24 January 2024
Fellfoot voices blog by Dylan Hardy, trainee with the North Pennines National Landscape team

As we move into the new year, and I come towards the end of my traineeship, it seemed like a perfect time to reflect.

For me, an important aspect of how we improve our landscape is the knowledge and connection that we get the chance to develop. I think it’s fair to say that the biggest link between people and the landscape is food, and sharing more about the farms that provide this food can really help that connection. I had the opportunity to join in when Croglin High Hall Farm welcomed a group of local catering students to the farm to find out more about meat.

At High Hall Farm there’s a lot going on to make the farm business ‘future proof’. They have rotational grazing, selective use of land and species, and they are constantly trying to create a more connected landscape. High Hall Farm is a great example for people deciding where to get their meat in the future.

Tom, one of the two brothers who farm the land, gave an informative tour. In the field he gave an in-depth explanation of the different breeds of cattle on the farm and his selection process, including the different ways the breeds put on fat, how customers have different needs in terms of the types and amounts of fat they prefer, as well as how that can be influenced by grazing and feeding practices. Tom answered the students questions from his perspective about farming and the industry of meat. He had the opportunity to explain how short-term rotational grazing systems affect both the grassland and the cattle that eat it.

The students were able to see more of the farm, finding out about the sheep and the herbal lay field. They heard how diversity in plant species and root structures make a resilient food source for the animals and better serves the environment. After seeing the pigs, the students asked more questions and then sampled some of the farm’s produce. The pork chops and sausages went down well over the short discussion session, with some of the students sharing their own experiences and opinions. The students left after an enjoyable day during which they learned a lot. By following back along the production line of their source of meat, the students had the chance to gain a deeper understanding of the process of growing, harvesting and distributing the meat that they, and the businesses they will work in, use.

I’ve also been working more independently on the winter planting project, successfully working with six farms in the scheme area to organise volunteer hedge planting. Other projects that I have worked on are the Carlisle Sight Support visit to Talkin Tarn which took place in November. I’ve had the chance to work with other members of the North Pennines National Landscape team including a previous Fellfoot Forward trainee, Jack, helping improve paths and trails in and around Teesdale. Weekly visits to Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Gosling Sike with Carlisle Youth Zone, involving a small group of young people with nature through nurture, have also been rewarding.

With only a few weeks left of the Fellfoot Forward scheme and my traineeship, I’m looking at what I’ve learned and how to expand on that before the project sadly comes to an end.

I chose to apply for my traineeship on the principle of self-improvement, throwing myself into an entirely new environment and taking on tasks, responsibilities, and a frame of work that I knew would challenge me. The challenges have surprised me, showing me the absolute importance of planning and self-management. I’ve had the opportunity to learn from those supporting me and this has led to sustainable changes in ways that make my work more stable and organised.

Taking part in so many different things as a part of the team has led to lots of different experiences. Arranging and helping to deliver the winter planting has meant organising volunteers, reaching out to other organisations, working with landowners and overcoming the obstacles of each event. It has also brought some of the biggest triumphs in my traineeship so far, with successful stretches of vital habitat planted and positive feedback from volunteers.

I’ve attended a number of networking events, representing the North Pennines National Landscape team and learning about other organisations, as well as helping facilitate events with partners, such as the successful Carlisle Sight Support visits to Talkin Tarn and the amazing 4Eden celebration event. Taking part in events, like the Uncovering the Past design sprint and a farm networking event, informing volunteers and farmers in matters of funding and industry whilst hearing their perspectives, has been inspiring.

I was able to revisit my skills in tree felling, and also had the opportunity to operate a sawmill on the pieces we felled, during a day visiting Ross Heffernan, the architect of The Nest – Skygazing Pavilion at Talkin Tarn, who I worked with on my first involvement with the Fellfoot Forward scheme. As the scheme is nearing its close, I’m starting to think about where this will lead and taking as much as I can from this experience with me.