both have developed within a fertile egg, either incubated under a Mummy Bird in a warm cosy nest in the natural style, or, replicating nature as well as humans can, kept warm, humid and in motion in an artificial incubator. There are many artificial incubators on the market ranging in size from a tiny classroom scale model for half a dozen eggs, often with a viewing window so children can wonder at the progress of the hatching birds, to mega millions of eggs being hatched under industrial conditions in order to supply the fast food bucket chicken world and our desire to eat eggs all year round. Most wild birds choose to site their nest high up off the ground, sometimes in the most bizarre places; this is where the first type of hatchling grows up. Think of the images of ungainly young storks on twiggy nests precariously perched atop a telegraph post, or an eagle or sea bird clinging to the side of sheer rock, youngsters’ a devoted Mother Hen caring for her chicks; they are so mouths agape squawking for food and parent birds cute and on the ball. labouring intensely to supply enough grub to satisfy their Clever Nature has provided a safety margin of three needs. The same discipline applies to the hedge sparrow, days where the newly hatched chick can survive without blackbird, finches and tits of the garden bird population, food and water whilst waiting for its fellow siblings to hidden in the depths of a dense hedgerow or treetop. All catch up and divest themselves of their egg shells before these babies hatch out of their eggs partially developed, Mother Hen just has to get out there on the hunt for food. ugly, blind, naked and helpless, needing day and night This chick needs a nest at ground level for practical care from the parent bird until their feathers have grown reasons; these little critters fend for themselves food- and they have developed well enough physically and wise right away, they are of necessity free-range chicks. courageously to take their first flight from their aerial nest They still depend on Mum for protection; a warning sites. These all belong to the group called nidicolous, from sound from her sends them scuttling back to the safety the Latin for nidi – nest and colous – living on. of her fluffy undercarriage at the merest hint of danger, The second group to look at are ground nesters. It and lessons in what is good to eat along with much needs a clever parent bird to secrete a nest full of eggs experimentation educates the chicks in the ways of their at the same level as their predators’ noses. Think of the world. These chicks are of the nidifugous type, from the skulking fox, nose to the ground sniffing out his next Latin root, nidi – nest and fugere – to flee. meal. Among the ground nesting birds are pheasants, You can see examples of both nidiculous and nidifugous partridges, duck and Jungle Fowl, the latter being the hatchlings in the wild, but only the produce from one ancestor of our domestic chicken family. The Jungle Fowl type will be found in the supermarket, whether it is has, under man's eye, morphed into a wide variety of that of the pallid pink, washed out meat chicken you colourful breeds of chicken, some as far apart visually see in rows in the chiller aisles, or the legions of hens from the original bird ancestor as the Toy Poodle is from producing millions of eggs per day in caged, barn, free the wolf! But some traits always stay the same as in the range or organic systems. Without this nidifugous trait, of original forebear, whether dog or chicken. a chick that can get up and fend for itself straight away, This second type of chick emerges from the egg fully this whole industry would collapse. So, since we cannot formed, with a beautiful downy covering in shades from provide a proper Mother Hen for these chicks, let us at bright yellow to camouflage stripes, eyes wide open, least afford them the decency of a semblance of the life chirpy, cheeping and ready to learn. He is up on his they might have had with her. Choose free-range and spindly legs in minutes after leaving the protection of the organic chicken meat and eggs every time. They would eggshell. It is easy to become totally absorbed in watching have done so themselves. 25 STOP it Naturally with

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26 veterinary practise

worm control and removing wool from around the breech will help reduce susceptibility. Using pour-on products to Parasites by Ben Barber, Synergy Farm Health prevent strike occurring is massively beneficial and should be considered when there are known times of high risk. The weather is getting warmer and vets are beginning to Worms will begin to cause problems soon with the show off the shorts! Unfortunately with the increase in typical signs being scouring and weight loss, particularly temperature, there is also the increased risk of parasites in this year’s lambs. While treatment is normally given within our flocks. based on just symptoms seen, it can be useful to confirm Last summer I saw several cases of fly strike in ewes a diagnosis; the easiest way is to send in faecal samples and owners often couldn’t believe how quickly ewes from those scouring for your vet to examine. became sick with the disease. Fly strike is the phrase Dosing with wormers tends to be a matter of routine used to describe the mass hatching and infestation of with many sheep owners regardless of whether worms the feeding larvae of blowflies on your sheep, the most are deemed a problem. While this may act as good common blow fly being the common green bottle. It prevention, there are currently huge concerns about lays eggs on a sheep’s wool, which hatch into larvae the levels of worms that have become resistant to that feed on the skin of the animal, causing damage. worming products due to both overuse and misuse. To Once initiated, an infestation of feeding larvae creates help slow this progression, we now promote treating a powerful odour attracting other egg laying females only when needed and preferably based on a diagnosis. and high numbers of larvae can occur very rapidly. This Furthermore, when you do treat make sure that you are is a very painful experience for sheep and can be fatal using the correct product for the job at the appropriate without quick intervention. dose. Think of your wormers as tools, if you overuse them Management of your sheep in order to reduce their or use them for the wrong job they’ll become broken! susceptibility to strike is key to its control. Flies will be If you would like to discuss any of the subjects covered attracted to ewes and lambs with faecal soiling so good please do get in contact with your vet for advice.

