Sheep

All eight enjoying the fresh beech leaves, the paddock still has lots of grass, and it’s growing quickly in the warm and wet weather. Clouds of Meadow Brown and Skipper butterflies are flying around and a White Admiral appears as the sun warms the grasses. A lot of rain overnight, water butts overflowing so no need to water the hedge. Picked cucumbers and sowed cut and come again lettuce seeds and the last of the mange tout peas. Tomatoes are getting bigger, feeding them twice a week. A cloudy day with light winds.

Meadow

The grasses have reached their full height, a mix of Red Fescue, Timothy, Common Velvet Grass, Yorkshire Fog, Meadow Foxtail and other perennial grasses. The sheep disappear among the swathes of swaying seed heads and eat the grass from the top down so an area this lush will take eight sheep a long time to eat, the living hay will hopefully last through the winter when all new growth has stopped. It’s a haven for butterflies, including Meadow Brown and White Admiral, and various moths and grasshoppers. A cloudy cool sunny day with a few showers.