The result

This is the field next to our property. All the trees on the left belong to us.  It was mowed yesterday by the same farmer in the blip, I think the only one anywhere in the area to do any mowing.

A bit of useful soil compaction, dirt on the roads and for what?

This farmer or at least the father was the first local to greet us when we moved here in 2002. He saw me working in our fields, stopped his tractor, hooted his horn, waved for me to come over and said "Cut down the trees they cause shadow". I replied: "I have learnt that in Bavaria one greets people with Grüss Gott  first (Universal greeting whatever your race, colour, religion).

Anyway from that day we have a "need to " good relationship. However his complaints about our trees and the stream, the moles and beavers, the soil erosion caused by the stream trying to find it's natural course after the straightening in the 70's, all caused him to sell the field to the parish last year and rent it back. The parish is quite happy as they legally  need to show they have non built areas to compensate for the new home building sites they sell in the village.