Rural Diaries - live the country life, love the countryside and learn about rural issues

Posted by Sally on July 3rd, 2008 in Gardening, Wildlife

Is your garden teeming with wildlife or a sculptured vision devoid of life?

Whether you live in ten acre plot, a town house or even a flat, there are ways to attract wildlife to your garden.

Even a window box in a flat or pots on a balcony can attract wildlife if you choose the right plants and avoid chemicals.

I have provided links for building your own wildlife attracting equipment but most items can be purchased relatively cheaply from garden centres or websites.

Here are 10 top tips for attracting wildlife to your garden:

1. Compost Heap

Every wildlife garden needs a compost heap, it provides food and shelter for numerous species. Be very careful when you turn the compost, you don’t want to harm the wildlife. Garden organic has an excellent step by step guide to creating a compost heap including what to include in a good compost heap.

2. Wood Pile

So simple anyone can make a wood pile, simply find an area in your garden (try to build it where the sun will reach one side during the day) and then leave them to rot. Just find fallen or cut tree branches or stumps and pile them up, then leave it undisturbed for as long as your garden exists.

3. Build a Rockery

Frogs and newts, among other species, will find gaps in natural rocks and take up residence. If you have a pond create a rockery nearby, this can be filled with plants to look attractive but by using rocks instead of bricks you provide shelter for wildlife. You can use dry stone walling or simply pile some old rocks in a corner of your garden, after a couple of years they will have weathered and will look natural.

4. Provide Water

If your garden has room then build a wildlife pond, it doesn’t have to be big enough to swim in, just somewhere for wildlife to inhabit but please remember that many animals drown if they cannot get out of the pond so build in some ramps for wildlife to exit the pond. If you don’t have room for a pond then provide some source of water, a birdbath at ground level or simply placing old household objects that can collect rainwater in your garden.

5. Bird and Bat Nest Boxes

Bird boxes provide a secure environment for birds to nest, you will be most successful in attracting wild birds if your garden provides good sources of natural food. Cornwall Wildlife Trust provides a number of plans for building bird nesting boxes, remember that different bird species require different types of boxes and have different predators. Don’t forget our fabulous bats, here are plans for building a bat box which can be located on buildings as well as in your garden.

6. Bird Feeding Tables

Bird tables are an important source of food for birds in the winter. The RSPB provide information on making a bird table, purchasing one and what to feed wild birds.

7. Hedgerows

Dense hedges provide food, shelter and safe passage to wildlife. To encourage wildlife in your hedges you need to plant and care for your hedges, this ensures the best environment for wildlife.

8. Nectar Rich Flowers

Your choice of garden flowers can mean the difference between attracting butterflies and bees or simply having something pretty to look at. Here are some nectar rich flower varieties to get you started.

9. Avoid Chemicals

We all get pests in our gardens and there are some excellent chemical sprays to rid your garden of certain pests but you may also rid yourself of friendly species. Here is a website dedicated to organic pest control and they include advice for greenhouses and conservatories.

10. Watch from a Distance

It is so tempting, particularly when there are young, to get a closer look but disturbing wildlife will simply chase it away. If you have provided nest boxes do not be tempted to lift the top for a quick peek. Invest in a pair or binoculars or a zoom camera lens and wait for the young to start emerging.

A handy website to bookmark is UK Safari and they have a fantastic photography section.

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Posted by Jan on July 2nd, 2008 in Tales from the Countryside

A battle of wills is threatening to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the hen coop ….

Mrs Muscovy hatched 15 adorable ducklings a couple of days ago …. some are all yellow, some yellow and beige, some yellow and brown … all are the cutest wee bundles of fluff imaginable!

