What was it that got us thinking about birds, bees, n’ trees?

Nicola and Paul Renison farm 350 acres in Cumbria, rotationally grazing cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens with all land in Higher-level stewardship. Nicola reflects on their first hedge planting experience and why they have never looked back since.

It was a wet miserable day in December 2013. Having ripped out the old post and wire fence, we had hired Bob and his digger to build a ‘sod cest’ into which we were going to plant our ‘new hedge’. In fact, the first hedge we had ever planted. Bob was also going to put a new double fence in for the hedge, and to my shock and horror, Reno (Paul) wanted to make it three meters wide. A huge row erupted, poor Bob looking awkward as we hailed abuse at one another. To me, back in 2013, three meters was far too wide and a ridiculous waste of perfectly good grazing land we were paying a mortgage on.

For the first few years, the hedge looked like a collection of plastic tubes and weeds providing little shelter, but by year three, with the roots firmly imbedded into their new home, the hawthorns, hazels, dog roses, and wild cherry had started to take hold. As I look at it today (July 2021) it is now a marvellous hedge! Full of bird song, buzzing with insects and providing much-needed shelter at lambing time and shade from the summer sun.

This hedge was paid for via the HLS scheme; it was the first of many hedges, shelter belts, woods and corridors we have planted over the last seven years. Some in schemes, some with help from the Woodland Trust and some just because we now see it as our duty to get more chirping, buzzing and beauty back onto our 350 acres in the Eden Valley.

We are now thinking about Agroforestry; there is so much to learn and so many possibilities. How cool would it be to have fruit trees dotted around the farm?

As I write this at the age of 45, my only piece of advice is to crack on and get planting, whether it’s a hedge, a wood, an orchard or just one tree.  In my experience, the effect on the bottom line is negligible, and the benefits to your heart and soul immeasurable. Your Grandchildren or someone else’s Grandchildren will thank you for it.