Back in early September Joe and Jack started logging and moving up some of the many fallen ash and beech trees at the bottom of Stolford Wood. Vehicle access isn’t the easiest to this part of the farm so the Gator (or the ‘ Monster truck ‘ as it’s nicknamed) was in full use ferrying …
During late August and early September we reseeded just over 60 acres of the grassland we use for mowing. We used a mixture of various Ryegrasses, Timothy, Cocksfoot and about 10% white clover in Eight Gates and Netcombe Cottage. A different mixture of various Ryegrasses with 25% red clover was used on Top Barn, Top …
Work is well underway for our new all-weather barbecue, pizza oven, and fireplace in Middle Stolford. The design was carefully prepared in the bar at the Lowtrow Arms in July, and the results so far look nothing like the drawings, but in a good way. Dan, the stone mason, also doubles up as the landlord …
It’s a bit bigger than the old one, and a lot smarter. Designed and built by Pete Henson of Exmoor Welding, when finished it will have two concrete walled bays for our logs and logging equipment, with three bays left over for the tractor, digger, and posher implements. Our thanks to Pete and his team …
After planting new trees behind the main house in March, the first of our apples are looking great and ready for the upcoming harvest. We planted these trees with a lot of care, as the conditions for growing apples on the moor aren’t always the best. However, behind the house is a well sheltered, south …
After many decades shrouded in undergrowth and forming the back wall of the lean-to log shed, the recent demolition work has revealed the remains of Lower Stolford farm house, abandoned in the late 1960’s and left to its own devices ever since. The stone walls are still in decent condition, and we are quite tempted …
Literally raining stair rods, the hardy folk of Exmoor Welding dismiss the conditions as a light shower and just get on with it. We chose August so we could work in the dry weather, but it turned out to be the eighth wettest August since records began. I think it rained for most of the …
Steve Hutchinson mowed about 25 acres for haylage on Friday, and about 24 hours later Jason has baled it, finishing at about 10 p.m. The main difference between hay and haylage is the way it is made. Haylage is cut like hay, but only allowed to semi-wilt and not dry completely. It is cut later than grass …
The sheep were turned out this afternoon, bit of a drab day for the lambs but as usual they are full of life and bouncing about all over the place! There are about 100 ewes, a mixture of Texel and Jacob, and about 140 lambs so far, split between the 17 Acre and Browns Lane. …
Just completed about 200 acres of chain harrowing on Stolford farm over a two week period, taking advantage of the good weather we had over the Easter break. The curly one is Reservoir Field, the one with the beech unhelpfully (but picturesquely) plonked in the middle is Browns Lane, and the one that looks like …