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27 livestock

Breeding your cow without a bull by Gillian Dixon Where to start with Artificial Insemination arrange to have them delivered to your AI technician. The For many smallholders who keep a few cows, it is often semen is taken from a chosen bull at stud after rigorous not practical to keep a bull. Fortunately, it is reasonably health testing, observed under a microscope to ensure it easy to spot when cows/heifers are in season, making is motile (working), then divided up into thin straws (like Artificial Insemination (AI) an affordable and practical the old fashioned drinking straws) and frozen in liquid option. AI allows small scale cattle breeders access to nitrogen for later use. It can be kept this way for decades top genetics at a fraction of the cost of keeping a bull. My and means that one bull’s ‘offerings’ can sire 100s of father in-law used to keep a bull with his dairy herd in the calves. It is not delivered in the normal post, but has to 1960s-80s, so when my husband and I started our own travel via a network of nitrogen tanks, so don’t leave it too Beef Shorthorn herd and decided we didn’t want to keep late to order before you want to start using it. Straws can a bull, we found it surprisingly difficult to find information be sourced via your AI company, breed societies, the Rare on who/how/what was involved in AI’ing our females. Breeds Survival Trust, or direct from top cattle breeders First you need to decide when you want to calve. This and cost anywhere from £6 each up to £100s, but usually is purely a personal decision on what suits your system. average around £15-20 for beef bulls, plus there will We choose to calve from 1st May as, hopefully by then, be a delivery charge. Catalogues of bulls and their EBVs the cattle will be out from their winter housing and we (Estimated Breeding Values) can be acquired so you can will have had time to clean and disinfect the sheds ready choose your bull not just by looks but also by known to bring individuals in to calving pens as their calving date growth traits of his calves and birthing ease of their dams. approaches. We have calved outside in the spring/summer, We keep the cows or heifers to be bred close by the but if you have a cow with problems and she won’t come farmyard for ease of observation and aim to watch them in, you are in trouble, so we prefer to calve inside and get quietly every three to four hours or so during the day, them out 24-48 hours later. The gestation for cattle is starting first thing in the morning, with a final check around 283 days, so for a 1st May calving start date, we last thing at night (some check during the night too, we look to AI from July 22nd onwards the previous year. haven’t gone quite that far) to check for signs of heat. A Next, you should contact a company offering AI services, cow will come into season roughly every 21 days but can such as Genus, to get onto their books. Then you need to be anywhere between 18-24 days; she will show signs of buy straws of frozen semen a good two to three weeks heat, called ‘bulling’, for anything from half an hour to 12- before you want to start inseminating your cows and 24 hours and it is then that she needs to be served rather 28 livestock than any time in the month. Some show more than others and you will get to know the behaviour or each of your cows over time. Serve her too soon or too late and she will not take. It is an art and will come with practice! Signs of a cow in heat are: she will be restless, may bellow, may press her chin on other cows or sniff their rear ends, she may mount other cows (like a bull), confusingly, other cows may mount her (so you have to work out which one is in heat), her body temperature will increase – this shows particularly on cold mornings when you can see steam rising from her, she may have a ‘bulling string’ of clear slimy discharge from her vulva, and finally she should stand stock still for other cows to mount her. This is known as ‘standing heat’ and is the target time to have her inseminated, so get on the phone quickly to your AI man to request a visit! Technically, (remembering your school biology lessons) cows should be AI’d twelve hours after water can kill the semen). It is then placed in a warmed oestrus, this is when the female ovulates, sending an ovum stainless steel AI gun, the end snipped off the straw and out to the fallopian tube to await fertilisation. a protective plastic sheath put over it and it is usually There are heat detection aids available, such as activity stuffed down the back of his shirt to keep it warm until monitors placed on the cows’ tails, paint on the rump which placed in the cow – too much temperature fluctuation can gets rubbed off as she is mounted, or we usually run a cause the semen to die. fattening steer (castrated bull) in the bulling group as a While he is doing this, we get the cow in the crush teaser as he will eagerly get involved in the bulling activity. ready to be served (she is delighted by this obviously). A cow will likely be mounted anywhere from 7-20+ times Clad in waterproofs, a long glove and with lubrication, so you do need to watch closely; if you miss it or serve too the technician will put his arm into the cows rectum and early, you will have to wait another 21 days until she comes feel through the rectal wall to find the uterus to see if it in season again which starts to spread your calving period has tone (it will feel different if not on heat) and will rake and can have financial/management implications. his hand back to see if he can pull out a mucus string Your AI man will arrive and expect the candidate cow from the vulva. If he is happy that she is properly in heat, to be safely restrained ready to serve so he can quickly the vulva is wiped clean and with one arm still inside get on to his next customer. As soon as heat is detected, the rectum, the AI gun carefully inserted through the we bring in the relevant cow plus a friend or two to keep vulva into the vagina so that the tip can be felt to go just her company (to minimise stress) into a pen next to the through the cervix (entrance to the uterus), the plunger is cattle handling area. The AI technician has a tank of liquid depressed and the contents of the straw delivered into the nitrogen at -198⁰C in the back of his vehicle in which cow. We then keep our fingers crossed. your frozen straws are stored (plus others). He will take Afterwards, the technician will be grateful for a out your chosen straw and thaw it in a thermos of warm bucket of water so he may disinfect boots, clothing and water at 35-37⁰C for 30 seconds, then dry the straw (as equipment before leaving. You will also be given a written record of the date, cow served and semen used, which can later be used as proof of service if required when registering pedigree calves. There will be a cost for the visit, but that, together with the straw cost, is significantly cheaper (and safer) than keeping a bull. Watch your cow for signs of ‘return’ from day 18 after service; if you are happy she has not bulled again, you can reasonably surmise she is in calf but it is advisable to get her pregnancy diagnosed by your vet or scanning technician 40+ days after service to confirm.

