The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

HS Hire in Teignmouth have one for rent (September 2020) and it's essentially a walk-behind unit that normally has a rotavator attached to it, but they swap it out for the scythe attachment. It's small enough to fit in a panel van or on a trailer. It's £50 a day/£60 for two days, and not much more f...

You can buy a good handmade hay rake that works well at https://scythecymru.co.uk/wooden-rakes/. It's well worth watching the short video on the same page showing the father and son team who makes them. Another supplier of rakes is Rudd’s in Cumbria, cost £6 less than the same rake from Emorsgate Se...

There is a free app available for identifying and recording butterflies on the Butterfly Conservation website:
iRecord Butterflies: https://butterfly-conservation.org/8803 ... flies.html

Have a look at this link to the most common species, and other links at the wider website: https://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-bees/identification/ Paul Williams, Bumblebee researcher at the Natural History Museum, London has produced a stylized interactive key to the common species at http://ww...

I am curious to ask what people do about Ragwort in their meadows. We hear that ragwort is toxic and should not be included in hay or silage although stock generally will not eat it while it is growing. Yet people will insist on its removal and claim its 'notifiable' - which it isn't. Some useful in...

People often ask how do you tell whether you have Giant or Common Hogweed? Giant Hogweed is very large - up to 3.5 m (11 ft) high, flower "umbels" up to 50 cm (18 in) across, seeds about 13 mm long (1/2 inch). But common Hogweed can get large - up to 2m (a bit over 6 ft) isn't unusual, the...

When dealing with Hogweed using a strimmer/brushcutter be very careful as the sap can cause a photosensitive reaction if it gets onto your skin and can cause blistering that takes some time (weeks!) to subside. It can also flare up again if you expose the affected skin to sunlight, so if you are usi...

Be wary when working around blackthorn. Thick gloves are a must! Blackthorn seems to often carry Staphylococcus aureus, so a scratch or puncture wound can quickly become infected. Some people are susceptible to very small scratches. If you are affected, don't take any chances and go to the doctor/A&...

The Asian yellow-legged hornet is an invasive and potentially very destructive insect that has caused a huge number of honeybee hive losses across Europe, and last year around 87 nests were found and destroyed on Jersey. Nine nests were found and destroyed in England during 2019, but some may have g...

Devon Rural Skills Trust and the Devon Hedge Group (https://devonhedges.org/) might both be able to help provide names of good hedgelayers. There are two very useful publications by the Devon Hedge Group: Devon Hedges, available fro them NHBS at Totnes price £15 and Wood Fuel from Hedges see www.dev...