Our climate - rain, floods and now bright sunshine

Climate change is such a burning issue, and one that we believe to be important. Although Cornwall has had rain and Boscastle did get some flooding again we were not the hardest hit with the more Northern areas of England getting the worst of it in what they say is England's wettest June ever..... Our swallows were struggling yesterday to fly any higher than between the legs of the cattle, keeping below the wind and the rain.

Each year there is something else that is measured as being the worst/hottest/wettest so that must mean that our planet is changing. At Tredarrup we do try to make a difference, we are not perfect but we do as much as we can and there are so many things that we can all do to make a difference from recycling to using low energy bulbs to just letting nettles grow (within reason). Although the nettles sting (but there is always a dock leaf nearby!) there are many reasons to keep them, especially for the butterflies. The nettle supports more than 40 species of insect, including peacock, red admiral, small tortoiseshell and comma butterflies. Many nettle patches host over wintering aphids, which are an early food source for ladybirds, blue tits and other woodland birds. They are also good in the garden as a natural and free plant food.
For other ideas on how to do one thing for nature be inspired by the animals in the series Saving Planet Earth and get some tips from their website http://www.bbc.co.uk/savingplanetearth/

The approaching Summer Solstice

With summer about to officially begin the days are so long with it not getting dark here until well after 10pm. It's warm and all is growing at a rapid pace.....including the grass for the cows and what I have managed to plant in the vegetable patch. Every year I'm always behind I've never managed to be organised enough (or found the time) to have all my seeds on the go in February, but somehow most things catch up !!! And this year I have to be particularly careful what goes directly into the ground as the chickens like a good pick over - great for keeping back the slugs but not for new seedlings !!

Cornish strawberries, swallows and a sneaky chicken....

Hot sunshine and the planters are bursting with bright red ripe strawberries - sweet and ready to eat, with clotted cream of course or elderflower sorbet made from the thick blossom on our elder trees! This hot sunshine following on from the rain in May has been ideal for all things to grow and flourish.
Another beautiful Tredarrup sunset last night whilst the swallows were busy at work, catching insects on the wing and chattering. They have taken up home in Mill Barn's porch and in our sheds - we are sure they have already had some young.
Spot the chicken !!!! Squark, one of our little brown bantams has decided not to lay her eggs in the hen house, but in one of Stable Cottage's planters!!!

Fantastic clear blue skies

It's that time of year when everything has truly come alive.....days when you want to be outdoors and enjoying the Cornish countryside and coast. After some rain and now hot clear blue sky days the hedgerows are lush with pink campion, buttercups and daisies, the farmers are cutting silage (feed for cattle made from grass) and the birds are busy feeding their young.
Our cattle are enjoying the sunshine and the new grass in the field..and the chickens are enjoying a good dust bath in the shade....and there's work to be done in the vegetable patch!