BARTON HILL FARM VISIT

At the End of June we were treated to a visit to Barton Hill Farm between Streatley and Lilley. The Shaw family, invite people to a conducted tour of their property, showing them what it means to be a conservation farm and giving an insight into modern farming and the flora, fauna, birds and beautiful wild flowers. They have been accepted into two significant environmental schemes: Natural England Entry and Higher Level Stewardship. They actively encourage and manage areas of chalk downland.

Here we are (23 of us) before starting the walk learning about the huge machines and what they can do.

This one of their amazing views, this is Sharpenhoe Clappers
This view is overlooking Barton le Clay
Here are Wizz and Brian explaining to us just what we are looking at.
This is what we were looking at, Barton Springs.

This is vipers bugloss. They have a large part of their land where it grows wild.


This is the sort of flora you get on the verges of your fields if you let nature take its course rather than swamp it in herbicides. These are pyramid orchids amongst other things.

The Shaws take round the visitors giving information and answering questions and then provide them with refreshments asking the participants to give a donation to charity at the end if they so wish. For those of you that missed it, perhaps we can do it again next year as everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed it. The sunset there was something to behold in 1999!