Farming News – May 2024

Drier weather has enabled me to sow some spring barley, apart from a corner of the field which is still under water. Fodder beet and potatoes will need to be planted soon, dry weather permitting. I left some of last year’s potatoes in the ground and they are starting to grow. Most rotted in the wet soil and around 30 geese fed themselves by digging into the rows and helping themselves to the crop.

Once again, I am taking part in North Yorkshire Open Studios where I exhibit my paintings during the first 2 weekends of June. I don’t yet know where I will be exhibiting, it depends upon the water level in Ham Hall Lake!

While checking my barley field recently, I found my first Stone Age flint spearhead and a possible arrowhead nearby. Although it has slight damage from modern farm machinery, the edges are still sharp. I feel so lucky to be the first person in thousands of years to hold this in my hand!