Old Manor Stables, Letcombe Bassett, Saturday 20th May

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 this weeks blog was written by Eleanor D

Saturday our session was at the Old Manor stables in Letcombe Bassett, which was a new location for us. Our task was to dig up ragwort in the fields as it is poisonous to horses, though it is the food plant of the yellow and black striped cinnabar moth caterpillar, which metamorphoses into a beautiful red and black moth.

Our first problem was finding the meeting place, but most of us got there in the end, having driven up a few single track dead ends. After a somewhat late start we set to work, using the specialist spiky tools provided by the stables. The ragwort plants were quite small and difficult to spot and not yet in flower, but the weather was fine and sunny, which made the job easier. We put them into big drag bags ready to be burnt.

After the break we moved on to the next field, which had a downward slope, before the land rose up again steeply to the Ridgeway. Several groups of walkers passed by on footpaths leading to the Ridgeway. At last it was time to go home, though there was still plenty of ragwort left. The plan is to come back again in June to continue our task.

tackling the first field

the tiny ragwort plants

Diewke making friends with an horse

getting on with the job in the second field





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