Farming & Environment A day at the farm with

Tiffany Fleming

For those that enjoy the simple pleasures of life, there are few things better than spending a sunny day on a farm. As spring approaches and the prospect of warmer weather draws nearer, farms seem to generate a warmth of their own, becoming happier and brighter places full of hope and expectation.

At High Mead, there is always a cheerful vibe, but spring takes that mood to another level, adding an additional spark. It is so lovely to feel part of something so positive. Another upside of the change of season, is that the farm chickens kick into full production and not a moment too soon. I wrote this column whilst sitting in the

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Farm Shop and, in the time it took me to complete this sentence, the morning’s eggs had been collected, still warm, boxed and sold.

It is the first time in the Shop there has ever been talk of rationing, due to us being inundated with requests for multiple trays of eggs. While we are always keen to keep our customers happy, our poor chooks simply couldn’t keep up with demand!

The farm has taught me much, but one lesson in particular is the value of the things we grow. We see first-hand what is in season and what is not; the effort and preparation it takes to grow something of quality, and the time it takes to allow the crops to ripen.

If I had a pound for every time I have been asked: ‘Is all the produce home grown?’ then, in practically in the same breath,

‘Do you have any avocados?’, we wouldn’t need to rely on the Farm Shop for our supplementary income!

Funny to think that last year we had more tomatoes and cucumbers than you could shake a stick at.

Also much in demand at the moment are our elite equines, who have not just mastered jumping but will soon be put to work too.

Lucie, who heads High Mead’s animal team, has purchased a driving harness for Skyler the Shetland. Soon she will be able to cart our Co-Farmers around the farm (that’s Skyler, not Lucie!) and help move the heavier deliveries for us, such as bales of hay and straw; I can’t wait to see Skyler in her new role.

There is always something of interest

Funding schemes aimed at encouraging the planting of hundreds of thousands of trees across England have reopened. More than £14million will be allocated to successful applicants across the funds, which will support tree planting efforts and contribute to Government commitments to treble tree-planting rates across England by the end of this Parliament.

The scheme hopes to see 30,000 hectares of land planted with trees to meet net zero ambitions.

Round 3 of the Local Authority Treescapes Fund will see local authorities drive an increase in non-woodland tree planting. Local authorities are encouraged to bring together residents, schools and environmental groups to restore trees in areas outside woodlands, where treescapes are often highly degraded due to neglect or disease.

They are particularly valuable trees to society as they can provide the greatest levels of ecosystem services, including wellbeing benefits, and connectivity to support biodiversity.

Meanwhile, Round 5 of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund aims to level up access to nature across the country, planting trees in socially-deprived urban areas with low canopy cover, in proximity to healthcare and educational facilities.

The Fund supports planting of large ‘standard’ trees and street trees.

Forestry minister Trudy Harrison said: “Trees improve people’s quality of lives