WHILST the world around us is becoming increasingly complicated our commoning jobs continue.

The cattle have been running with the bull during the day and going out in the Forest at night, the calves have learned the routine from their mothers and have become part of the herd.

Much like children they are always up for an adventure or a frolic. The kids have two calves which have become their favourites- named appropriately Scratchy 1 and Scratchy 2, due to their love of a good scratch on the back. The bull is very well behaved and stands at the back of the barn while the cows are let out, perhaps he enjoys a few hours of peace and the chance to feed without distraction!

I certainly know a few parents home schooling who crave a little peace right now!

Whilst our day jobs have been stopped the farm work continues wherever possible.

The weather has been incredibly challenging this year, the wettest winter on record and now it seems the driest spring. The fields have gone from mud to dust in just a few short days. Whilst it will be easy to get on and harrow, rolling will be almost impossible. With the warm days the grass in the fields began to shoot but these cold winds have put pay to that now. The Forest doesn’t really get going until late May or June and this is the hungry gap.

In the past commoners would often be heard to say about the ponies, ‘they aren’t through even if they’ve heard the cuckoo’. Thankfully we have an excellent management system in place these days and ponies can be brought back to the holdings when necessary. If you ever see a poor pony whilst out on your daily exercise, please do call it in to the Verderers. Never before has community mattered more.

We were delighted to be able to supply some of our beef to a local butcher who supplies the farm shops in the north of the Forest, perhaps going forward we can all ensure that the food we buy is as local and as seasonal as possible to ensure a viable farm to fork food system which is less reliant on supermarkets.

On a slightly different note, because of the wet weather in the early spring and the restrictions due to the Corona Virus in recent weeks there has been no controlled burning this year and in the last two years the burning programme has not been completed. This increases the risk of wildfire in the Forest and the very negative impact this has on our precious habitats and wildlife. The fire risk in the New Forest has been raised to Amber this week and will I am sure remain a high risk throughout the summer. Whilst in other places controlled burning can be very negative, here in the Forest it is a vital conservation management tool.

We wish you all well in the coming weeks, we will continue to post images of the Forest and the farm on our social media feeds. And whilst you may not be able to visit the Forest rest assured it will still be here when you get back. And perhaps the Forest and its animals will also enjoy the peace and quiet.

Lyndsey Stride

Commoning Family

Following on Twitter @Cuffnells