A New Year at The Oak Tree Low Carbon Farm

While the snow looks wonderfully peaceful on the land at the moment, I am busy making preparations for the first growing season, as well as cutting down dead trees to make space for planting new bare rooted trees in the dormant season, that's to say soon!

I am slowly getting to meet my neighbours, all of whom have been charming and helpful, including Lux Farm, just up a footpath from me. They supplied my delicious Christmas goose, which I collected on foot as the roads were so icy, and I ended up loading up on lots of other delicious real food for the festive season. I took the opportunity to ask their advice on local contractors who could help with the initial cultivation of the soil.

Meanwhile, I am applying for planning permission for a 10' by 14' timber building for storing tools. As The Oak Tree is under just 5Ha (roughly 12 acres) the planning rules are far more stringent than for larger farms, so I am left with a race against time to have a building to store my new two wheeled tractor and implements in time for March when the planting will really start in earnest. Meanwhile the govenrnment says how much it wants to help small local food producers... I think a little more "joined up thinking" is needed there!