However … Mrs Muscovys daughter from last year (Lavinia) , and her partner, The Dinosaur, are intent upon stealing the children!! A childless couple (though not through lack of trying, I might add! ) they think they can muscle in on poor Mrs Muscovy and steal away her children … Mrs Muscovy is lurking in the dockings and nettles, calling her children around her, while the evil duo try every trick in the book to lure the unsuspecting duckie-dabblers away … juicy worms are dangled temptingly before the tiny bundles of fluff …. gentle coaxing noises are issued by Lavinia while The Dinosaur snakes his neck and shoos the ducklings away from the safety of their mother …

And Mrs Clucker (so named because she is one evil clucker!) bullies everyone! She has three half grown chicks who are clones of herself …. arrogant, fearless little cluckers who terrorise the lambs and stalk the dogs, and chase the wee ducklings mercilessly … so between these harranguers of ill intent and the child-snatchers, poor Mrs Muscovy is living life on the edge!

Add to this equation the handsom Mr David Clucker (so named because he is a two timing clucker ) and his wee mistress, Henny Penny, who were having an outrageously open affair in full view of Mrs Clucker and her offspring …. it is hardly surprising when Mrs Clucker sees an opportunity to raise hell for Mistress Henny Penny that she grabs it with a ‘no- holds barred - let - me - peck - your - eyes - out’ kind of fury that only a scorned hen called Mrs Clucker can do justice to!! Mistress Henny Penny has taken refuge in the garage …. her suitor, the cowardly specimen, sneaks in to give her a quick lesson in love then hurries back to Mrs Clucker, behaving for all the world like the devoted father of his evil offspring … calling them over to a tasty morsel he has found, and crooning to them if danger threatens — though this last act of fatherly protection is totally lost on the terrible triplets who fear nothing and would probably murder any bird of prey stupid enough to get within reach of their wicked beaks and razor sharp talons …. in fact, I wouldn’t put it past them to be actually laying in wait for an unsuspecting stoat or weasel so they can leap upon it and tear it to shreds … I can imagine their mother smiling in approval as she sees them ‘laying in wait’ … she is thinking they are practicing ‘going broody’ for later in life … when all the while, their demonic little brains are filled with murderous intent …

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Posted by Sally on July 1st, 2008 in Green Living

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) have gone from supporters of the governments eco-town proposals to the loudest critics and not without good reason.

Marina Pacheco, Head of Planning at CPRE, speaking to the Independent on the greenwash masquerading as an eco-town said “We were told Eco-towns would make good use of brownfield land thus preserving our precious resource of arable land. Again, this isn’t the case. Working from details we have gleaned from developers, twelve of the developments will be built on 60% or more of green field land, with one having development on the Green Belt. If you don’t believe us take a look at the CPRE produced Google map with an outline of the development traced over an aerial photo.”

One criteria of an eco-town is that it should be freestanding but none of the current proposals suggest this would be the case, concerns are growing about increased car usage for residents of eco towns to commute to work and shops.

Thirteen of the current 15 shortlisted sites are in rural areas, with existing rural communities already struggling with transport and employment issues.

Of great concern is the sites that will be used. It has been suggested that many are sites which developers were refused permission to build on but those same sites and developers have simply recycled their rejected proposals under the term eco-town.

To support this view is the known issue of sustainability rating, with the eco-towns originally having to be built to a level six rating but this has been reduced to level three. All new housing in England will have to meet level three rating within the next couple of years, so this can hardly be called an environmental revolution.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint said: “Our initial research among the general public shows clear support in favour of eco-towns. This is an important consultation, but all voices should be heard, not just those who shout loudest.”

Perhaps this attitude is what concerns me the most. Yes the public will be in support of affordable eco-friendly housing but do they have the knowledge to foresee the downside of bad planning? I am certainly in favour of this project in theory but have no knowledge of the small print, I like everyone else, must rely on people with knowledge and vision in their field of expertise to pass information and opinion to me in order for me to make up my mind.

The conspiracy theories have already started, with comments left on blogs quoting a “local Tory Councillor claiming this is a plan to move labour voters into the Tory heartland to alter the voting pattern. Quite frankly I find that argument totally unconvincing, for a start that would take forward planning which this government appears totally incapable of.

If you are not aware of the eco-town issue the BBC has set out a basic guide to what is an eco-town and what the current issues are.

