THE Farmer’s daybook

A farmer’s daybook is where they note everything going on with their herd; milk yields, health, behaviours, emotional states. Our online daybook is where you can keep up to date with the latest goings-on on the farm.

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Posts in Environment

A new hedge

The farm and garden team have just planted almost a thousand plants on the farm to create a new hedge.

Farm, Environment, January, Sustainability, Winter, WoodlandKitty M12 January 2024Plaw Hatch Farm Comment

Why should I go to the AGM?

Firstly, because we would really love you to. Of course, at an AGM there is the dry procedural stuff, it’s a legal requirement, but there is so much more. It’s an opportunity to hear directly from the people who grow your food.

Environment, Sustainability, AugustKitty M24 August 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Woodland update

The summer is flying by and we have already started to get the first harvests off the fields like onions, potatoes and squash. The Spring was very late this year, however, Summer is not over yet.

Environment, August, Farm, Volunteers, WoodlandKitty M4 August 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Beyond Plaw Hatch Farm

I recently took a trip up to Scotland. One stop was revisiting Findhorn where I originally fell in love with growing and learnt so much about the invisible aspects of what it is to become a gardener. I also went to Laurencekirk to meet up with Rose Bramwell at Balmakewan.

Apprentices, Environment, July, Sustainability, TrainingKitty M25 July 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Our kind of hedge fund

We have seen a noticeable increase in insect and bird life since the hedgerow down the main track behind the shop was planted. It runs along Home Field and then Holly Field. It has been a joy to watch it grow as it has become home, food and safety to many small birds, bees, butterflies, moths, and other insects.

Environment, July, Sustainability, Farm, Summer, VolunteersKitty M16 July 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Holistic Land Management

This February, all the members of the Plaw Hatch management group took part in a 3-day Holistic Management Course. Holistic Management, like biodynamics, is about working with the whole farm organism and with, rather than against, ecosystem processes.

Farm, Arable, Cows, Environment, June, Sheep, SustainabilityKitty M19 June 2023Plaw Hatch Farm Comment

A home for strays

Back in 2018 we decided to try re-homing a couple of feral cats on the farm.

Environment, Farm, Staff, MayKitty M17 May 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Woodland Regen Project update

This year, there has been good progress with the regeneration of the site of the woodland project at Plaw Hatch.

April, Spring, Farm, Environment, Volunteers, WoodlandKitty M20 April 2023Plaw Hatch FarmComment

Anticipating the arrival of Spring

Each year around this time we all anticipate the arrival of Spring for real.

March, Garden, Spring, EnvironmentKitty M12 March 2023Plaw Hatch Farm Comment

A home for bees

There has been a noticeable lack of bees in and around the garden and farm. What can we do about it?

Garden, March, Sustainability, EnvironmentKitty M10 March 2023Plaw Hatch Farm Comments

9 Jan 2024

Why cows have horns

It has long been a policy of Biodynamic husbandry to keep cattle with horns. As well as the aesthetic value, the horns have an important function in the life of the cow.

23 Nov 2023

A year as a farm Apprentice

Approaching the halfway mark in my 2-year placement here at Old Plaw Hatch Farm, the coming of the shorter days has allowed me to reflect on what has been one hell of a ride this past year.

27 Oct 2023

The realities of a garden

Growing vegetables in a political climate that has very little understanding of how food actually gets from the producer to anyone’s kitchen table (let alone the unpredictability of that same climate) means we are very grateful to the crops that have been successes, and we move on quickly from those that were or are, to put it bluntly, failures. Let me briefly talk you through our growing year so far…

24 Oct 2023

Supply and demand

Recently we’ve seen a real surge in new customers and have also noticed that existing customers are coming much more frequently and seem to be doing the majority of their food shopping with us. These changes are rarely down to one thing, and I believe at the moment there are several reasons.