A Week on the Estate: Warm Autumn, Cyclo Cross & Standing Hay

In the parkland, we were chuffed to welcome the Alford Wheelers Cyclo-Cross event to South Ormsby Estate in fair weather last weekend. There was just enough mud and moisture to keep things entertaining for all concerned. Well done to all you hardy pedal-pushers!

Out on the land, it’s late autumn, the clocks have gone back and our Lincoln Reds have moved to standing hay. They grazed three hectares over six days before moving to a different paddock. It made sense to graze this relatively wet area in October as it could get quite boggy in wet, midwinter weather. This year’s big change is that our whole native-breed Lincoln Red herd will stay outdoors, sustained by our land, all-year round. In a typical year they’ll go to standing hay from late October, forage crops from January and back to grazing grasses towards the end of March.

In the Walled Garden, we snapped a young tawny owl (Strix aluco) looking a little bedraggled. It’ll need to brush up on its stealth skills if it wants to dine on our mice and voles. It eventually flew into a tall oak tree for a good preen and now seems much happier. The tawny has the most distinctive call of all British owls, the trademark ‘huhuhuhoooo’. It is particularly loud and clear in autumn when newly independent juveniles (not unlike our visitor) are learning their trade and claiming their own territories.

Nearby, Colin uncovered a remarkably intact clay pipe while digging a new rose bed. According to Historic England, the parkland and the Walled Garden have been much as they are today since the latter half of the 18th century. Was this pipe last smoked by an early resident of South Ormsby Hall, or perhaps another gardener who hung up his trowel 250 years ago? Either way, we think Colin cuts quite the dash as he models this lovely piece of our heritage.

Finally, thanks to Dot Monts Trakas of South Carolina, USA, for opening a treasure trove of shared history for us. Click HERE for a 300-year-old tale of hardship, misfortune, thwarted inheritance, ocean crossings, debtors’ gaol and genealogical detective work.

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