The last chick of the season
A large majority of the UK’s game birds are imported from France as eggs chicks or poults to boost the numbers bred in the UK.
A large majority of the UK’s game birds are imported from France as eggs chicks or poults to boost the numbers bred in the UK. This year, due to an outbreak of avian influenza in France there is a restriction on importing all game birds. As an industry we are now totally reliant on UK bred stock. To help combat this we have increased our own laying and hatching here at Mornacott. Today we took off our last hatch of the season. Fingers crossed for favourable weather conditions for the rest of the summer and autumn.
35 down, seven to go!
In yet another piece of bureaucratic brilliance regulation banned the use of any useful wood preserving chemicals some years ago resulting in a much reduced life for wooden fencing and gate posts.
In yet another piece of bureaucratic brilliance regulation banned the use of any useful wood preserving chemicals some years ago resulting in a much reduced life for wooden fencing and gate posts. We now find that fence posts often last for only around 3 years (in the “good ol days” you’d expect a life of maybe 15-20 years). So…. in the interest of “saving the environment” five times as many trees are cut down to make replacement posts! Thankfully British Rail have come to the rescue and we’re replacing all of our rotten gate posts with old railway sleepers – not always the prettiest of things but they’re so full of tar and other stuff that they’re likely to be around long after most of us have gone to meet our maker….. and we’re recycling to boot!
The Bluebells are back!
Around 18 months ago we cleared some very overgrown rides in Easter Wood that had become impassable making it impossible to thin out trees and allow light into various areas of this lovely ancient woodland
Around 18 months ago we cleared some very overgrown rides in Easter Wood that had become impassable making it impossible to thin out trees and allow light into various areas of this lovely ancient woodland. We were delighted to see the bluebells back in full strength this year (and maybe even better than before now that sunlight can make it through the tree canopy). Of course a little more work is necessary this year to clear the ravages of the February storms.
The new Mornacott
We were pleased to have some new arrivals at Mornacott on Sunday.
We were pleased to have some new arrivals at Mornacott on Sunday. George and Paul (Sandy and Black pigs) and Ringo and John (Large Whites) joined the Mornacott menagerie in preparation for the busy holiday season ahead. Sandy and Black pigs, nearing extinction a few years ago have benefitted from a resurgence in popularity.
Spring is Here!
We're fortunate to be enjoying some glorious sunshine here at Mornacott.
We're fortunate to be enjoying some glorious sunshine here at Mornacott. Spring is definitely in the air as our walk up to Easter Wood, to enjoy the bright and cheerful daffodils, will attest.
Spring is always an exciting time here with the promise of warmer weather, baby animals and a whole host of new and returning guests to enjoy it with us.
Weathering the Storm
Having lost a barn wall in storm Arwen we’d hoped that might be the end of it.
Eunice however had other ideas and in addition to more minor damage to roofs to various buildings and several gates she made short work of one of the more modern barns depositing most of the roof into a nearby field.
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