Ian and Gillian Dixon live on a farm in West Devon and breed pedigree Beef Shorthorn and Riggit Galloway cattle. They run introductory livestock keeping courses for smallholders; www.southyeofarm.co.uk and follow them on Twitter @southyeoeas 29 MIRACLE GRO Landmann barbecues Charcoal Suttons Seeds Products in stock for warmer summer briquettes, lumpwood, plant and vegetable evenings instant light seeds now in stock

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30 Diversification Tuckers Maltings 1862 sees Edwin Tucker buy a small seed merchant company, started in Ashburton by William Whiteway in 1831. He runs this with his wife and supplies seeds to the local farming community. Over the years the business prospered. Tucker was also a Maltster: in those days a Malt house was a very small unit sometimes attached to a small brewery. He operated small Malt Houses in the south- west, building a Maltings by the railway in the 1870s. By 1899 Tucker’s eldest son, John Parnell Tucker, had bought a strip of land in Newton Abbot alongside the modern upgrades, the traditional process railway outside Newton Abbot Railway station. This land still lay at its heart: using shovels on the germination had the benefit of having access to a rail siding. A modern floors, never failing to give the best results. Maltings was built in 1900, under the supervision of Since the early days, when Edwin Tucker and his wife Parnell’s brother. The main raw material, barley and malt first established their business, the agricultural world has were transported by rail or by road. faced change after change. Dealing with these changes Designed to dry the malt, the kilns were operated using takes a great deal of thought and agility, and a need to a specially crafted anthracite, delivered by rail from Wales. diversify and seek out opportunities, so Tucker’s opened They were unloaded into the building from the siding. Country Stores in Ashburton and Crediton, supplying to For many years, the Maltings at Newton Abbot and both the agricultural community and the general public. Ashburton remained successful: across two world wars, In the closing years of the century, the arrival of the and economic crashes. But with time comes change and a micro-breweries brought a new world for the beer drinkers, need to modernise, so the 1970s saw the Maltings upgrade and opened a conduit of opportunity for the maltsters and and convert to natural gas; this increased the system’s farmers alike. Tuckers supply the seed to the farmer, buy the efficiency and increased production. Soon, the Maltings at barley from the farmer, produce the malt and sell the beer. Ashburton was closed and replaced by a seed store (which The Maltings at Newton Abbot supplies malt of the now supplies seeds for the expanding business). This store highest quality malting barley, in the south-west, to the works in conjunction with a branch based in Crediton, traditional breweries, and the ever-expanding number of which, too, supplies to the agricultural community. micro-breweries. There is also a specialist bottled beer Back in Newton Abbot, the increased production lead shop, and between Easter and October visitors can learn to improved handling and storage of grain. Despite its more about the malting process and enjoy a guided tour.

