Wiltshire Village Meats Farm Diary November 2006 - Fungus foray, ancient woodlands

Wiltshire Village Meats Farm Diary - November 2006 -

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FARM DIARY
THE EVERYDAY STORY OF LIFE ON A WILTSHIRE FARM

Autumn sunrise at Bishops Cannings

Spiders web one foggy morning

Cinnabar Polypore- 'Pycnoporus cinnabaius' - a bright red bracket fungus in Ley Woods - if my identification is correct this is a very rare fungus

Mycena flavo alba - bright yellow fungus growing in a grassy field margin

Cramp Ball or King Alfreds cakes - 'Daldinia concentrica' very common fungus on deciduous trees but what a great name!

Hygrocybe (can't be sure of the species) - growing on grassland at Avebury - from a distance I thought they were flowers

Alasdair cleans out the chickens - and gives them a cuddle

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November 2006
Fog, fungus and warmth!

The interesting thing about keeping this web diary is looking back over the year, my diary page for last november featured snow! It was at the end of November but even so my pictures of Lay woods in Bishops Cannings look almost like summer this year- how long will it last?! The 1st of November has brought the first frost.

However, the fungus growing everywhere and the foggy mornings certainly feel like autumn. It really has been a great year for fungus and we found plenty in our woods near the canal but I see them everywhere, on verges, parks and gardens. Some of them areas are as beautiful as flowers (others very ugly) in my opinion. I've included a selection here for interest. I also love some of their names - cramp balls, lawyers wig, deadmens fingers etc!

We only have two small patches of woodland at West End Farm, Bishops Cannings but they are both interesting in their own way. Lay woods is a wet woodland adjoining the canal and is an ancient woodland with hazel coppices, and bluebells in the spring. It has an old wood bank around some of the wood which is often an indication of an ancient wood that has been managed in the past. The wood was surveyed about 20 years ago and 30+ species of fungus identified - we found quite a few on our recent foray but not that many! However, one of the bracket fungi may be a very rare species butI am not certain of my identification. If you want to learn about fungi now is the perfect time to go and look, many wildlife trusts hold fungus forays in the autumn. I think my interest in fungi was sparked going on such a walk as a child. I was also fed all kinds of wierd fungi as a child but remember don't eat them unless you are certain they are safe.

11th November 2006
The weather this weekend is quite a contrast to the last one. Last saturday we collected some dead wood from our rather over-grown garden so that we could have a bonfire. It was such a beautiful, bright day. Our cows in the neighbouring field came right up to the fence to watch. We have two lovely old guernsey cows which we use for rearing groups of calves. They are pets really and semi-retired, they even have names - Rosie and Gussie. They are very quite and also fond of each other. The cattle will probably be housed in barns in the next few weeks now that the weather is turning colder. You'll notice that all cows in this country have to have two eartags - one large easily readable one and another small one - one in each ear. Every eartag is unique and each animal has its own passport which must travel with the animal. The government also has a central database where the details and movements of every cow is recorded. It is a lot of beauracy and paperwork but it does mean every animal can be traced.

In preparation for winter Alasdair and Grandma cleaned out the chickens stable in a fit of keenness. Alasdair enjoyed catching the chikcens and giving them a compulsory cuddle. We only have a handful of bantams which are fun for the children to help care for.

Bonfire night was a great success - plentiful suasages and bacon and a great view of all the fireworks in the surrounding villages from our garden. Unfortunately our hate fireworks and the firework season seems to get longer each year so they spend much of the time hiding quivering under the kitchen table. I don't think border collies could ever be trained as gun dogs they seem to be naturally terrified of bangs and thunder - we even have one that is scared of sneezes! Our sleep was disturbed last night by one of our collies howling. We discovered that he was singing along with a barn owl that was very close to the house. He wasn't remotely worried just enjoying a howl. I haven't heard an owl so close for a long time. Jed was shut in the kitchen and we eventually got back to sleep.

25th November 2006 - a week of meetings
Farming is not all about fresh air and hard work there are many meetings to attend as well and this has been a week of them for us. On Monday Muriel had to go to Exeter to the Rural Payment Agency offices, as a member of an independant appeals panel she had to hear three cases of farmers who had fallen foul of the regulatory system and thereby been penalised. It is always difficult hearing these cases where often small errors on the completion of forms can lead to huge financial consequences. Sometimes it is possible to support the farmers appeal other times not, it certainly makes us more aware of the consquences of making mistakes.

On Tuesday we had a staff meeting at Crooked Soley, we try to meet regularly with the staff to enable problems or ideas to be discussed.

On Wednesday evening Cameron went to the local National Farmers Union AGM which also had a speaker talking about Catchment Sensitive Farming.

Thursday morning Muriel should have attended a meeting with the inspirational title of 'Making the Most of Manures'. I'm sure it would have been useful and interesting but the mountains of paper in the office won the day as a higher priority on this occassion.

On Thursday evening Muriel went to a meeting of local Churches who are discussing setting up a food bank in Devizes to provide emergency food for local people in crisis. This scheme is being promoted across the country by a Christian charity called the Trussell Trust. It is a sobering thought that there are people in our towns and villages who sometimes literally run out of food due to debt or benefit delays. This is a service which is drawn on by professionals such as housing associations, health visitors etc. Quite an eye opener!

