After Hermitage Field had been mown for hay, local farmer Mike Barker put sheep on the meadow to ‘mob graze’.
‘Aftermath grazing’ – bringing in cattle or sheep to graze a hay meadow after it has been mown – is an important part of the management of a traditional wildflower meadow.
The sheep quickly graze the meadow down further to allow warmth and light to reach fallen meadow seeds, spread dung and stamp seeds into the soil.
We would like to thank Mike for his support for this community project.