
Rothbury CAN's latest adventure was a rather wet and misty one! We all had a fabulous and informative time visiting Moss Peteral Farm, at Greenhead, Brampton, Northumberland. Here is their website: Moss Peteral Farm
This farm has been worked and looked after by Sue and Alan, for around 20 years. It has a really fascinating history - which we enjoyed learning about.

Alan

Sue
They are both remarkable people, with backgrounds that make them ideal for the work they do here, on this very special land. "Sue lived in intentional communities for 20 years and Alan has spent a similar amount of time (that's what it felt like anyway) living on tour busses. These previous lives, along with years of hosting volunteer farm help, ensure both Sue and Alan have huge experience of living with and getting the best out of all sorts of people!
Sue says "We are Care Farmers so the principles of caring, nurturing and cherishing guide our work with vulnerable adults and our farming practice. Staying here, interacting with nature and looking after animals, fulfills basic needs not met in many people's lives today. Such experiences can give long-lasting benefits, making a real change to the lives of vulnerable adults - and everyone else too!"
This aspect of their work is so valuable, and informs the work which we had come to see. Our tour was 'Beef, Bogs, and Biodiversity'. It was the bogs part was where Vivienne managed to stumble. It is amazing that no-one else fell in, it was such a misty, moisty, day!
BOGS!

Sue and Alan's farmland spans England's east/west watershed. The northern part of the farm drains into the Irthing, and the southern part into the Tipalt burn, then into the South Tyne.
"The land, sandwiched between the Whin Sill, with Hadrian's Wall striding along the top, and Kielder forest, is archetypal wide open moorland where the ground squelches underfoot and the sky goes on forever above.
The soil is predominantly peaty with many acres of mire.
A mire is defined quite precisely in ecological terms as an area of active peat formation - carbon dioxide is being sequestered, locked into vegetation which dies but does not decay, gradually accumulating at a rate of, maybe, 1mm per year."

The bog, emerging from the mist.

Sphagnum moss. These colourful mosses decorate our heaths, moors and marshes. They hold a remarkable amount of water, and play a crucial part in the development of peat bogs. They store water in their spongy forms, and they prevent the decay of dead plant material. This eventually forms peat.
It made me remember my first job after leaving school, at 15. It was in a florist shop. I became an expert at wiring sphagnum moss to the wire wreath frames. I always loved handling the moss, but I had no idea then, of its incredible value, and the need for protecting it.

Peter squeezing out the last drop!

The Wildlife Trust provides the information boards.

Pushing down one metre rods to show how old this bog is. Each rod equates to 1000 years. We managed to push in FIVE rods!!! Yes - this means we were standing on 5000 years of history.
The Wildlife Trusts work to restore and protect bogs, heaths and moors. They do this by promoting good management, implementing grazing regimes which benefit the land, and clearing encroaching scrub. Sue and Alan work very closely with the Wildlife Trust.

BEEF!

As a vegetarian I do not like labeling these creatures by the word for their flesh, but plenty of Rothbury CAN members do enjoy eating meat from well looked after and managed animals. And it is certainly very interesting to hear about how Sue has created her herds of cattle and sheep.
Moss Peteral Farm has around 300 hardy Swaledale ewes, and 200 of their crossbred, Mule, daughters. This is changing, however, to Cheviots, which should simplify the management of of them. Sue tells us that she is building up a herd of White Galloway cows. Read more about Sue and Alan's herds.
BIODIVERSITY.

"Moss Peteral's conservation badges recognise the importance of the wetland habitats and their associated species. The combination of wet and dry ground and variation in sward height, from the sheep-grazed drier, rig areas to the tussocks of molinia and rushes, provide the diversity of habitats needed to meet the feeding and shelter requirements of wading birds. In spring we hear the cry of the curlew, emblem of Northumberland National Park, the haunting call of lapwing and the drumming of snipe. A spring bird survey several years ago recorded 44 species."
We had a really fantastic visit to this fascinating farm. Sue and Alan were generous hosts, feeding us a delicious lunch of home made pitta bread, salad and meat balls (falafels for the veggies).
I first found out about this farm and the tremendous work it does on a visit organised by Wilder Northumberland, to celebrate National Bog Day this year, in July. That was a glorious sunny day, and relatively dry underfoot (apart from the bogs). Our visit yesterday was very damp, but equally enjoyable. Hopefully Moss Peteral Farm will be able to repeat this event for 2025's National Bog Day. If so, I fully recommend you go! Rothbury CAN may also organise a return visit in the spring. Watch this space!

Read the latest blog on Wilder Northumberland's website by Sue and Alan.
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