Farm Life - New Year plans

by Roger Hill

A very happy New Year to you all. It’s often a time to look forward with renewed hope and optimism. Maybe thumbing through holiday brochures seeking summer sun, adventure or relaxation. If you’re a gardener it will be seed catalogues, planning what to grow and whereabouts to plant.

As a farmer it is always nice to sit in front of the wood burner of an evening and check out the shiny new machinery on offer in the trade magazines. Price of course is no problem as I imagine driving the largest, most colourful tractor with tea making facilities and televised sports events! Neighbours line up in their fields to marvel at my new purchase.

They are cheering and shouting and then start poking me in the ribs, “Wake up! Wake up! I need your help with a pregnant ewe!” Startled from my dreamy slumber by my nearest and dearest, clad in boiler suit, thick coat and wellies, it is time to face the bitter chill and head outside to the lambing shed.

With snowflakes falling, it is a reminder that each season brings its own challenges. The main thing is to have planned ahead.

‘Til next time, Roger #TuppertheTractor (website: quoit-at-cross.co.uk)

South Molton Community Garden - in tribute to James

by Rebecca Blackman

The gardeners received some very sad news that James Sendell, a much-loved member of our community, has passed away.

James designed and built our field kitchen and also the wonderful new shed and water catchment system. His work in the garden has been so very much loved and appreciated and will contribute to the everyday running of the garden for many years to come.

To use the words of my young daughter, James will always be a part of the Community Garden. He will be remembered fondly by us all.

With the mixed bag of weather, a few of us braved the frosts, wind and rain to cover some of the communal beds. The wind was so gusty it was blowing the plastic covers off before we could weigh them down! We may lift the covers on a calmer day to pull a few weeds and level the ground.

If you’d like to join us, please come to the garden on a Thursday afternoon at 2pm, weather permitting. Alternatively, email: southmoltoncommunitygarden@gmail.com

Bill brings home the cows

When author Bill Symondson wrote a book about his childhood on a North Devon farm, he dedicated it to his daughter Georgia Woods. Tragically, Bill would not live to see it published, passing away just before it went to print in August 2023.

Now, Heasley Mill based publisher Brambleby Books has teamed up with Georgia (pictured left) to release ‘Bringing home the cows’, Bill’s touching story of growing up as a young boy in the North Devon countryside in the 1960s.

Nine-year old Bill moved with his family from the suburbs of London to a dairy farm in North Devon, an idyllic environment where he grew up for the next ten years. Here, daily chores of looking after the cows and helping with the harvest, often turned into disastersor adventures! With his dog Lucy, he roamed the countryside observing wildlife, his passion, encountering birds of prey and his beloved butterflies and moths.

In later life he would become a professor of bioscience, spending 30 years researching the diets of insects, birds and reptilespioneering of the use of DNA to investigate the diet of animals to aid conservation.

‘Bringing home the cows’ is available at Waterstones and direct from the publishers: bramblebybooks.co.uk

Author Bill Symondson, dedicated his book to his daughter Georgia

New NHS dental helpline

After more than 1,750 people in North Devon signed a petition calling on the government for urgent improvements to NHS dental services, a new phone-in service has been set up.

A dedicated helpline has been developed for Devon and Cornwall to help patients find an NHS dentist for routine care and arranging urgent NHS dental treatment for people who do not have a dentist.

North Devon MP Selaine Saxby recently met the new Dentistry Minister Andrea Leadsom to stress the depth of the problems in the area, “I would like to reassure residents that Government ministers know exactly how difficult it is for constituents to find a dentist in North Devon. I have also spoken with local dentists to get their ideas, but fundamentally we need more dentists to undertake more NHS work, which is the first thing the new minister plans to tackle.”

Responding to the dentistry petition a government spokesman said, “NHS England and Devon Integrated Care Board are aware of the particular challenges in North Devon and are working with local dentists to enable practices to take on more NHS patients.”

“NHS England recently procured additional primary care dental capacity in Devon which means an increase in access to dental services for those patients who do not currently have a dentist.”

To speak to the NHS Dental Helpline phone: 03330 063 300

More money for road repairs

Meethe Hill and nearby roads at Kings Nympton are on a priority list to be repaired, after Devon County Council was awarded an extra £6.663 million for highway maintenance. The money is being shared out by the government following the scrapping of the HS2 rail line extension to Manchester.

Spread the joy of reading

Children’s literacy charity Schoolreaders is looking for volunteers who can help spread the joy of reading to children in primary schools in North Devon.

It’s reported that every year, 1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to read to the expected standard. Schoolreaders recruits volunteers to listen to children read in primary schools. Volunteers are asked to listen to children read once a week in term time and to commit to an academic year.

Charity founder Jane Whitbread said, “If more children gain pleasure from reading from an early age and their reading fluency and confidence improves too, communities and society will reap the benefits alongside the children themselves.”

More information: schoolreaders.org

A new look at local war history

‘Our Darkest Hour, Our Finest Hour’ is the latest local history book published by author Derrica Hodgson (above). Launched at South Molton Library on December 4th, it looks at how people in South Molton lived during the dark days of World War II.

It is available to buy at the Amory Centre, Exmoor Hardware and Simmons Greengrocers in South Molton, with all proceeds going to the Poppy Appeal.

Festive cheer at church

The popular annual Christmas Tree Festival was held in St Mary Magdalene Church in South Molton over five days ending on Monday, December 4th.

One of the highlights at this year’s event was local primary school children singing festive songs and carols (pictured right).

Plough Service celebration

The Devon branch of the charity Farming Community Network are holding their annual Plough Service in Bishops Nympton.

The Rev. Alison Rogers will lead the service at St Mary the Virgin Church at 3pm on Sunday, January 7th 2024 (advert page 12) It will incorporate a blessing of the soil, seed and the plough and prayers particularly for the agricultural community.

“This is an opportunity for the local farming and rural community to meet together to celebrate, reflect and look forward to the coming year’s planting and growing season,” said Jackie Skinner from the FCN.

To contact the FCN in Devon phone Richard Sampson: 07835 033062 (fcn.org.uk)