News
December
It may be the depths of winter but there is still lots to see and do at Bland Close Farm for our final school visit of the year. Chickens to check and eggs to collect, cattle, alpaca and sheep to visit, tractors to pose on, grain to mill, pigs to give a good scratch and the stars of the show, our new born piglets to weigh, just don't leave the pen door open or they will escape! All this before a well earned drink. Thank you The Forest School, it was great to welcome you to Bland Close Farm, we hope to see you back at the farm next year.
In addition to our area of winter bird food our groups have been making fat balls
The newly restored ponds for Great Crested Newts have filled up following the November rain as have those newly dug last year
Thank you to the students at Open Country for their help in using the willow cut from the pond to make a bird viewing shelter
November
at 7:18pm 28th November 2022 the first piglet to be born at Bland Close for over 20 years arrived to be followed by 8 more brothers and sisters.
Supervised by midwives Grace and Dannie with Woody checking on proceedings mum, Cheryl and piglets are doing well, click here to watch the piglets explore their new surroundings.
After such a glorious summer and mild autumn, winter has arrived cold and frosty. Our alpaca and sheep are well prepared with their warm fleece whilst our cattle are all inside on a deep straw bed but one of our pigs is receiving special treatment as something wonderful is about to happen
The team have been busy making and installing a variety of wildlife boxes to provide nesting, roosting and hibernation sites for specific mammals and birds
meanwhile someone is keeping an eye on things
#BackBritishFarmingDay Wednesday 2nd November 2022
Knowing where your food comes from alows us to make decisions about what, when and how we eat. These decisions have an individual impact on wellbeing and an overall impact on the environment. This all starts with education which is why we back #BackBritishFarmingDay and strive to educate about food and where it comes from.
October
No matter how busy we are on the farm time is found to bond with our animals
The long hot summer has dried up our old pond giving us the opportunity to clear our the willow and restore our historic pond as part of our ongoing programme of enhancing habit for Great Crested Newts in conjunction with Wildscape and Natural England
Happy Halloween, watch our pigs have fun with their pumpkins #pumpkin treats
September
Our first murmuration of the autumn
The downside of encouraging wildlife to our farm is that sometimes they invite their mates along for a party.
Several hundred geese helping themselves to our newly emerging barley plants.
Thank you to the Northdale team for their assistance in the making of a scarecrow
Autumn cultivations and sowing of crops;
Organic manure from our cattle is spread to provide nutrients for the next crop, enhance the soil structure and bring benefits for soil biodiversity and carbon storage.
Over the past few years we have moved from all ploughing to zero tillage or in this instance, minimum tillage (min-till) cultivation. This combination cultivator works the whole soil profile in one pass improving soil structure and protecting the environment from carbon loss whilst the supporting the micro-organisms which enrich the soil.
The seed is planted by a disk drill utilising satellite technology for precise seed placement
Finally the soil is rolled to improve seed to soil contact across the whole field by consolidating any loose soil left after drilling with the aim of achieving a consistent germination. It also pushes small stones into the ground creating while large stones/rocks are collected and will be used for wall building
August
How best to keep cool in this hot weather?
The prolonged dry weather has resulted in poor establishment of our wild flower and nectar rich plots. All have been re-sown today in advance of forecast rainfall
Hard at work preparing the ground for an outdoor classroom - even the chickens are helping out!
Watch out chickens, foxy is on the hunt for his supper!
Making most of the hot dry weather to harvest the wheat. No drying required this year.
Grub's up!
July
Welcome to our latest addition to the team, Barry.
Barry having a little snooze as he acclimatises to his new home.
If you go down to the woods today.........
Following an advisory visit from The Woodland Trust our Gloucestershire Old Spot gilts have been introduced to our copse to clear the nettles as part of our woodland classroom creation project
Bland Close Farm with the North York Moors in the background. Photos courtesy of Richard
The earliest start to the cereal harvest in living memory with winter barley cut. The grain will provide feed for the cattle and the straw winter bedding.
Buzzard scavenging, Kestrel hovering and Red Kites circling whilst the harvest is gathered. Birds of Prey out in force at Bland Close Farm
The boys keeping a quiet eye on proceedings whilst their feed is being harvested.
The hot dry weather has left our new hedges badly in need of a drink
Latest Chick hatching; Exchequer Leghorn, Lavender Leghorn, Buff Leghorn, Vorwerk & Cream Legbar
Thank you Orchard Poultry https://www.facebook.com/pg/orchardchicken/posts/
June
Shearing time for our Alpaca and Sheep
May
Grace with our awesome new farm sign
Precision planting of our Winter Bird Food and Nectar Flower Mixes by directly placing each seed without cultivating the soil thus maintaining what little moisture there is, reducing carbon loss and supporting the micro-organisms within the soil.
Hope it works!
Sunday stroll with the boys
While the girls just chill
April
work ongoing to create a farm education hub, along with somewhere to make a brew!
Good morning pigges! click here to see our pigs rise and shine
March
Rolling winter wheat to encourage tillering and push in small stones followed by a dose of fertiliser to encourage spring growth
Filming of The Last Straw at Bland Close Farm with the boys providing the extras
Tree planting creating new habitat links. Thank you @WoodlandTrust @NFUnortheast @LloydsBankBiz
February
Our 2022 hedgerow creation programme is underway come rain and snow.
It contains a mix of native hedging species that provide year round seasonal interest with a mix of six native species; Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Field Maple, Dog Rose, Hazel and Guelder Rose.
These hedges will provide many benefits;
· Prevent soil erosion and flooding by reducing trampling on wet ground thus slowing water flow so it soaks into the ground more easily.
· Provide food, shelter and breeding sites for a wide range of wildlife including dormice, birds and bats.
· Provide pollen and nectar for bees and other pollinators.
· Link existing hedgerows and create a corridor to allow wildlife to move across the landscape.
· Improve water quality, by trapping sediment, nutrients and pollutants before they reach watercourses.
· Improve air quality, by removing particles and pollutants from the air.
· Absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in its wood.
· Contribute to the character and appearance of the landscape.
· Prevent cattle access to the public bridleway reducing risk to those using the path and to protect the cattle from being chased by dogs.
January
Dannie preparing the ground for a new hedge
Dug summer 2021 our new ponds are looking good and ready to welcome some Great Crested Newts as part of the Natural England licencing scheme for Great Crested Newts in conjunction with Wildscape
The girls enjoying some winter sunshine
The new year brought more new piglets with first Penny then Agoo producing a litter