A Week on the Estate: Radio Lincs, Organic Wheat & Young Hedgers
The long-range weather outlook suggests that the current mild but overcast Atlantic weather will persist until the end of the month, with early March and meteorological spring potentially bringing a last wintry spell of snow and ice. The coming week is set to be mild and dry with highs of 14C and lows of 2C.
Out on the land, preparation has started on the organic-certified land where we rolled volunteer beans during December’s frosty spell. Finding a positive use for midwinter weather in preference to using agricultural chemicals is one facet of our organic approach. Thistles and poppies were worked out this week and the next stage will be drilling wheat.
Elsewhere, the Saturday Club got involved with our hedge-planting campaign under the expert eye of Andy Bonnet. They got the hang of it quickly and covered a respectable distance. Each new sapling benefits from a weed-suppressant mat and a spiral to protect it from hungry deer until it’s established. Used canes and spirals are later recovered and re-used on new plantings. We’ve planted more than 7km since 2019 and we’re still cracking on. In case you missed it, you can find out more about our comprehensive approach to doing farming better HERE.
Closer to home, we’re about to start on our work to improve the Lake. In the next two weeks, the wooden fences will be removed and arborists will be working on the existing trees before planting more later this year. This is part of a broader plan to systematically improve the Lake’s appearance, using 18th and 19th-century paintings and drawings as a guide.
Fencing and tree-crowding will be reduced, there’ll be new and sympathetic planting, and the edging will be improved with no use of concrete. The lake-head is leaking so this will be resolved and a fish-path added. The boathouse will be recreated and there’s a possibility of hydro-electricity generation. Dredging will also be required as the original depth of 2m has reduced to 10cm. To find out more about the range of improvements we’re planning in the next few years, you can catch up HERE.