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Posted by Sally on June 29th, 2008 in Farming Issues, Green Living

In early May 2008 Defra approved a GM potato trial at Leeds University, stating “It is satisfied that the proposed trial will not result in any adverse effect on human health or the environment.”

The trial was to be carried out in North Yorkshire and last for three years. A similar trial last year had to be abandoned after protests.

Leeds University’s Faculty of Biological Sciences, were given approval to grow around 1,200 genetically modified potato plants near Tadcaster. They have added a synthetic gene to the potato plants that they believe would drastically reduce the amount of pest repellent or insecticides used to spray potato plants annually.

The Farmers Guardian has just reported that the Leeds University GM potato trial has been destroyed by activists who are against GM crops.

Due to an EU Directive the exact location of trials must be published and to date companies have failed to protect their crop trials even with 24 hour guards and high fences.

Dr Peter Urwin said EU governments should be able to protect the trials they authorise and called for the establishment of secure, vandal-proof national testing centres.

I am certainly no fan of GM crops, as you can see in my post about the GM biotech crops decision delay in May and the fact that scientists are only now talking of secure, vandal proof testing centres is simply adding to my concerns.

I have no issues with controlled testing of GM crops, where would we be if people had destroyed penicillin testing but I find it astonishing that these crops are simply put into fields next to local farmers crops, perhaps I am naive but I would think with the level of public concern about GM crops they would have taken more precautions in protecting surrounding land and crops than guards and fences.

The Guardian published an article back in February titled Biotech firm mans barricades as campaigners vow to stop trials which is well worth a read.

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Posted by Sally on June 27th, 2008 in Hearth & Home, Household

What better food is there than a plate of stew or bowl of soup with warm freshly baked bread? My mouth is watering just thinking about it but most people would never dream of making it themselves, considering it too difficult to do.

Bread making is very simple when you get the hang of it, you don’t need any fancy equipment or strange ingredients, just a little patience and practice.

I have tried breadmakers but find the bread a little tough, it really is best to learn to make bread yourself, not only does it taste much better but it is also very relaxing.

It usually takes a few attempts to get it right but do not let that discourage you, once you get the hang of it you never lose the knack.

Here are 5 tips to help you with the most common mistakes made when learning to make bread at home.

1. Kneading

The number one error in bread making is not kneading the dough for long enough. You must knead for a good 10 minutes, this is the difference between bread that melts in your mouth and bread that you can use as a doorstop. If you find this process too boring then you can knead with a food mixer (you need a dough hook attachment), use a bread making machine to do the kneading or pulse in a food processor for a minute until it forms a ball then continue kneading.

2. Flour

Adding too much flour (to either you hands or the table) during the kneading process will dry the dough out. Add flour sparingly as you knead, you want to achieve an elastic smooth dough.

3. Freezing

Fresh bread is best eaten within 24 hours of being baked but who wants to knead bread every day. I make bread dough and freeze it, so it is always on hand. Once the dough is kneaded you can freeze it for up to a month, this must be done as soon as the dough is ready and before the first rising. Getting dough into plastic bags can be difficult, so simply put them in the freezer on a baking sheet for 45 minutes to start the hardening process, they will then just drop into freezer bags. To defrost, leave in the fridge overnight and then leave on the table/bench until it reaches room temperature.

4. Rounding

Form the kneaded dough into a smooth ball, this will trap the gases inside the dough and allow the yeast to ferment during the rising. If there are breaks in the dough the gases will escape. You are not trying to form a perfect ball and will have a seam on the underside of the rounding but gases will be trapped by the bottom of the bowl you use for rising.

5. Rising

Bread dough needs to be covered and left in a warm place to double in size but learning when the dough is ready takes practice. Your bread making will be unsuccessful if you do not let it rise enough or allow it to rise too much (this will result in the dough collapsing). To test dough has risen properly press your thumb into the top of the dough, if the imprint remains then the dough is ready, if it disappears then it needs a little more time.

A brilliant step by step video called you can make bread is easy to follow and shows just how simple it is. I also love that they use plain flour rather than strong bread flour, this reduces the life of the bread but who wouldn’t eat fresh bread the same day.

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