Hopes and Fears

It was Close Knit on Friday, hence the Saffron cup cakes, and Cherry and Almond slice. The Primroses are from the garden, as mentioned recently. It was a lovely meeting, with lots of minor knitting snags quickly smoothed out. This time, there was a quite small group of us ( 13 ),

but the numbers vary quite a lot.

The Farm which backs onto our property, is being split up. The Farmhouse and buildings, with about a third of the land, is remaining in the hands of the chap who farms it. The remaining two hundred-odd acres has to be sold. The Farmer, bless him, came around to see if we want to buy any land adjacent to us. We would, of course, but cannot afford the price required. Any land that is close to houses, is sold as amenity land. We can't get an agricultural mortgage , because it is being sold as amenity land. We can't get an ordinary mortgage on it, as it is agricultural land. Do you remember Catch-22 ?

The reason I am worrying about it being sold, is that at present, it is being farmed to Stewardship rules. (Wide margins, little spraying, controlled topping,). We run our little holding as a private Nature Reserve. We are known for our high Song Bird numbers. Otters come through regularly. Deer and Hares regularly stop in the meadow. We have lots of Bumblebee nests. And our own Honeybees do quite well. If it is bought by someone less sympathetic than our present neighbour, I fear things like excessive hedge trimming, and chemical drift. I have to pray for a lottery win, or an Ecologically aware purchaser.