I had the first class of the Autumn term in Fryent Country Park today. The Year Ones were studying seeds and seed dispersal and eagerly searched for seeds and fruits in the meadows and hedgerows of the park and found them in great abundance, although the squirrels seemed to have had all the acorns.
They enjoyed watching a pair of kestrels hovering while hunting over Gotsford Hill and were excited by toads, tadpoles and newts as children have been for centuries.
Walking back across the fields from Kingsbury to Wembley I found hay making in progress. Few realise that Fryent Country Park is a certified organic farm for hay which is sold off contributing to park expenses. Harvest was delayed by bad weather and sodden ground difficult for tractors to negotiate. Hay prices have gone up as a result but today's crop looked in pretty good shape.
Enjoy the pictures below and reflect on how fortunate we are to still have a little Middlesex countryside in our borough.
This is a black and white photograph of my Aunt Muriel hay making at Bush Farm in 1942 complete with horse and cart. Today's baling machinery is much more advanced than her pitch fork but the hay left to dry before baling would be familiar.
Anyone wanting to book a class or club trip to Fryent Country Park should go to the Brent School Without Walls website HERE
They enjoyed watching a pair of kestrels hovering while hunting over Gotsford Hill and were excited by toads, tadpoles and newts as children have been for centuries.
Walking back across the fields from Kingsbury to Wembley I found hay making in progress. Few realise that Fryent Country Park is a certified organic farm for hay which is sold off contributing to park expenses. Harvest was delayed by bad weather and sodden ground difficult for tractors to negotiate. Hay prices have gone up as a result but today's crop looked in pretty good shape.
Enjoy the pictures below and reflect on how fortunate we are to still have a little Middlesex countryside in our borough.
This is a black and white photograph of my Aunt Muriel hay making at Bush Farm in 1942 complete with horse and cart. Today's baling machinery is much more advanced than her pitch fork but the hay left to dry before baling would be familiar.
Anyone wanting to book a class or club trip to Fryent Country Park should go to the Brent School Without Walls website HERE
