Acidic Grassland
These marginal grasslands important at certain times of the agricultural year, minerals taken off by grazing eventually producing nutrient poor soil, preventing species to out compete others resulting in a rich, species diverse environment.
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Unimproved grasslands, fungi, wax caps key indicator of unimproved permanent grasslands
Specialist species, solitary beens, field crickets, ground beetles.
Butterflies??
Light grazing prevents scrub invasion, excessive bracken allowing flowering and self seeding. Tricky to get balance right
Hay Meadows
Many of our grasslands are rich in diversity .
Improving diversity of our hay meadows and cutting later to allow for self seeding and
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Working with Devon Wildlife Trust and The National Trust we have gathered seed from a hay meadow adjacent to the farm
How do we reseed without ploughing, restoring hay meadows with local species,
Plantain, yellow rattle, grasses and clovers. Deep rooted plants such as plantain bring up nutrients from deep in the soil benefiting grazing stock. Improving and stabilising soil structure.
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Our own farm yard manure is spread on a small area of our farm, no other nitrates or fertilisers are used.
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Hedgerow
Our hedges are never flailed nor cut.
Hawthorn, Holly, Blackthorn, Hazel, wild rose, clematis, honeysuckle Elder, Willow
Standard trees, Ash, Beech, Oak, Ash, Field Maple.
Provide nesting, foraging, shelter,
Birds, small mammals, dormouse, invertibrats, beetles, stag beetles,
Thick uncut
At the foot wild flowers, Campion, Blue Bell, Stitchwort, Cow Parsley
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Nest and Hibernation Boxes
Tawny,Barn Owl, Bats - which ones? Bat survey house roof found ... Dormouse boxes
