ChatBox

Warner Baxter all day long as he was taught by the best Paul Holland (jocker)
RIP

"Left to its own devices... the field will evebtually become woodland." It is easier and in this case better to go with nature than to fight it. Trees purify the air and moderate the climate. It is still possible to plant most of the field with trees. Grants may be available.

Warner Baxter without a doubt.

I can recommend Warner Baxter, a local plasterer, email: wbplasterers@gmail.com
who plastered our whole house and he's excellent. Also turns up when he says he will, which is always a plus!

A good friend and biologist with some expertise in conservation management tells me the biggest threat to biodiversity on Turnpike field is the grass. Fed by nitrates in previous years it proliferates to the exclusion of many species. The harm could be mitigated by some hard grazing. Left to its own devices, and without a proper conservation strategy, the field will eventually become woodland.

The recommendations from Audlem Online have always worked out really well. I would now be very grateful if anyone can recommend a plasterer to board and skim a small room. TIA.

Many thanks Curious. As so often with TV, a lot of what didn't make it to screen can be as interesting, or more so, than what makes it to the final edit. This programme was no exeption! If you see me and you'd like to hear what happened, ask and I shall tell. ;-) Yes, they made a nice job of the Fridge. Regarding that; what also didn't make it to screen what what I said about the Fridge. It involved the Fridge, a part of my digestive system and a very hot Curry! In hindsight, probably a good job that one didn't make it through the editing process!

Billy, my wife and I saw the program yesterday, I think it's called Find It, Fix It, Flog It and you were your usual amusing inimitable self on the program. I imagine you may well have the skills that some of the people on the program had and renovate / upcycle some of your shed finds yourself. I think they only checked out 3 of your numerous sheds to find the items to upcycle which turned out to be really good in the final valuation, especially the fridge made into a sofa.

Thanks Bobert, all the butterflies you mentioned have been recorded in Turnpike Fields over the past couple of months, except the Marble, White which if my book is correct would have had to come to sunny Audlem all the way from the Iberian Peninsular.

I was informed by a couple of people that a very small part of Audlem was on Channel 4 yesterday (Tuesday11th) at 3pm. I didn't see it myself but if anyone wanted to I'm sure it'll be on Ketchup or whatever it's called this month.

Larval Food Plant: Cinnabar moth (dependent)Butterfly Nectar Plant for: Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Peacock, Red Admiral, Ringlet, Green-veined White, Small White, Marble-white, Large White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Comma, Holly Blue, Small Copper.

We sometimes have bird strikes on our windows (mainly pigeons) but in the last two days three blackbirds have sadly met their end in such a way. This has never happened before and I am wondering if there is any ornithologist out there who may have an explanation. We have ordered some bird silhouettes to stick on our windows in the hope that no more blackbirds will meet an early end.

Part (b)

Regarding its ability to proliferate, I have been pulling Ragwort out of pastureland to the east of the village for many years and this year has seen a great increase in its number. A good illustration of its ability to spread can be seen in a field to the left of the Whitchurch road, just as you cross the bridge upon leaving the village. Another native species that deserves thug status is the dock. Its seeds are considered to survive in the soil for seventy years. My brother in law has an organic farm and he and his team must hand rogue docks and ragwort every year and he confirms the annual increase in Ragwort numbers. And that is of 2020

Part (a)

A mature Ragwort plant can grow in excess of 30 inches tall and has a very tough stem. It also produces 200,000 or more floating seeds that drift considerable distances contaminating distant land. In addition, it is considered unsafe to pull it without gloves due to its toxicity so hardly the kind of plant to be allowed to spread widely in an area of recreation.

There seems to have been a chap in his thirties driving around the turnpike field end of the village offering to sell second hand tools from the boot of his car, amongst which were a chop saw and hammer drill, it was at the later end of last week, it all sounded a bit suspicious, has anyone else encountered him?

I see various commentators on chatbox are once again exaggerating the dangers of Ragwort.

Can I once again emphasise that whilst Ragwort can be poisonous to horses and cattle they won't eat it in fields if there is plenty of other food around. Animals are at most danger when they are fed hay and possibly silage containing the plant, but significant amounts need to be eaten.

Ragwort is also described as a thug and that it will take over everywhere if not controlled. I cannot understand what this statement is based on, Ragwort is not an invasive species, it is a native British plant and studies by botanists show that there has been no significant change in numbers since the 1960's. In fact the 2007 UK Countrywide survey showed a significant decline.

Are the facilities Blubob asks for not possible under the existing rent-free setup?