apr2004. The pond grassing up, with the Nursery behind,
and vegetable patch to the left.
apr2004. The east ditch, hedge and deer fence.
The Plantation in 2004
The first full year of operation saw the planting out of about 240
oak saplings from the Nursery and the grassing over of spoil heaps from
last year's digging. It also saw our worst disaster, the felling of
15 of our best trees, gnawed through by field voles nesting under the
mulch mats fitted to each sapling. We had to get rid of all the mats, and
protect the oaks with a patch of bare hoed earth around each one. Kestrel
and owl boxes nearby provided patrolling rapters which killed each
vole that showed itself outside the protection of the long grass. It worked.
apr2004. The Nursery with 100 oaks in 10 litre pots ready for planting out
when winter comes.
apr2004. The logpile for insects, inside a cage in case of flooding.
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