The New Year starts as we mean to go on at Wheatland Farm! Getting out there and looking after the Devon countryside. Today’s job was clearing ‘brash’ from near Honeysuckle Lodge …
…from the willow we had to cut down just before Christmas (it was threatening to fall where it wasn’t wanted). We keep the big bits of wood for our heating supply at the farmhouse and for Otter Cottage and Balebarn Lodge, but the small stuff we sometimes have to burn. Not this time though – we’re using it to top up the brash pile near the corner pond (where we usually see the first frogspawn). It’s a good habitat for overwintering creatures including lizards and newts. And in spring blackbirds will probably nest in the loose branches – hopefully far enough in to be away from predators.
