There are some wonderful courses out there to help us improve knowledge

here are a few

Soils: Introducing the World Beneath Our Feet – https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/soils :
Learn about soils, the variety of life they contain and how humans impact this fragile system, with this free online course

Ecology and Wildlife Conservation https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/ecology-and-wildlife-conservation
Discover ecology and learn how we can protect wildlife to conserve our natural world, with this free online course

Climate Change: Solutions https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/climate-change-the-solutions
Explore the potential solutions to climate change and how they relate to the UN’s sustainable development goals, free online course

Another blossom in full bloom.. so important to have flowers all year around, for our insects, this is especially important for the native mason bees. With the weather getting milder, it’s wonderful to know there is a ready source of food for early emergents.
#flowersofinstagram #shrubsofinstagram #pieris #pollinators #masonbees #beesofinstagram #farmingwithnature #naturefriendlyfarming #kintaline

Nice to have a clean floor for 5 minutes !! LOL
More winter gales : rain : hail makes a good time to get some housework done !

Storm Brendan might still be howling around having kept us all awake all night but looking forward to the coming growing season makes everything worth while. This “half tunnel” was made up using old tunnel hoops against a building to create an easy working space. The tables are sand covered in thick coffee that worms love but slugs don’t! It could be tidier !! and all our equipment is very ancient .. root trainers are wonderful for the broad beans and early peas and these are at least 20 years old !!

Winter 2019/2020 – thank you all for your custom this season – will take orders again for next winter.

We now have a variety of Willow (and Balsam poplar) pegs for sale which can be sent mail order or collected from the farm.
(and some well established in pots, also for local sales)

Basket willows : Construction willow : Native willows  (and Balm of Gilead, Balsam poplar, which is not a willow but can start in the same way and is highly vigorous)

Basket willows  :
40p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)
Varieties : Flanders Red : Brittany Green : Packing Twine : Tri Norfolk. Packing Twine . Dark Dick . (may have a couple of others spare)

Eugenii 35p : is vigorous but not as massive as the Chinese, it is better for small constructions like domes and tunnels as well as lower hedging and tree hay

“Construction” biomass, tree hay Chinese willow : Chinese (Salix miyabeana)
35p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)

Native / Species Willows

Grey Willow
30p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)
Salix hybrids
35p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)
Balm of Gilead / Balsam Poplar
40p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)
Salix udensis
50p per rod (for pick up or plus postage)
Salix Udensis is a lovely shrubby vigorous willow, with very early catkins (already opening in Jan in Argyll) so one of the best for early bees in mild spring days, its branching and covered in soft strappy leaves that our sheep love, cut and come again all year, so really good for a fenceline hedgerow where the stock can help themselves from one side, and we can make tree hay from the other.  It does not get very tall and thrives on being cut back.