Next week we have the annual inspection of Crooked Soley by the farm assurance inspector, and an inspection at West End Farm the following week. That means a busy week in the office for Muriel making sure all the work protocols, management plans and records are in order. It's rather like an ofsted inspection, whilst they do inspect the livestock and farms a significant part is checking we have all the correct pieces of paper

For further information on anything on this site please contact Muriel Naughton
Email: Naughton@Farming.co.uk

	Wiltshire Village Meats Welfare - - Quality		In association with Walter Rose and son Family Butchers
SEP 2007 AUG 2007 JUL 2007 JUN 2007 MAY 2007 APR 2007 MAR 2007 FEB 2007 JAN 2007 DEC 2006 NOV 2006 OCT 2006	FARM DIARY THE EVERYDAY STORY OF LIFE ON A WILTSHIRE FARM
	Links to other pages HOME FARM SHOP FARM SHOP - Greeting Cards WALTER ROSE ABOUT OUR FARMING FARM DIARY RECIPES QUESTIONS CONTACT US	November 2006 Fog, fungus and warmth! The interesting thing about keeping this web diary is looking back over the year, my diary page for last november featured snow! It was at the end of November but even so my pictures of Lay woods in Bishops Cannings look almost like summer this year- how long will it last?! The 1st of November has brought the first frost. However, the fungus growing everywhere and the foggy mornings certainly feel like autumn. It really has been a great year for fungus and we found plenty in our woods near the canal but I see them everywhere, on verges, parks and gardens. Some of them areas are as beautiful as flowers (others very ugly) in my opinion. I've included a selection here for interest. I also love some of their names - cramp balls, lawyers wig, deadmens fingers etc! We only have two small patches of woodland at West End Farm, Bishops Cannings but they are both interesting in their own way. Lay woods is a wet woodland adjoining the canal and is an ancient woodland with hazel coppices, and bluebells in the spring. It has an old wood bank around some of the wood which is often an indication of an ancient wood that has been managed in the past. The wood was surveyed about 20 years ago and 30+ species of fungus identified - we found quite a few on our recent foray but not that many! However, one of the bracket fungi may be a very rare species butI am not certain of my identification. If you want to learn about fungi now is the perfect time to go and look, many wildlife trusts hold fungus forays in the autumn. I think my interest in fungi was sparked going on such a walk as a child. I was also fed all kinds of wierd fungi as a child but remember don't eat them unless you are certain they are safe. 11th November 2006 The weather this weekend is quite a contrast to the last one. Last saturday we collected some dead wood from our rather over-grown garden so that we could have a bonfire. It was such a beautiful, bright day. Our cows in the neighbouring field came right up to the fence to watch. We have two lovely old guernsey cows which we use for rearing groups of calves. They are pets really and semi-retired, they even have names - Rosie and Gussie. They are very quite and also fond of each other. The cattle will probably be housed in barns in the next few weeks now that the weather is turning colder. You'll notice that all cows in this country have to have two eartags - one large easily readable one and another small one - one in each ear. Every eartag is unique and each animal has its own passport which must travel with the animal. The government also has a central database where the details and movements of every cow is recorded. It is a lot of beauracy and paperwork but it does mean every animal can be traced. In preparation for winter Alasdair and Grandma cleaned out the chickens stable in a fit of keenness. Alasdair enjoyed catching the chikcens and giving them a compulsory cuddle. We only have a handful of bantams which are fun for the children to help care for. Bonfire night was a great success - plentiful suasages and bacon and a great view of all the fireworks in the surrounding villages from our garden. Unfortunately our hate fireworks and the firework season seems to get longer each year so they spend much of the time hiding quivering under the kitchen table. I don't think border collies could ever be trained as gun dogs they seem to be naturally terrified of bangs and thunder - we even have one that is scared of sneezes! Our sleep was disturbed last night by one of our collies howling. We discovered that he was singing along with a barn owl that was very close to the house. He wasn't remotely worried just enjoying a howl. I haven't heard an owl so close for a long time. Jed was shut in the kitchen and we eventually got back to sleep. 25th November 2006 - a week of meetings Farming is not all about fresh air and hard work there are many meetings to attend as well and this has been a week of them for us. On Monday Muriel had to go to Exeter to the Rural Payment Agency offices, as a member of an independant appeals panel she had to hear three cases of farmers who had fallen foul of the regulatory system and thereby been penalised. It is always difficult hearing these cases where often small errors on the completion of forms can lead to huge financial consequences. Sometimes it is possible to support the farmers appeal other times not, it certainly makes us more aware of the consquences of making mistakes. On Tuesday we had a staff meeting at Crooked Soley, we try to meet regularly with the staff to enable problems or ideas to be discussed. On Wednesday evening Cameron went to the local National Farmers Union AGM which also had a speaker talking about Catchment Sensitive Farming. Thursday morning Muriel should have attended a meeting with the inspirational title of 'Making the Most of Manures'. I'm sure it would have been useful and interesting but the mountains of paper in the office won the day as a higher priority on this occassion. On Thursday evening Muriel went to a meeting of local Churches who are discussing setting up a food bank in Devizes to provide emergency food for local people in crisis. This scheme is being promoted across the country by a Christian charity called the Trussell Trust. It is a sobering thought that there are people in our towns and villages who sometimes literally run out of food due to debt or benefit delays. This is a service which is drawn on by professionals such as housing associations, health visitors etc. Quite an eye opener! Next week we have the annual inspection of Crooked Soley by the farm assurance inspector, and an inspection at West End Farm the following week. That means a busy week in the office for Muriel making sure all the work protocols, management plans and records are in order. It's rather like an ofsted inspection, whilst they do inspect the livestock and farms a significant part is checking we have all the correct pieces of paper
	For further information on anything on this site please contact Muriel Naughton Email: Naughton@Farming.co.uk