Now and Then

Another lovely, sunny day; the view from The Mews, as I made up the beds for the next guests, was a delight.  As always, nature is quick to react; the hedges are taking on a hint of green and the primroses on the banks of the ditches seem to be more prolific than ever this year.

Last week a flock of golden plovers settled in the Eastwood, a field being prepared for a crop of spring beans.  They feed on the insects, slugs and worms found in the newly turned soil.  Later they joined a flock of hundreds which flew over the farm, possibly starting migration.

All the fields on the farm are named; we have a field book dating from 1855 where all the fields are listed and the crop rotation recorded.  Crops, many of which are no longer grown due to changed farming practices include tares, dills, mangle-wurzels as well as cereal crops and acres of pasture, fascinating reading.

Life in the country is not all about mud and wellies; we have our cultural interests, too.  We are fortunate to have that rarity, an independent bookseller, in the next village.  They organise the Lowdham Book Festival which this year takes place from June 19^th to June 28^th.  I am waiting for the programme to come out and shall certainly be buying tickets for some of the events.