Building bridges

Despite the less than perfect weather conditions, the Stargazing workshop proved very successful. Children, as well as adults, enjoyed finding out more about star arrangements and how to recognise the prominent constellations. Sadly this was Leanne Winn’s last event with us. We wish her well as she takes up her new position in Marketing at the University of Lincoln.

Local builder Andy Mettam sorted out one of our decaying bridges. This one is just outside the walled garden on the way to Lime tree walk.

We now have 66 calves and they are all doing well. We are expecting another couple of dozen but some of these will not be born until the cattle are back in the park in mid-April. The calves are already partaking of real food as well as still enjoying their mothers’ milk. Herd Manager, John Crutchley, has had to mend the cattle feeding machine which has been struggling to cope with constant use.

The fire escape has been erected at the Rectory. It is made of iroko wood which ensures it blends in with the mansion house. The safety barrier on the top of the flat roof will be made of the same wood.

The huge tree planting project continues in the Parkland and we are building into the project protection to ensure the young trees get a good start. Rather than dig trenches and burying fences deep to prevent rabbits we are adopting the new approach of erecting a chicken wire fence with a horizontal runner in front of it. The rabbits get to the vertical chicken wire and begin to dig down to get underneath it. They hit the horizontal wiring and are prevented from going underneath the fencing and so give up! We are going to leave the anti-rabbit fencing up for a few years whilst the sapling trees establish themselves and then it can be removed.