Here come the cows! Five heffers and a steer have arrived. Their job is to graze our culm grass nature reserve. But we need to wait for the grass and early flowers to set some seed,  so they're enjoying the grass and buttercups in the big paddock for now. 

These cattle are a cross with traditional breeds, so they'll thrive on the rough, tough culm grassland. And their hooves will break down some of the tussocky grass, opening up bare patches for new plants, and puddles for insects to breed.

The Devon Wildlife Trust helped us move our little herd, lending a trailer and driver - Simon Berry. Simon is the Trust's grazing links officer, and is also advising us how hard the cows should graze. Too little and the moor grass outgrows more delicate plants like our heath spotted orchids. Too much, and we lose the flowers to close clipped sward. So they'll alternate between the culm meadow and the big paddock until it's time for the heffers to rejoin the dairy herd and the steer to go to market.

And they haven't had to come far - just from Higher Punchardon, our neighbours farm (the one with the handy farm shop) a few hundred metres down the road.

So what shall we call them? I guess characters will emerge over time.

But they wont be the only large grazers on the farm - look what came out of the SSI and almost right up to the upper pond yesterday - a sizeable female red deer!