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Very soon the youngest members of the family will want to eat outside and grill sausages on the barbecue. Now is the time to get things ready for those balmy nights. It makes sense to grow herbs and salad leaves close to the barbecue area so that you can pick them as you need them, adding flavour to the sizzling meats and salads. Vegetables don’t need to be grown in neat rows in a plot behind a hedge, they can grow in the garden borders alongside flowers and herbs where their scent and colours are better appreciated. Many vegetables are attractive enough for a sunny bed: Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ has brilliantly coloured stems, red, yellow and white. Why not chop up the whole leaves and stems and stir-fry them in a small frying pan on top Rosemary may be a little big and woody for a pot, but of the barbecue adding a little chopped garlic and thyme it will grow in a crevice or a sunny, well-drained border. to olive oil. Or perhaps a single plant of yellow-fruiting Rosmarinus ‘Miss Jessopp’s Upright’ stands well on the courgettes would cause comment and are delicious quick corner of a bed where every passer-by can brush against fried with garlic. it, releasing its aroma. Rosemary is a classic of Italian Lettuces are a must for any summer meal outdoors, cookery to be added to slow-roasted lamb or pork, as is their red, green, stippled and splashed leaves are highly sage (Salvia officinalis). decorative with some torn rocket leaves for an essential There is a non-flowering form of culinary sage with pepperiness. And to ensure a continuity of supply, a little extra large leaves that is perfect for cooking. Try roasting seed of each could be sown every fortnight in a large some leaves alongside grilled pork or veal. But the true shallow pots. ‘English Broad-leaved’ form seems to be hard to find. If you have no space for an ornamental vegetable garden, Mention it to your gardening friends and see if you can not just the lettuce but many other vegetables would be locate a plant by word of mouth. Cuttings taken in early happy in pots and containers around the barbecue area, summer after flowering root easily and will make a plant and don’t forget Chilli peppers will thrive here too. Their by the autumn. robin-red fruit looks good, and the chillies are at their And don’t forget to scent the evening air around where hottest when picked fresh and fully ripened on the plant. you sit as the sun goes down. There are one or two A big potful of red and green lettuces surrounding a chilli species of tobacco plants (Nicotiana sylvestris and N. plant would look good, and taste delicious. alata) that are especially well-perfumed, especially in Tomatoes are an essential. Try growing one or two the evenings. They are pollinated by moths. The former ‘Tumbling Toms’ in hanging baskets or tall pots. They species makes huge 1-1.5m (3-4ft 6ins) plants that are delicious when picked straight off the vine, sliced bear large white heads that pump out the scent; and and dressed, and accompanied by a handful of snipped the latter is shorter but equally well perfumed. Or you chives. Grow them in another nearby pot. And try growing could introduce seeds of Calamintha into the cracks of pots-full of sweet peppers and aubergines to slice, brush the paved floor of the terrace. This grows to about 30cm with oil and season before cooking on the barbecue grill. (12ins) and bears lots of little mauve flowers all summer. A sprinkling of thyme would add a Mediterranean flavour When you walk on them and crush the stems, they to the meal. release a wonderful aroma like sweet mint. Potfuls of marjoram, basil, and maybe some coriander, Once you have got a few plants going they will be with as well as culinary thyme, could be grown near the you for all time. And the scents, flavours and colours of kitchen and duplicated by the barbecue. A snippet of fresh summer will enhance those precious evenings in the leaves lend a lot to any dish. garden with family and friends. 33 01803 872124 PLANT & GARDEN CENTRE Harrowbarrow,Rising Callington, Sun Nurseries Tel 01579 351231 DGM specialists in New and Used Cornwall turf and grounds care equipment Time to put colour in your garden! Full range USED ISEKI TXG237 Compact Tractor of bedding and patio plants for your baskets and with Lewis loader with bucket tubs. Or pick up a full basket ready to hang. 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The idea of eating outdoors is built into our very being, going back to living in caves, mud huts and throughout all history the fire has been a focal point around which we like to congregate. The invention of the chimney made it more palatable to eat indoors without having smoke filled rooms and finally came about the separate kitchen making everything very ‘civilised’. This makes it even more enjoyable to get back to nature, having picnics during the wonderful long summer days, conjuring up memories of check blankets, wicker hampers, sandwiches and wasps! Whilst during the evenings we enjoyed sitting around the camp fire eating and drinking. But today we automatically think of barbeques when we consider eating outdoors and if you are looking into buying one then there are plenty to choose from. They start from the most basic disposable silver foil type, which many take on camping holidays, right up to very sophisticated gas combination units with hot plates and ovens as well as the usual grills. The most commonly used though are the very large range of gas or charcoal barbeques which normally come on wheels so they can be moved around the garden. They are sold in most DIY stores and many larger garden centres. Understandably, the gas bottle type is more popular as they are instantly fired up and cleaner to use, but maybe lack the character and smell of charcoal. Both gas bottles and bags of charcoal are available in the majority of petrol stations. There are other forms of outdoor cooking, such as the pizza ovens which you can buy as complete items or build your own clay oven, fire pits and chimineas. A brick built barbeque can become a feature in your garden and it can be gas or charcoal. If building your own, you can incorporate a rotating spit for roasting chickens, or a leg you can also be more adventurous with your dishes, try of lamb or pork. The idea with the brick built style is that cooking fish in silver foil, grill your vegetables such as you can buy all the grill trays etc. (readily available on line) tomatoes, aubergines, artichokes, peppers and courgettes and build the brick framework to accommodate them. and put them on a kebab skewer. Add a side salad of The positioning of your outdoor eating area is important, lettuce, radishes and spring onions, along with boiled new and if you have a large enough garden, it’s a good idea potatoes and freshly picked mint. to be further away from the house in order to ‘get away Most of the summer vegetables and herbs can be from it all’. Consider whether you are a midday or evening grown close to the cooking area in raised beds or user as during the day you might want a bit of extra shade containers. There are plenty of dwarf and ‘patio’ vegetable but in the evening hang on to the last rays of sunshine. If varieties available and grown amongst the herbs can still it’s a fixed barbeque or oven you don’t have the option of look very attractive. moving around, so having a covered pergola, sun sail or So what’s more enjoyable than relaxing in the garden large sun umbrellas are all options. and eating the delicious food you have grown yourself – If you are an evening relaxer around the campfire then we just need those balmy summer evenings. a round fire pit is a good idea, once the charcoal cooking is over you can pile on the logs to burn all evening. Colin Knapman, BSc Hons, Garden Design Apart from all the traditional sausages and burgers Tel: 01425 655038 35 gardening

by Will Livingstone Grow it, eat it River Cottage

Planting out and direct sowing to the fine tilth you require; finer for smaller seed. Everything increases in May – day length, warmth, light Once you are happy, you can mark out and begin sowing. and spirits. As spring becomes summer, the garden Make your drill (a shallow trench) and water before you sow really comes into its own. Everything shines, the recently your seeds; this way you won’t disturb your work when you laid hedge that hugs our garden is filled with lush grass, water retrospectively. If your soil is fertile, then this should be cowslips and the hum of beneficial insects. all the water they will require. Sometimes it’s better to water Leaving a wilder area of the garden is no bad thing; less than more, making your plants work for it. Broadcast organic growing is greatly aided by maintaining a natural sowing can be a useful technique for a more wild garden relationship between the wild and cultivated, it also gives approach – simply scatter your seed onto a well prepared you an excuse to leave the strimmer alone for a while. Wild seed bed and rake in, for a swathe of colour and crop. flowers are amongst the most attractive for pollinating Plants you have raised undercover will need to be insects, but we supplement heavily by growing borage, hardened off before planting out. This is just acclimatisation phacelia and cerinthe, all of which are irresistible to bees to the change in condition. Taking your plants in and out for and hoverflies. However, they self-sow with great gusto, a week or so will reduce transplanting shock, encouraging so keep an eye on them when they start to set seed. them to hit the ground running…not a joke when you grow Incidentally, borage makes for a delicious edible flower – Japanese walking onions! tasting like cucumber, the blue and white stars often get The most important thing about planting is watering added to dessert plates, iced water and salads. in. Water liberally once planted to settle in your seedling, Preparing a seed bed has taken me years to get right. It is ensuring a good start. Protect with fleece in the early a thing that I take very seriously, much to the delight of my stages if pests are a problem. colleagues, as I (not so gracefully) dance my rake across Earlier on in the year, around the end of March, everyone the soil questing for perfection and never quite finding it. gets very excited and frantically sows everything all at Having dug over your plot, walking on boards to reduce once. It is now in early summer that you start to realise compaction, it is wise to remove large stones from the soil that a planned and more successional approach is more surface as these simply get in the way when sowing or sustainable for prolonged production. Catch cropping planting. Be sure to remove any weeds at this point as well, fast growers such as radish, turnips and baby carrots as they will compete for light, water and nutrients from between rows of slower growing crops utilises otherwise your newly emerging seedlings. Rake the clods of soil down wasted space. 36 gardening

Broad beans, meatballs, flatbread

Merguez sausages are a North African speciality, often made with lamb but also sometimes beef, and richly spiced. Really good, authentic, ready-made ones are a little tricky to find, so I tend to make up my own meaty merguez mixture and shape it into burgers or meatballs. Fried until hot and crisp, the meatballs are fantastic with sweet, young broad beans.

