As August ended and the heat abated, life on the farm became a little more comfortable, and the first of the ‘ber’ months signalled the impending arrival of autumn.
There is a marked changed in the farm’s produce; deep green glossy kale contrasting plump pumpkins and squash, sporting bright harvest colours like veg-garden jewels. They can be seen first thing, glinting with overnight dew, reminders of the Harvest Thanksgiving events to come, and of Hallowe’en and all the excitement that entails.
Work continued at a pace – pace being the theme as we warmly welcomed our half-marathon hero, Julie Richardson, to the farm to thank her for her Bournemouth Bay Run efforts which raised more than £1,600 for High Mead. Money that afforded us a ramp to allow ‘access for all’ to the recently-appointed animal feed store. Julie was accompanied by Lesley Trevett, Ladies’ Captain of Ferndown Golf Club, who kindly donated funds to complete the concrete apron for the recently rebuilt stables – thank you to Travis Perkins Ferndown for their support too.

August really was a great ‘getting things done’ month. Wessex Water loaned their apprentices for a day, to help weed the perennials section of the fruit and veg garden, and to help clean out the runner duck enclosure, together with many other very helpful tasks. They were treated to a barbecue cooked by the farm’s resident chef Nik who, despite having been in post for only a few weeks, has very quickly become part of the team. In addition to the preparation for ensuring High Mead’s animals are kept warm and dry in the winter months, Liz Mitchener, one of our committed farm-shop volunteers and queen of all things art and craft (she is, quite literally, the most resourceful woman I have ever met), turned her talents to guaranteeing our ladybird population are protected too, by creating a super range of ladybug shelters; this sparked a debate about how few ladybirds we’ve seen this summer, a sure sign they need our help.

The farm is very environmentally aware and avoids the use of any pesticides or insecticides, so it is an ideal environment to gauge how well beetle and butterfly populations are doing. We have been delighted to see more butterflies about this year, but our bug population definitely appears to be in decline. Apparently, beetles comprise the largest set of pollinating creatures, due to their sheer numbers. They are responsible for pollinating 88% of the estimated 240,000 flowering-plant species globally and are an important natural control for aphids and greenfly which are common pests at the farm!
Another good reason to make sure they have somewhere safe to stay over winter and to help keep them thriving and happy to stay close. ‘Snug as a bug’ will be our mantra this month…

By Tiffany Fleming.
Tiffany Fleming is a volunteer at High Mead Farm in Longham, Ferndown.
High Mead Farm is a working farm run to promote the benefits of engaging with animals, soil, and nature. They ‘create purposeful roles for our co-farmers, young people and adults alike, to help bring about a sense of well-being and self-worth that many have never experienced before’.