Eco Lodges in Devon
We’re claiming a small success for #30DaysWild today: this orchid has appeared by the wildlife pond, at the edge of the mown path. It’s the first one we’ve found at Wheatland Farm that’s not growing on Popehouse Moor SSSI.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 14 An unexpected orchid”
Today’s wild treat was wild strawberries to top a cake. We encourage wild strawberries around the eco lodges on our Devon farm as they are good food for birds. But this scattering actually came from our own garden.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 13: Wild strawberries”
Last year Maggie joined The Time Is Now mass lobby of MPs about the dual climate and biodiversity crises. This year the lobby is going virtual. Wheatland Farm’s Random Act of Wildness for the day was to sign up for the 30th June event. Will you do the same?
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 12 Planning to lobby our MP”
Kingfishers are occasional and much loved visitors to Wheatland Farm’s Devon Eco Lodges. But we’ve never seen a young bird, until….
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No 11. A kingfisher Visits The Eco Lodges”
Spring has sprung up on Wheatland Farm turbine walk, and it has got severely overgrown. So for today’s Random Act of Wildness we took the mower out and cut it back so it’s ready when our lovely guests return to the eco lodges in a few weeks.
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Today’s Random Act of Wildness was to take time off to kayak the Exe Estuary. And since it’s a fun thing to do if you’re staying at Wheatland Farm this summer, here’s a bit more information.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 9. Explore the Exe Estuary by Boat”
It’s really just a pic for #30DaysWild today – a picture of these vibrant and beautiful ‘weeds’ in amongst the dried out grass. They are some kind of hawkbit, but there are so many….
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 8 Amazing weeds!”
Beautiful aren’t they, and a common sight around the eco lodges. But should pheasants really be here, where do they come from, and are they damaging native British wildlife? For today’s #30DaysWild we’ve been taking a moment to think about pheasants…
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 7 Pheasants”
The caterpillars are back on the alder buckthorn saplings. This sapling is outside Beech Eco Lodge and is getting well and truly nibbled.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 6: Getting the munchies”
We’re incorporating some rocky habitat into a new outdoor hand washing point we’re putting in the lodge field. We’re using old metal tree guards as ‘gabions’ that we’ll fill with rocks and stone, and a recycled steel sink. Here’s Ian breaking the ground, so we can secure the gabions properly.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 5 Sinks And Stones”
Today’s Random Act of Wildness is to top up the mealworms we put out for the birds. It’s an important food source at the moment because parents are struggling to feed their broods – like this one. But just look where these blue tits chose to nest!
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No 4. Blue Tits In A Gate Post”
It’s not often we shout about rain in Devon. But after the sunniest May on record, we’re happy to get a hammering today.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 3: Soaking up the rain”
A few days ago we posted about Broad Bodied Chasers emerging at the wildlife pond below Balebarn Eco Lodge. Now the place is humming with dragonflies.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 2. Dragonflies egg laying at the pond”
It’s that time again – June is when the Wildlife Trusts run their 30 Days Wild campaign, challenging us all to do something for nature every day of the month. So today at Wheatland Farm we’ve been checking up on special flowers.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 1. Southern March Orchids”
updated 21 May 2020
We look forward to welcoming you again at Wheatland Farm’s Devon Eco Lodges. You can book ahead for the summer and autumn – we’ve made booking easier, final payment due dates later, and refunds better.
Continue reading “Wheatland Farm’s Corona Virus Statement 21 May 2020”
It’s summer proper when damselflies make way for dragonflies at Wheatland Farm’s wildlife pond.
Continue reading “Dragonflies emerge”
With fewer guests and dogs, the Wheatland Farm birds are nesting all over the place this spring…
Continue reading “Thrush chicks nesting near the lodges”
May sunshine means it’s time to jump in the Wheatland Farm pond, and get up close and personal with some dragons and damsels.
Continue reading “Making the most of wild swimming”
George and 2 friends undertook to walk 55 miles ‘around their gardens’ in full Dartmoor Ten Tors kit, replicating the cancelled event and raising money for MSF’s corona virus appeal. And you helped keep him going. Thank you!
Continue reading “Thanks to everyone who supported George”updated 30 April 2020
We’re using the lockdown period to stay ready to welcome you back. When and if the restrictions are lifted, we look forward to seeing you again at Wheatland Farm. You can still book ahead for the summer and autumn – we will be here.
Continue reading “Corona Virus – Wheatland Farm’s Statement April 2020”
It was on our 2020 Charter List – to upgrade some more of the double glazing in the eco lodges. So we’ve started with Beech Lodge.
Continue reading “Upgrading the eco lodge windows”
Ian has made a beautiful new coffee table for Nuthatch Eco Lodge – from our own Wheatland Farm timber.
Continue reading “Upcycled coffee table for Nuthatch Eco Lodge”
Yesterday we took the Wheatland Farm brush cutter mower and hedge trimmer to the community biodiversity area near Winkleigh sports centre.
Continue reading “Mowing grass at Winkleigh’s ‘community trees’”
It had to come, and we’ve been waiting to celebrate with our annual cake…
Continue reading “Swallows Flying Over the Eco Lodges Again, 2020”Despite spring sunshine, the storm is almost upon us. This page outlines our current planning for the coronavirus outbreak, and will be updated as appropriate. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Continue reading “Corona Virus Update 23 March”
Five more bird boxes have gone up at Wheatland Farm Eco Lodges this March. It’s just one part of our Pledges for Nature.
Continue reading “Bird Boxes Going Up”Daffodils are blooming, bumble bees are bumbling, frogs are singing at the pond…. but we’re all worried about corona virus. Here’s our latest thoughts at Wheatland Farm.
This page outlines our current planning, and will be updated as appropriate. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Continue reading “Corona Virus Update 19 March”
It was the Bideford Half Marathon today, and Ian and a couple of our guests from Wheatland Farm were there.
Continue reading “Bideford Half Marathon”
A batch of bird books have arrived for the lodges, as we promised in our ‘further greening‘ plan for 2020.
Continue reading “Bird Books For The Eco Lodges”
Spring is around the corner, at Wheatland Farm with these thrushes and blackbirds singing in the Devon dusk…
Continue reading “Devon Dusk Chorus”