Since setting intentions at the spring equinox for the year ahead, things here have continued to flourish. We’ve replaced having pigs to having chicks: to produce ethically reared chicken, and we are now up to six stunning calves with more still a few more on the way. Billy the Bull is back from his owner (as we are part of a bull share so that neither of us have him full time – making calving times easier to control) ready to run with all the cows next week. He hasn’t been with them until now so that we don’t end up with calves until March at the earliest next year; January calving was too difficult so we don’t want to do that again. We’ve added some beavers to our wetland enclosure and we have recently turned a fruit cage into an aviary to receive some tawny owls from Wildlife Aid that desperately needed a home.

The cockerels I wrote about last edition got eaten by a fox last week, as well as the hens that were sitting on their nest. That was a sad day. We whisked as many eggs from their nest as possible and have borrowed a neighbour’s incubator in the hope that we had got there soon enough to keep the contents alive. Two have just hatched and a third is currently knocking its way out, so that is some form of silver lining to the fox-shaped dark cloud.

Our summer migrants of blackcaps, nightingale, cuckoo, swallows and swifts have been sighted or heard and we, as well as several other farms in the area, are part of ‘Operation Turtle Dove’ so we are placing specific food to encourage turtle doves to spread to this part of the county. They have been seen not far away, in Edenbridge amongst other places, so we are all hopeful they will find us. They are most commonly heard around 4am though, so I am not sure if I will know if they come or not! Dragonflies and damselflies are abundant and numerous water birds have been seen on the wetlands too. Our resident barn owl from our recently added barn owl box has had a successful brood and as it’s so early in the year we hope they may have a second clutch which will do wonders for our local barn owl population if they do. The lack of spraying and longer grass here has been wonderful for our mice and field vole numbers and so the owls are doing really well and have plenty to eat. Adding bird boxes is such a rewarding thing to do – I highly recommend it!

After months of work, our education centre on the farm is now a charity: the Big Wood Sanctuary for Learning. The charity’s goal is to advance education, promote health and wellbeing by teaching about food, farming, nature and health whilst helping local people of all ages to meaningfully connect to nature and healthy living. An exciting venture that has numerous possibilities but starting with nature walks. We have already had a few that sold out so we have created some more dates (see below) and book quickly if you’d like to come and see what we are doing and hear our ever increasing, abundant wildlife.

Our monthly fire circle has gained interest and has been really well attended lately with more energy and collaborative input. I needed that addition from others to help create events here as I haven’t personally had that additional capacity to give it the energy it needs to come to fruition. There are now numerous other events from retreats to workshops and mindful boxing to pagan moots, the classroom and outdoor space are getting booked up and have much to offer local people and families. Keep an eye on our social media #thebigwoodestate or our website www.bigwoodestate.co.uk. Bookings can be made at eventbrite just look up ’The Big Wood Estate’.

Even though more seems to be happening, there is a sense of calm around the farm, and within me. I am enjoying watching the land and nature flourish together. I can feel that momentum has finally gathered pace. The lack of rain has been challenging for the beans and barley that we planted in March but at least there is rain due next week; the warm soil temperature that is here now will hopefully kick the growth into something more healthy looking and maybe even a successful crop. Some of our hay is ready to be cut during the next dry spell so that will be a busy time but always feels good when you know you have the winter feed for the animals in the barn. The grass looks better this year so hopefully the hay yields will be better than the appalling yield of last year. We also have a lot of wildflowers now too so our seeding of field margins and areas for birds and insects has pleasingly begun to take shape and goes some way to explain the increasing bird life that we are seeing and hearing.

Soon we approach the summer solstice and the celebration of nature’s bounty. I give thanks every day for all that she provides but it is a lovely opportunity to come together as a community to collectively give thanks. I will also be adding a moment of quiet, to listen to what she is asking us to do, or not do, so that we can continue this momentum in full support and harmony with the natural world that we all depend upon.