Field Trip Report to Ballycross Apple Farm September 10 th 2011

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Philip Hutchinson
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Field Trip Report to Ballycross Apple Farm September 10 th 2011 Approximately 22 members of our field club met at 2pm, on a sunny bright Saturday afternoon in the main car park of Ballycross Apple

1 Field Trip Report to Ballycross Apple Farm September 10 th 2011 Approximately 22 members of our field club met at 2pm, on a sunny bright Saturday afternoon in the main car park of Ballycross Apple Farm. Liz von Engelbrechten, began the tour by giving a small introduction to the type of farm the field club were about to explore. The group were informed that there were 15 various types of apples grown on the site, along with the many wild berries and fruits growing naturally in the area. Liz discussed the various types of pathways that can be explored, some of the animals in residence on the premises and the craft/tea shop that is in operation there. A small discussion took place regarding part of the pathway leading around the farm which has been created solely by wild animals and described by Liz as a must see of this farm, before the group set off with Christian Von Engelbrechten as their leader. Crab apples along the nature path was the groups first stop noticed by Dominic Berridge. Following this, the group continued along the first of the pathways to complete a full circuit of th farm and were met by an old tree only newly split the night before. The first bridge crossed by the group led to a sighting of the first Speckled Wood butterfly to be seen, this was closely followed by a White butterfly along with a Hawker Dragonfly. Taking a right after the bridge, Watercress and Wild Angelica could be seen growing in abundance in the river as the group proceeded along this route.

A series of steep steps led up to the main apple planations, where the group discovered that Ballycross Apple Farm grows

2 Crossing the second bridge on this path, the group were treated to sightings of swallows and house martins in the sky while the third bridge led us to the first sighting of wild sloes growing and ripening. A series of steep steps led up to the main apple planations, where the group discovered that Ballycross Apple Farm grows a variety of 15 various types of apple over a total of 25 acres with a further 25 acres dedicated to blackcurrants. A pathway through one of the apple groves.

3 The group were treated to some wild mushrooms, elderberries and ripening blackberries, as they began to walk along the pathway created entirely by wild animals. A badger sett appeared to be one of the highlights along this route, with signs of activity around it indicating it is in use. As the group passed over the final of the bridges, the blackcurrant bushes could be seen growing alongside one of the main pumpkin patches all ready for Halloween celebrations. As the group continued along the home stretch of the trail towards the walled garden, they were treated to more edible crab apples, along with edible Swine Cress and goose cress growing naturally on either side of the pathways. Entering the walled garden certainly seemed like the perfect image of the Secret Garden, with many varieties of plant, flower and tree growing here. Most notably was the eucalyptis tree and pear grove. Finishing up the tour, the group were treated to two draginflies resting on the warm red bricks in the afternoon sun and everyone with a camera was given the opportunity to take as many close ups as they wished. Please see below for a full list of the specied identified by members of the WNFC. Many thanks to Liz and Christian von Engelbrechten for providing the club with such a comprehensive tour of their farm List of apparently self-seeded plants seen on 10 September 2011 by WNFC at Ballycross Farm Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Common Alder Alnus glutinosus Scarlet Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus Black spleenwort Asplenium adiantum nigrum Orach Atriplex patula Brachypodium sylvaticum Starwort Callitriche sp Shepherd s Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris Bank Sedge Carex riparia Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense Spear Thistle Cirsium palustre Ruin of Rome Cymbalaria muralis Foxglove Digitalis purpurea Broad Buckler Fern Dryopteris dilitata Beech Fagus sylvaticus Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonicum Red Fescue Festuca rubra Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria Ash Fraxinus excelsior Fumitory Fumaria sp Stickyweed Galium aperine Herb Robert Geranium robertianum Herb Benet (Herba Benedicta) Geum urbanum Ground Ivy Glechoma hederacea

4 Cudweed Ivy Hogweed Yorkshire Fog Yellow Flag Iris Soft Rush Nipplewort Duckweed Rye Grass Yellow Pimpernel Purple Loostrife Apple wildling Pineappleweed Field Forget-me-not Water Dropwort Winter Heliotrope Reed Canary Grass Hart s tongue Fern Sitka spruce Annual Meadow grass Knotgrass Polypody Fern Fern Primrose Bracken Fern Fleabane Oak Creeping Buttercul Persicaria maculatum Blackberry Curled Dock Dock White willow Eared willow (hybrid?) Grey Willow Elder Groundsel Bittersweet Soft Sowthistle Dandelion White Clover Gorse Wych-like Elm Small-leaved Elm Nettle Gnaphthalium uliginosum Hedera helix Heracleum sphondylium Holcus lanatus Iris pseudacorus Juncus mollis Lapsana comunis Lemna minor Lolium perenne Lysimachia nemorum Lythrum salicaria Malus sylvaticus (sieversii? Matricaria discoidea Matricaria matricaroides Myosotis arvensis Myosotis persica Oenanthe crocata Petasites fragrans Phalaris arundinacaea Phyllitis scolopendrium Picea sitchensis (planted) Poa annua Polygonum aviculare Polypodium agg Polystichum setiferum Primula vera Pteridium aquilinum Pulicaria dysenterica Quercus pedunculus Ranunculus repens Redshank Rubus fruticosus agg Rumex crispus Rumex obtusus Salix alba Salix aurita type Salix cinerea oleifolia Sambucus nigra Senecio vulgaris Solanum dulcamera Sonchus oleraceus Taraxacum agg. Trifolium repens Ulex europaeus Ulmus glabra Ulmus sp Urtica urens Apple varieties Elstar Jonagold Jonagored Golden Delicious Discovery Walant?

5 Embassy/Ambassy? Saval Golden Delicious Bramley Seedling Spartan Red Devil Cox s Orange Pippin Queen Cox Apples being trialled Pilot Regina Pinova Jamba Hedgerow apples grew in profusion and variety and perhaps none was the wild Crab Apple Malus sylvestris sensu strictu. One on the west side of the hedge NW of the Discovery Orchard was quite pleasant to eat. As well as the wild and cultivated plants club-members admired the impressive infrastructure of the trails. The home-made curved glulam (resin-laminated wood) bridge, some very practical seats made from laths; and some wooden earth-filled steps come to mind.

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