Meadow at last!

Where we live, the countryside has been cruelly plundered and year after year for example, the farmers will replant without letting the land rest. Wheat or rapeseed are the preferred crops or sheep, and plenty of them! Sheep farming is particularly popular on otherwise arable land and talking to our local farmers, it is a wonder they make a living considering that last year, all they got per lamb was £75.

I've noticed a decline in natural meadows in the past few years and this is a great shame. Our native orchids and other flowers such as buttercups, plantains, marjoram, fennel, dandelion, thrive in meadows and I fondly remember when I lived in Surrey being able to count dozens of different flowers within a 20m² radius. My darling doggie used to be up to his neck in wild flowers. This picture taken last Sunday shows the dearth of wildflowers in an uncultivated field near a sheep and crop farm. At least my doggie who is now very old is still with me although he can't do long walks anymore. Neither the meadows nor my doggie will be around forever, sadly.

Photo copyright Ian C.