SERVES 2 750g-1kg young broad beans in the pod A pinch of cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon rapeseed, olive or sunflower oil ½ teaspoon salt

A couple of squeezes of lemon juice 500g reasonably coarse lamb mince Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (not too lean) For the merguez meatballs 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped OR

1 teaspoon cumin seeds About 250g merguez sausages, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds cut into chunks 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional) To serve

10-12 black peppercorns 2 flatbreads, pitta breads or slices 1 teaspoon sweet paprika of sourdough

To make your own merguez meatballs, heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat, add the cumin, fennel and coriander seeds, and the caraway, if using, with the peppercorns, and toast until fragrant, about a minute. Tip into a mortar and leave to cool, then pound with the pestle to a fine powder. Mix with the paprika, cayenne and salt until well blended. Put the lamb into a bowl, add the spice mix with the garlic, and mix everything together with your hands until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours – or up to 24 hours – to allow the flavours to develop. Form about half the mixture into small meatballs, about the size of a walnut. Keep the rest in the fridge for a day or two or freeze it for another meal (it’s fiddly to make a smaller quantity). Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Pod the broad beans, add to the pan, return to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain and pop larger beans out of their thicker skins; very small beans don’t need to be skinned. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil. When hot, add the meatballs (or sausage chunks) and cook, turning often, until well browned all over and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Tip in the beans and toss them in the spicy fat. Cook for a minute longer, then give the whole thing a spritz of lemon juice and add a little salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Warm your flatbreads or toast your bread. Pile the meaty bean mixture on top, along with any pan juices, give it a final squeeze of lemon juice, and serve.

This recipe features in ‘Hugh’s Three Good Things’, published by Bloomsbury Publishing plc, and available from rivercottage.net.

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38 gardening Chilli Peppers By Bridget Ibbs Horticulturalist (formally RHS Garden Rosemoor)

Chilli peppers originated in the Americas and are part of the Solanaceae family (as are potatoes and tomatoes) and one of the New World crops introduced into Europe by Columbus. Known for their fiery heat, which is due to the presence of the compound capsaicin, the chilli pepper has long been valued for adding spice and flavour to food. The heat of chilli peppers is measured by the Scoville Scale, named after Wilbur Scoville who developed the test in 1912. The scale records the heat of chilli peppers in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), ranging from the mild Poblano (1,500 SHU) up to Naga Jolokia with an incredible one Image: Chilli ‘Prairie Fire’ “RHS / Tim Sandall" million SHU. As of 2015 the hottest chilli pepper on record is the Carolina Reaper with an astounding 2.2 million SHU. Useful small or windowsill cultivars include the These super-hot chillies really do need to be handled with multi-coloured Apache, Prairie Fire or the dark purple care; I’ve found even sowing the seed of Naga chillies can Pot Black. Larger plants include the very attractive make my eyes water! orange Habaneros, the Peruvian Lemon Drop and for Whether mild, fiery or totally volcanic, the chilli pepper fiery heat, try the Dorset Naga. makes an attractive plant to grow at home, as well as Chilli pepper pods can be used in cooking either fresh producing a useful crop. They are tender, so grow best or dried and they may even be frozen. A lovely way in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. Sow a few to dry peppers is to string several of them together seeds in pots of moist seed compost from February (piercing through the thick base of the stem) then hang to March and cover with a fine layer of vermiculite. A up the whole string in the kitchen to dry. heated bench is very useful to aid germination. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant into 3in You can find out more about growing and using chillies pots and then pot on as they grow. Taller varieties may at the Chilli Festival 2016 on 7th and 8th May at the need staking. Once fruits set, give the plants a regular Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden Rosemoor at feed, but be careful not to overwater. Great Torrington in Devon.

Image: Chilli ‘Dorset Naga’ “RHS, Hyde Hall" Image: Chilli ‘Lemon Drop’ “RHS / Jacquie Gray" 39 A PAIR OF SAFETY BOOTS TO EXPLORE

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7th May 2016 – An Overview of UK Invertebrates 4th June 2016 – Introduction to the Flora of the UK 11th June 2016 – Introduction to Habitat Diversity 27th August 2016 - Woodland Invertebrates (Intermediate) 1st Sept 2016 - Introduction to Woodland Ecology

