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| Caterpillar |
This week I started weeding some of nettles the thistles and
rag wart that been growing in the orchard. I have started with the weeds that
are around the trees themselves and it’s been tough. I plan on burning them
then next week. I will have to pull out more weeds then build a small bonfire
and burn them. I may have to continue the progress for a couple of weeks, and
build a small fire each week, the plan is to build small fires in places where
in the next couple of years I plan to
plant trees, then cover the area with bovine manure. I may even plant some wild
flower seeds so as to encourage them to grow, and spread before next round of
planting.
The orchard is full of weeds or plants that are
traditionally thought of as weeds and I know that some of them provide a good food
source for my bees and encouraging a varied wildlife, it does
half look messy, mind. I need to cut
paths in and around the trees again. This will probably have to wait until the
beginning of spring next year. I need to get some of the equipment sharpened
and ready for the amount of work that it will have to do.
I have also started to look at what creatures are in and
around the orchard. I found a strange looking caterpillar, which was surprising
as it’s getting darker and cooler, and I personally don’t associate October
with caterpillars and butterflies. We are clearly into autumn and they seem to
be thriving. Last week I found a frog and this week a caterpillar it’s good
that the creatures are thriving in the orchard.
I still see loads of rabbits and hares in the orchard, which
is good, and nice to see them when I arrive and then they dart off and
disappear. I haven’t seen any pheasants in the orchard this year but have in
previous years.
Horses may have been into the orchard again, recently as
again they have left me lots of manure. I didn't see Chris but will have to
talk to him. I would be more than disappointed if they were to damage any of
the trees.
I don’t know the exact names of the creatures that I have
come across but I am now aware of a website that I can upload pictures too and
then people can try and identify them. Will have to do some research into this
and start using it.
I plan to collect acorns and conkers if I see them and place
them into the freezer and see if I can plant them in the orchard, just to
increase the different types of trees and encourage more wildlife into the
orchard. I may even plan another withy ring around when the bee hives are. It
would be nice and a good food source
for them in the early months of bee
keeping season.
So many ideas and plans and they all seem so simple but
getting the work done isn’t as easy.
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