Saturday 22 November cold and wet

 The three cows were all grazing together and looked up to see what I was doing when I removed sheets of ice from the troughs. I hope they didn’t feel as cold and miserable as I did as I walked home! Worth it though as I saw 3 herons and a kingfisher along the Itchen. 

Thursday 20th November

HAdrian called in to say all animals looking good and water was a little icy but cows had broken through.

I was also on site carrying out some cut and collecting with the tractor along the paths, education area and the set aside.

By cutting and collecting the material we are removing nutrition and thatch from the meadows which will be favourable to wild flowers the following year. It also helped to knock back brambles and clematis which was starting to swamp some areas. The collections were bundled in various areas and are big compost heaps which could be beneficial to invertebrates and reptiles.

I cut around the education area as we intens to install some electric fencing and move through cows over there for a short duration. It would be favourable to have that area lightly grazed from please to year.

Thanks all for your support,

Sam

Tuesday 18th November

 All okay.

Three cows calmly grazing in dip of eastern meadow. Water troughs fine. All gates secure.

Buzzard on the wire looking down on western meadow. Met only one other walker.

Sun 16 Nov

 All three cows are fine.

Trough and fences seem fine and the smart new gate looks more secure than the old one.

There's lots of dogs sick slime mould in the meadow, which I haven't noticed before and didn't even know was a thing before I looked it up today...

Error posting on blogs. There are only 3 cows not four.

Staff check and all preeent 

Sam

Saturday 15. November only 3 cows found

 I walked round the meadows twice but didn’t find the 4th cow that Grace documented yesterday. The three I did have a close look at were I think the cows from St Faiths as they were all close together either grazing or lying down chewing the cud. After I’d locked up the gate the 3 cows walked up to it and lay down by it! They look well and they have some lovely grazing there. The trough is full of water. I sent a message to Sam about cow number 4. 

Friday 14th November - 3 Cows Added to Barton Meadows

Hi All, 

I just dropped off 3 cows to Barton Meadows, they seemed happy to get off the wet feilds of st faiths. 

More will be added once grazing runs out in wetter areas.

Thanks very much for keeping an eye on them.

Best Wishes 

Grazing Team