2004 - Breaking the Land

In March 2004 we broke the land for the first time in 15 or so years and realised just how lucky we were. The years of chicken manure from the commercial rearing operation of my childhood had enriched the already lovely alluvial soil and years of grass and white clover tightly grazed by rabbits has also played its part. We had nearly 2 acres of perfect horticultural land. The only drawbacks were a slight panning (a thin compacted layer of anaerobic clay soil) a spit and a half below the surface (a spit is the depth of a spade) and because of this and the subsequent water logging in very wet winters, a higher than desired acidity (as low as 4 in places). Nothing that we've not been able to rectify, breaking the pan using chicorys and some double digging and the careful use of natural Dolamitic limestone

It was just 1/2 acre initially but the freshly ploughed expanse seemed enormous more than a little daunting. but ignorance is bliss; had we known more at the time we probably would have been paralysed by fear !