48 SPECIES     

A happy, healthy and successful New Year to all our customers.  It might have its ups and downs but the value of eating good food and preserving the countryside doesn’t change.

Following on from Dr Tim Gardiner’s survey of insects on the farm this summer, over the course of 2008 the RSPB surveyed Ashlyns Farm recording the number of species of birds seen and their location.  At the end of the year they produced a map showing which species were spotted and where on the farm.

The total number of species observed was 48 (this compares with an average of 43 for farms in East Anglia).  The species are graded green, amber and red status according to their level of conservation concern.  Of red status species we had bullfinch, house sparrow, linnet, reed bunting, skylark, song thrush, staring, turtle dove and yellow hammer.  The map and species list are on display in the restaurant and the website.

Insect and bird populations are closely related.  Insects often provide much of the diet for birds especially when they are young.  These two surveys seem to indicate that we have more and a greater variety of species than would be seen on a conventional farm, statistical proof to back up the evidence of our own eyes.

More Hedge Planting

To commemorate his time in office the retiring Head of Essex County Council, Lord Hanningfield has provided funding to plant 20km of hedgerows.  Always keen on an environmental scheme we offered to plant 2km mostly at Newhouse Farm with some at Ashlyns and High Laver.  The hedges went in in December and are now mulched either with or compost.  They are all planted with a traditional Essex hedgerow mix of hawthorn, hazel, field maple, dog rose, guelder rose etc. All are either on or near public rights of way.