July 1st – Between the railway line and the the backlane into Shenstone, a curiously planted field corner, laid in neat rows. I couldn’t see what the crop was from the road, and it piqued my interest, so I took a zoom shot.
Turns out to be carrots, with what looks like wheat growing thickly between them.
I’ve only ever seen one other field of carrots locally, and that was at the top of Lazy Hill. I’ll be interested to see how these develop and how they’re harvested.
July 1st – Has half the year gone already? Really? Wow.
I flew from Walsall with the wind behind me just after the rain passed, and with a call to make in Stonnall, I let the wind blow me on a lazy loop around Shenstone. The wet lanes glistened in the sunlight, and the sky was deep blue. With the wet June, everything is verdant ad green, except the barley, which is turning now to the gold of high summer.
As the year and seasons move inexorably on, although it’s been wet, it hasn’t felt like a bad year for the weather. Let’s hope we get a drier, sunnier July and August.
June 22nd – I passed the coos of Jockey Meadows early in the morning, and they were gathered at the field gate. I’m curious as to why they do this, and sometimes, at the same time of day, can barely be seen at all. There’s nothing of note here apart from a salt-lick, and there’s plenty of water in the meadow, so I guess they get some additional feed brought by a stockman, and their internal clocks are telling them food is due.
These gentle, inquisitive animals have clearly had an impact on the meadow – it’s what I think they’re there for – the long grass is reduced and the mud well churned.
I love these summer tenants of this curious slither of greenbelt..
June 11th – I had to pop into work late afternoon, and as sun tried to break through the generally overcast day, I stopped to look for my mates the coos at Jockey Meadows.
At first, I thought they’d gone again, but I could smell them. The muddy field was freshly churned after the rain. I looked carefully.
The workforce was busy. Deep in the scrub or the water meadow, they were here and there, doing what they do best.
Grazing, steadily. Getting the job done.
June 5th – Over to Middleton Hall for cake, and a weary return through Tamworth up the canal. Although it was a gloriously hot day, I just wasn’t feeling it and my energy was low, but the scenery really perked me up.
Everything is so green at the moment – from the barley in the fields to the gorgeous limpid canals – and that view of Middleton over the fields never gets old.
A lovely ride, even if I was knackered!
June 4th _ I came back past the Dunstall and Catton Estates. At Dunstall, they’re farming deer, and it’s odd to see these graceful creatures enclosed in such high fences, but they do have a huge amount of space and seem happy.
Near Catton, the coos were fascinating, and a reminder of how dangerous they can be. I first spotted them wading into the Trent to cool off, but on seeing me, the entire heard made for the hedge where I was standing. Gently insistent, they crowded round, presumably to see if I had food. They are gorgeous animals, but I’m glad the hedge was there!
April 16th – Just by the by-pass at Lichfield near the supermarket turn-off, there’s a small paddock. It’s currently home to a small flock of new mums – ewes and their lambs.
They are absolutely gorgeous, and seemed relaxed and well cared for.
A wonderful sight on such a lovely, sunny evening.
April 3rd – Up near Wall, the old cricket pitch was ploughed up a few years ago now by the farmer who owned it, leaving the portakabin pavilion – which must have cost a few bob to install – marooned.
It’s so sad to see the cricket pitch gone; many a Sunday or Saturday afternoon as a young man I’d pass here with a game in full swing and sit and watch with maybe a beer on the go.
Remarkably, the in and out field are now supporting a healthy, blooming crop of oilseed rape, which seems a wee bit early for me – but it is beautiful.
Three years ago this weekend I found a car still abandoned in deep snow not half a mile from here. How the seasons in this country vary.
April 3rd – The curious textures and contour-following lines of a ploughed and planted potato field seen today near Shenstone. The almost Moire-like visual disturbance this causes is fascinating, and really shows the undulations in any landscape.
Particularly impressive was the single cock pheasant clearly feeling a bit superior in the centre. Not the brightest birds but certainly very beautiful.
March 21st – Passing the fields at the Shelfield end of Green Lane, I smelt the delicious, dark smell of freshly turned earth, and noticed the field near the Mob Lane junction had been ploughed, harrowed and planted.
I noted a lot of fields locally have been ploughed in the last week or so. Perhaps farmers now feel they’re clear enough of winter to risk spring planting.
So beautiful to see the brown fields, full of promise for a new growing season.
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