Barton Farm post Doris

Today I was out early on Barton Farm because to my amazement there was a lot of sun flashing in and out as the end of Storm Doris scudded over.  Enormous dumps of rain in the night and early morning and still high winds, but it had definitely found new people to bother more profoundly.  I hope it wasn't you.

However, in a way the big news for me was this new fencing.  Barton Farm is having 2000 houses built over it.  Fortunately for my area they will not encroach this side of the London mainline tracks.  Rumour has it that the Wildlife Trust is taking over this slice of ex-farmland and I think it was them that have put up the new fences and a nice walkers' gate.  They are presumably going to plant something - trees? grassland with wildflowers? - in the main areas but have left wide access corridors for the large group of dog-walkers who have always used this land.  There were a couple of guys in hi-vis orange in the distance (just visible in the Extra).  I meant to walk over and ask them, but you can see the claggy state of the ground and they were almost a mile away so I didn't.

While I was there a tractor was finishing the ploughing.  The wire was curled back to let him through.  When he finished it was rolled across, I suppose, though needing breakfast, I didn't stay to see.  The last time this land will ever be ploughed.  Again, you can see the final lighter strip (on the right, ready to be turned) in the Extra.

So that's me, folks.  Enjoy your evening  xx