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Celebrating the English Country Garden on the weekend of the Queen's 90th birthday commemorations. Join us to experience talks, stalls, To be opened by Alan Titchmarsh demonstrations, refreshments, entertainment, top gardening personalities and new ideas on how to use and love your garden. The Festival will be opened by Roy Tickets available online, by phone or from the Palace Shop: Lancaster and will feature talks by Adult £7.99 Concession £6.90 Child (5-18) £3.35. Group (10+) £5.95 Roy, Mark Diacono and Tom Hart Palace Members FREE. Early Bird Discount available until 30th April Dyke among others. 01749 988111ext. 200 www.bishopspalace.org.uk 41 Wildlife Blackdown Hills Dormice The Blackdown Hills form a tranquil, beautiful, and relatively isolated landscape on the Devon and Somerset border and is this year celebrating 25 years of protection Over the winter 40 volunteers have helped the project as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). put up 300 new dormouse nest boxes. The new nest boxes Steep ridges, high plateau, valleys and springs create provide a safe and sheltered space for dormice to raise a charming mosaic of countryside dotted with farms, their young at six new National Dormouse Monitoring villages and ancient features. The AONB is home to an Programme sites. The National Dormouse Monitoring impressive array of wildlife thanks to the unique geology Programme was established twenty five years ago and is which creates an exceptional environment where rare managed by the People’s Trust for Endangered Species plant, insect, bird and mammal species can flourish. (PTES). It is an initiative that collates data from sites across The AONB partnership has been delving deeper to find the UK to keep a record of the distribution and abundance out more about the wildlife of the area through the Heritage of dormouse populations at a national level. Dormice have Lottery Funded ‘Blackdown Hills Natural Futures’ project. suffered dramatic declines over the past century due to the The project is offers a wide range of opportunities for loss of their ancient woodland habitat, and providing nest people to learn more about wildlife and nature conservation. boxes can help keep track of how populations are faring, Alongside a six-month intensive training programme for and also provide habitat for rearing their young. budding ecologists, the project offers a range of wildlife identification events and wildlife survey training days. For more information about the project and details Community groups are also being supported to improve of events and activities you can get involved in visit areas of public land for wildlife and primary schools are www.blackdownhillsnaturalfutures.org or telephone taking advantage of environmental education sessions. 01823 681937. book reviews

Understanding Bird Behaviour By Stephen Moss A BBC journalist and TV producer, Stephen Moss has written this authoritative book on bird behaviour with both the experienced bird watcher and novice in mind. The way birds move and behave is a key too in their identification and the author provides instruction to assist the birder to get the most out of watching birds. The informative text is illustrated on every page with stunning photographs of birds in their natural habitats. The book is presented in two easy to reference parts; First the different types of bird behaviour, divided into six chapters including movement, feeding, breeding, migration and navigation, distribution and range, and life and death. Part two covers different behaviours arranged by family and species groups, and includes the 200 or so species that one is most likely to encounter when birdwatching in Britain. A highly recommended addition to any bird watchers library. Published by: Bloomsbury | £12.99

Plants - from Roots to Riches by Kathy Willis and Carolyn Fry Following on from the landmark BBC Radio 4 series of 25 episodes, this book is packed with gardening tips from the last 250 years. Put together by Kew Gardens' head of science Kathy Willis acclaimed scientific writer Carolyn Fry whose expertise really shine through here as they attempt to answer that pivotol question of just why the Great British public is so in love with their gardens. Drawing on Kew's enviable, extensive photo library this guide features 200 pictures chosen especially, with many never having previously been published. Across a number of chapters the pair unravel the history behind our love of botany, revealing surprising secrets from behind the scenes of the Botanical Gardens along the way. They ponder the importance of such key events as the discovery of Botany Bay to Darwin's experiments as well as some rather unexpected discoveries that came about as a result of the 1987 hurricane. Beautifully put together, this book is a must for those looking to understand some of the mysteries behind botanical science – and where our love of plants can take us in the future. Published by: Publisher: John Murray | £14.99 42 Waterless toilets for remote Streamcombe Cookery School sites. High and low use. Dulverton - - Somerset Breadmaking Fish cookery  Garden studios Culinary techniques  Summerhouses Game & seasonal food Indian and Italian  Remote work locations plus  Rural churches Team building  Allotments Private groups  Community Orchards Day courses from £125  Parks [email protected] 01686 412653 [email protected] 01398 322873 www.natsol.co.uk www.streamcombecookery.co.uk Half day introduction to clay SHROPSHIRE SHEEP pigeon shooting Tamar Valley - Cornwall/Devon Border National - Have a go at clay pigeon shooting in a fun and safe Show & Sale environment. Halls Shrewsbury - £55 per person includes all th clays and cartridges. Sunday 24 July - Course run by BASC Senior Shotgun Coach Stewart Lees Melton Mowbray - Please call or e-mail for Friday 9th & Saturday 10th Sept dates/availability. For more information, please visit our website [email protected] | 01579 384714 www.shropshire-sheep.co.uk or contact our www.safeshotcoaching.com Sales Officer, Claire Jakeman 07766 238 346 For all our latest special offers and unique discounts please visit

Fully qualified and www.thelandsman.co.uk ATV’s NEW & USED insured tree surgeons, Quads for Sale, Trailers & Equipment Hedge Maintenance, Supplied, Near Axminster Fencing, Traditional SMALLHOLDINGFLYSCREENS FLYSCREENS Agricultural & General Engineering Stone Walling and more and Fabrication work undertaken COURSES One day hands-on courses in SIMON DUFF ENGINEERING www.rootandbranchtrees.com Keeping Poultry, Pigs, Sheep, 43172728 Lambing, Land Management, For all Windows, Doors 01460 220731 Tel: 07813797299 Tractor Maintenance & more! www.axe-atv.co.uk Mobile: 01579 371331 & Conservatories 43172728 £54.95/person Domestic - Commercial ForFor all brochure Windows, Silky Fox Saws For all Windows, Doors 01258Doors 455049 & Conservatories& Conservatories Domestic - Commercial Silky Fox Saws Domestic - Commercial Foxley Estate Offi ce, Mansel Lacy, For brochure Hereford HR4 7HQ Northlew | Devon | 01837 810274 Tel: 01981 590224 e: [email protected] For01258 brochure 455049 Secateurs and Hedgeshears in superb Fax: 01981 590355 high quality tempered Japanese steel plus… the world’s fi nest pruning saws www.silkyfox.co.uk www.southyeofarm.co.uk [email protected] 455049 twitter.com/landsmanlife 43 country diary

