The Smallholding

We moved into our Fenland smallholding in 1992. The smallholding is around 3 acres and in the 25 years we have lived here we have kept goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, quail, ducks and geese. When we moved in the gardens contained three old apple trees, a plum tree, a couple of holly trees and two copper beech trees. Soon afterwards we planted a 200 metre hedgerow of blackthorn, hawthorn and wild rose. We have also planted many shrubs and trees including pears, apples, plums, mulberry, walnut, crabapple and wild cherry. The garden now contains over 100 varieties of rose. The insect and bird populations have flourished. Bird species that breed on our smallholding now include house sparrow, blue tit, great tit, blackbird, chaffinch, robin, wren, dunnock, linnet, pied wagtail, kestrel and barn owl. Regular visiting bird species include buzzard, tawny owl, little owl, marsh harrier, sparrowhawk, reed bunting, yellow wagtail, goldfinch, greenfinch, starling, green woodpecker and great spotted woodpecker. Rare visitors have included red kite, hobby, merlin, short eared owl and brambling. Other wildlife sighted around the smallholding include roe deer, fox, badger, weasel, wood mouse, pipistrelle bat and grass snake.