The Summer Walk 2016

Ditchford Farm,

This was a trip down memory lane for most of us, 3.4 miles traveling in the good old fashioned way on a open flat trailer with bales of straw as seating and no mention of health and safety at all, Remembering back to our early years we would see wide open meadows full of wild flowers blowing in the breeze, always full of lots of insects. It is great to see that maybe farming is now going to change for the good of us all, realising that grubbing out the hedgerows and just planting a mono crop is not the way forward. Thanks to Lord Willoughby and a grant from the government we saw vast improvements, by planting headland strips and large areas for wildlife, the insects and the birds are now returning, all we need now is for more farmers and councils to get the message, Stop cutting grass arears in public places and let wild flowers survive.

With a running commentary by expert guide Matt Willmott and at the controls our special driver for the evening Lord Willoughby de Broke himself. What a fantastic evening had by all, followed by a meal at The White Hart Newbold on Stour.

Over the last 30 years I have managed to convert the green area next to where I live into a small nature reserve. The only problem I have is that the council still persist in cutting the grass, I think I should get Matt to have a chat with them.

Chris Ricketts, June 2016