May/June Diary

Butchery, Bacon & Bangers 9 May Basic hygiene, safety procedures and then butchery. Various Hedgerow Foraging dates available, contact [email protected] or Discover the wild food secrets of Britain’s hedgerows, call Laine on 07595 296 613 www.devonsmallholders.co.uk with a day of countryside foraging at the River Cottage Cookery School. For more information visit Clay Pigeon Shooting www.rivercottage.net Have a go at clay pigeon shooting in a fun and safe environment in the Tamar Valley. Email or call for dates and 9-10 May availability 01579 384714 www.safeshootcoaching.com Chainsaw Competence City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award In Chainsaw 30 Apr - 15 May Maintenance And Operations. Email: training@ Tulip Festival devonsmallholders.co.uk or call Laine on 07595 296 613. When more than twenty thousand tulips bloom across the www.devonsmallholders.co.uk gardens. For more information visit www.fordeabbey.co.uk 11 May 4 May - 28 Sept Safe and Effective use of Veterinary Medicines Hestercombe Express For full course details email: rhiannon.purbrick@ Every Wednesday enjoy a rail travel adventure. synergyfarmhealth.com Tel: 01935 83682 visit www.westsomersetrailway.vticket.co.uk or call www.raftsolutions.co.uk/our-courses 01643 704996. Discount for Hestercombe Members. 13 May 7 May Blacksmithing An Introduction to Sheep Keeping Be a Blacksmith for a day in a fully equipped forge. £54.95pp (£100 couples). Tel: 01837 810274 Cost £130.00. www.dorsetruralskills.co.uk email [email protected] www.southyeofarm.co.uk 14 May 7 May Incubation, Hatching & Rearing Poultry Fish Cookery We cover selecting eggs for hatching, storage, A day of filleting, gutting, frying, grilling and baking fish setting eggs, and more. £54.95pp (£100 couples) at Streamcombe Cookery School. £125pp. Contact Ian on Tel: 01837 810274, email [email protected] 01398 322873, [email protected] or visit www.southyeofarm.co.uk www.streamcombecookery.co.uk 14-15 May 7 May Plant Heritage Spring Fair Introduction to the Natural History of UK Invertebrates A must for all keen gardeners and plant collectors. This one day course is to present an overview of the www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor taxonomy and key ecological requirements from a selection of UK invertebrate fauna. Call 07484 605962, 15 May email: [email protected] or visit www.crestdevon.co.uk The Bridge Mill Opens for National Mills Day Come and see the millstones grinding,craft stalls, 7 May mammoth plant sales and much more. Living with Livestock www.thebridgemill.org.uk An introduction to sheep, pigs and cattle. For more information email [email protected] or 15 May call Laine on 07595 296 613 www.devonsmallholders.co.uk Incubation, Hatching & Rearing Poultry Covering selecting eggs for hatching, storage, 7-8 May setting eggs,and much more. Email: training@ Devon Chilli Fiesta devonsmallholders.co.uk or call Laine Exhibiting will be 30+ of the top producers from all over on 07595 296 613. For more information visit the UK. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 44 country diary

15 May 28 May - 5 June All Things Vintage and Lovely May Half-Term 40 vintage and artisan stalls, music, dancing, workshops Follow our trail around Hestercombe’s beautiful gardens as and refreshments. 10.30am – 4pm £4 / U12s free, contact the summer flowers begin to bloom and get creative with Miss Ivy Events 07739033476 or [email protected] activities in the Courtyard. Visit www.hestercombe.com

16 May 28 May - 5 June Indian Cookery Course Scouting For All A day spent learning about the regional food of India. May Half-Term Family Fun Activities and Garden Trail £125pp. Contact 01398 322873, ian@streamcombecookery. including den building and orienteering, all the things you co.uk or visit www.streamcombecookery.co.uk need to get outdoors and earn your badges! For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 17 May An Introduction to Bumblebees 29 - 30 May With Aoife O’ Rourke from the Bumblebee Conservation Dartington Annual Food Fair Trust and Jo Chesworth from . A two day event showcasing the best of local produce, www.trillfarm.co.uk as well as arts, crafts and activities for all the family. For more information visit www.dartington.org 19, 20 & 21 May Devon County Show 30 May The Devon County Show is an annual three-day Bank Holiday BBQ at Hestercombe celebration of all that’s great about our countryside. Work up an appetite with games on the lawn and enjoy www.devoncountyshow.co.uk some sizzling hot food. For more information visit www.hestercombe.com 21-22 May Royal Welsh Spring Festival 30 May The two-day festival, with its action-packed programme Sherborne Castle Country Fair of entertainment and educational activities, free The Sherborne Castle Country Fair presents a rich and fun workshops, displays and main ring performances offers programme of events. www.sherbornecountryfair.com the perfect family day out. www.rwas.co.uk 1 June 22 May Community Day at Dartington Hall Unity in Music Family day out. For more information visit Poplar Arab songs. £20 – all proceeds to South Devon www.dartington.org Refugee Support Network for more information visit www.dartington.org 2 June Pond Dipping 27 May Put your wellies on, grab a net and see what you can find. Party in the Town www.trillfarm.co.uk Venues across Totnes, 6pm to late. A celebration of music and entertainment. For more information visit 1-4 June www.dartington.org Royal Bath & West Show Something for everyone at England’s biggest celebration 28,29 & 30 May of rural life. www.bathandwest.com River Cottage Spring Fair Pull on your wellies, round up the family and join the team 3-4 June on the farm for a weekend full of growing, cooking and Straw Bale Building (most importantly) eating, at the River Cottage Spring Build a bale building, and learn about foundations, roofing, Food Fair. www.rivercottage.net and construction. www.dorsetruralskills.co.uk

