Monday 20 February 2012

blackthorn planting








The area where the farm is situated was once a hamlet called Slamondesheia, which evolved from the Old English name of Sla-muntes-haeg meaning "enclosure of the sloe (tree) hill". Over the years there have been many spellings including Slamondshay, Slamondeseye and Slampseys and the house has been in White Notley, Black Notley and now Great Notley parish without ever moving. But we remain on a hill (a low Essex hill) and there are still plenty of sloes growing in the hedges. We’ve recently planted a new blackthorn hedge alongside the pig field to provide a bit of shade and shelter for the pigs and to increase our annual crop of sloes.


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