A Fedge Cathedral

Sunday 28th January 2018
A New Fancy Fedge
I have been trying to arrange a fedging work party for ages and today everything came together.
A fedge is a cross between a hedge and a fence, exploiting the unstoppable urge of willow to take root and grow apace.
This can not be done when the ground is hard and frosty and is no fun in the rain, which is why I changed it from yesterday. Today's weather was perfect - exceptionally mild, dry and not too breezy. The only unforeseen problem was that the bees were out in force while we were trying to harvest the willows right next to the hives.
I had to tell one of the participants quite forcefully that it really wasn't a good idea to stand in front of the hives watching them. Meanwhile, I lopped the new growth off as quickly as I could.
Each willow yielded about 50 whips up to 12 foot or more in length - amazing.

The team was a good one and the students listened well. I was happy to let them make decisions and get on with things on their own. By lunch we had the willow harvested and sorted, the ground fabric in place and all 22 uprights in place.

After lunch I showed Dans and Tom how to weave in the binders which stabilise the uprights, then in went the weavers. This is the most satisfying part where everything suddenly comes together. Final job was to tie everything in, trim off the loose ends and decide the final design for the top.

This was my most ambitious fedge to date, with two straight lengths linking in to a central archway.
It will provide a fitting entrance to my new butterfly and bee meadow area which is being sown later this year.

All finished. One wonky upright which I will replace.

Dr Dolittle relaxes in the evening

In the evening I prepared a Jerusalem Artichoke and Orange Salad, another meal which Sue awarded more than ten out of ten!

Monday 29th January 2018

A New Wether Map

First job of the day was to move one of the young male sheep down to the main paddocks. There is no grass left in the top paddock so the sheep are reliant on hay and sugar beet nuts. I would move them all, but the brown wether needs a proper fence and Rambo needs to be kept away from his daughters.

Rambo with  the brown wether - no name as he will be dinner later in the year.

He can't be down in the paddocks as he ducks under the electric fence with impunity.

This young wether (castrated male) has been moved down with the ewes.

He is small so I am keen to get him onto longer grass. 

He spent his first day being very rammy.

I put some finishing touches to the archway in the fedge, mindful of a forecast of rain later in the morning.

It didn't let down and came suddenly enough to drench me. 

Wandering Geese
The geese have been wandering further and further in search of grass and managed to find where the fence ends. They wandered into next door's paddocks. This was never a problem when Don lived next door, but the geese need to learn that this is now out of bounds.

I herded them back, but was not about to start working on the fence in the rain.

Half an hour later they were back next door!

The geese can get around remarkably quickly when they want and can be both stubborn and stupid in equal measure.

Tomorrow I will attend to the fence.