28-30 May 4 June Smallholder Weekend Tractor & Machinery Maintenance Great deals and offers on poultry and things for the A course for beginners, covering simple tractors common smallholder at all Mole Avon stores. For full details visit farm machinery. Email: [email protected] or www.moleavon.co.uk call Laine on 07595 296 613. www.devonsmallholders.co.uk 45 country diary

4 June 11 June An Overview of UK Flora Introduction to Habitat Diversity in the UK A one-day course that explores the range of UK habitats This is a ‘walk and talk’ course. For more information call and associated flora. Call: 07484 605962 07484 605962, email [email protected] or visit email: [email protected] or visit www.crestdevon.co.uk www.crestdevon.co.uk

5 June 11 June Open Farm Sunday Yurt Building Visit a farm on Open Farm Sunday and discover the Course lasts for 10 days spread over 5 weekends. world of farming. For details of an event near you visit For more information visit www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk/ www.farmsunday.org/visit-a-farm yurt-building-with-will-southcote

5 June 16-17 June Open Farm Sunday at Dartington Hall Chainsaw Competence For more information visit www.dartington.org City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Award In Chainsaw Maintenance And Operations. Email: training@ 6 June - 10 July devonsmallholders.co.uk or call Laine on 07595 296 613. Rose Festival www.devonsmallholders.co.uk Join us in this, a month long celebration of the rose. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/Rosemoor 18 June Basket Making Workshop 7 June You will be taught basic techniques to create NGS Open Day a simple round basket. For more information visit Hestercombe is open as part of a nationwide scheme to www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk raise money for a range of garden charities. www.hestercombe.com 18 June Levels Best Famers Market & Willow 7 June & Wetlands Visitor Centre South Sheep 2016 10am – 2pm visit www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk/ The premier sheep event in the South. For full details levels-best-farmers-market-arrives-at-the-willow-and- and more information visit www.southsheep.org.uk wetlands for full details

7-8 June 18-19 June 2 Day Foot Trimming Course Open Weekend at Cranborne Gardens Suitable for people wishing to learn the 5 step Over 20 gardens in Cranborne will be open, including Dutch Foot Trimming method. Email: rhiannon.purbrick@ The Manor Garden. www.cranbornegardencentre.co.uk synergyfarmhealth.com tel: 01935 83682 or visit www.raftsolutions.co.uk/our-courses 19 June Fathers Day Lunch 9, 10 & 11 June At The White Hart, Dartington Hall, a two course menu and Royal Cornwall Show gift for Dad from £24.95 per person / U15 £14.50 to book, The Royal Cornwall Show offers the best in farming call 01803 847150. and fun. www.royalcornwallshow.org 19 June 10-12 June Father’s Day BBQ The English Country Garden Festival at Bishop’s Palace Work up an appetite with games on the lawn and enjoy Celebrating the English Country Garden on the weekend some sizzling hot food cooked fresh on the Courtyard of the Queen’s 90th birthday commemorations. For more barbecue. www.hestercombe.com information visit www.bishopspalace.org.uk 25-26 June 11 June Axe Vale Festival Land Management Probably the best Gardening and Craft Show in the Covers grassland management. £54.95pp (£100 couples) South West, and a great day out for all the family! Tel: 01837 810274 email [email protected] Raising funds for local charities. For more information www.southyeofarm.co.uk visit www.axevalefestival.org.uk 46 our country year Abbotsbury swannery Thoughts of Easter and newly-hatched chicks may be disappearing for another year, but in one picturesque corner of Dorset the hatching season is only just warming up. Nestled at the end of an eight mile lagoon on the Dorset coast, sheltered by Chesil Beach, Abbotsbury Swannery has been home to Mute Swans for hundreds of years. The Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) is the world’s only managed colony of nesting Mute Swans and during May and June they put on quite the spectacle. With written records dating back to 1354, the swans were predominantly managed for their meat by the Benedictine Monks who founded the abbey here in the important for the cygnets who cannot survive on salt 1040s. There has always been a Swankeeper or Swanherd water alone. The lagoon – stretching from Portland looking out for the colony of swans, which in recent years Harbour right along Chesil Beach – is rich in a variety of has topped 160 breeding pairs. Today the swans are not weeds which appeal to a variety of other wetland birds. kept for their meat, but the title of Swanherd lives on in Abbotsbury is also home to a wealth of other attractions, Dave Wheeler who has been at the swannery since 1981 including subtropical gardens, a willow maze and an old and was bestowed the title of Swanherd in 2001. tithe barn that allows children to meet lots of different Unusually, the swans nest colonially at Abbotsbury and farm animals. are so used to people coming and going that visitors are “This year, if all goes well, we’re looking at the cygnets treated to a front row seat to watch the amazing moment hatching from Saturday 7th May” Dave said. “The second a clutch of eggs begins to hatch – and now is the best time half of May and well into June is the best time to see them. to witness this. Because of the way swans tend to nest on the same spot “We can predict hatchings to some accuracy” explained year after year – and they can nest wherever they wish – Dave. “Conveniently they lay an egg roughly every two quite a number of them will nest on the public walkways days but they delay incubation until the last egg is laid. and are very used to visitors wandering right up to the Then 35 days later they all hatch together in a day so nests and visitors can watch the eggs hatch. we can predict the hatch day. The following day, once “Normally swans are fiercely territorial and don’t like they have rested, we sex the cygnets and tag them with people approaching the nests like that, but here they are tiny tags and immediately return them to the parents so absolutely used to it. It is particularly amazing at this time they’re only away for a minute or two, but it allows us to of year. Schoolchildren are astounded – it’s hard to lock the track cygnets and return lost ones to their parents.” gates at the end of the day: people watch a clutch hatch and The environment at Abbotsbury is key to the swan’s they will stay half a day and want to see the last egg hatch success, with an abundance of freshwater which is and not want to go home. It’s a very special time.”

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