wf meadow (first year 2025)
"we have started to restore a grazed meadow this past year and are looking for a donor meadow for seeds near us
(by restore, we mean add some bio-diversity and mostly perennials to aid deeper rooting, better drainage, moisture retention, soil enrichment and mineral take-up, rather than a bare soil flower meadow which is a sown annual affair.
we intend continuing/ allowing mob-grazing rather than hay making at summer ends, autumn and winter)
we are a mile or so south of raughton head (Carlisle) and have a 5 acre field with another single acre more marshy (reed/rush) part fenced beyond (white dotted are top left), which we have just closed off and hedged and planted trees see hedge page
the main meadow has previously been grazed and this past year (our first year) we closed it off from spring to see what species we have, and then allowed mob-grazing late summer/autumn
we did plant a very small fenced-off area of 50 rattle plugs earlier on this spring, not long after we moved in, but with the extended dry spell (and long grass, and us being busy moving in etc — none seemed to take
this late autumn however we have cast and trodden in some seed at top area and hope that will appear later this new year (hoping to have that as a sort of donor spreading area as the years roll.
we hope to repeat this, later this year after mob-grazing and would like to broadcast a wider area, so are looking for a donor meadow nearby-ish
we should appreciate any advice or contacts you can give us
with thanks"
above field in august 2025 where you can see the fenced area where we have now planted a hedge - see hedge page
below — the small rattle-plugged area in may 2025
and here is another view early august 2025
and a close up (click to zoom in new tab)
