h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

sounds idyllic
may try 2 visit the area to see it sometime as we dont live too far away.
few questions/comments - i imagine u also get a lot of wildlife there - small mammals& birds etc & those that feed on them etc. how much of a problem are pests to the farm? i imagine that as the yeild would be comparitivly low these days too many pests or a bad growing year could be major set backs.

t'other omylouse

Hi there OmylouseTheOther .
I think that the Shropshire Wildlife Trust are more interested in farming Melverley to maintain the meadow habitat - they don't worry too much about yield. (Because you're right - there are plenty of birds and small mammals there.) The arrangement with the tenant farmer must be such that he's content with low yield too. They were going to try for organic status but haven't got it as yet. If they did that would help.

When the farm was in private ownership it was farmed by someone whose family had owned it for centuries. He must have been content with the low yields/low income, or he would have modernised.

Best time to visit would be late spring, early summer for the wildflowers. Last time I passed they still had a 'closed because of the risk of Foot & Mouth' poster up on the gate and the Trust cancelled this year's walk round the farm. I do hope next year we will be clear of it.

if i loved somewhere like that i wouldnt b worried bout the yeild either!
foot & mouth has been such a tragedy to so many people on so many levels *sigh*
i will bear the farm in mind next yr then & take my mum there. shed love it 2. do u have a contact number/address 4 the shropshire wildlife trust so i could find out when the walk is? or if u know the date pls pass it on ! thanx

luv t'other omylouse

I've put a link on my links page to the Shropshire Wildlife Trust's web site, (You can find it from my homespace.), since we can't put URLs, addresses etc. in postings (). You'll be pleased to hear all their reserves, bar one, are clear of foot and mouth now. Though with Melverley being a farm, and knowing all the other farmers round here are still keeping their foot and mouth no access posters up, I expect the poster is still up on the gate.

The Trust have only published their list of events are far as mid December but I'll post here when I see a planned walk round Melverley.

thank u!