Monthly Archives: July 2016

New Forest & Hampshire County Show 2016

One of the highlights in the calendar of any New Forest commoner has got to be the New Forest & Hampshire County Show. The show was originally conceived just after WW1, as a way to support farmers and develop agricultural … Continue reading

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New Forest: the sweet smell of a job well done

This week has been one of hectic hay making activity. The hay was cut on Friday morning last week and tedded (spread for drying) several times during the weekend and rowed-up ready for baling during Monday morning. The smell from … Continue reading

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New Forest: C19th daring marauder or domestic cottager?

Every so often I am passed little gems of information that shine a light into the recesses of time and illuminate the characters of those Forest dwellers long since past. One such item is from a newspaper article printed in … Continue reading

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New Forest: tracking the ‘wild’ pony herds

Early morning walks in the New Forest are a perfect combination of relaxation and stimulation. Listening to the bird song, seeing the colours of the landscape stretching out before me, smelling the perfume of wild honeysuckle or the pine from … Continue reading

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New Forest: weather-lore and hay-making

Like most farmers at this time of year, I’ve got my eye on the weather watching for the omens that promise a period of uninterrupted productivity. The crop of hay that will feed my stock over the winter is still … Continue reading

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