Episode 2.45 - Teasel Treasures and Skylark Symphonies

Send us Fan MailJoin Chris Skinner and Matthew Gudgin on a mild mid-November morning at High Ash Farm, where autumn's unsettled chill stirs flocks of goldfinches into a dazzling display amid teasel heads and thistle margins, their yellow wing bars flashing as they feast on seeds in a biennial bounty perfect for butterflies and overwintering cover. Venture to the ancient Roman capital of eastern Britain on the farm's edge, pondering monumental shifts in agriculture—from wartime ploughing with horses to modern self-sufficiency challenges, commodity pressures, and diversification into solar panels or public access—amid tales of Iceni tribes, Boudica's rebellion, and imported walnuts in amphorae. Spotlight a green woodpecker probing for ants on close-grazed pastures, its iridescent plumage and shocking red crown a vivid highlight, alongside erupting lapwing flocks in cold-weather migrations and deceitful wing-dragging displays. Marvel at skylark clans gathering in courtship flights over pollen and nectar fields, their hovering silhouettes a red-listed delight, while insects seek hibernation nooks and listener greetings mark the podcast's second anniversary. A reflective ramble through seasonal spectacles, historical harvests, and evolving rural realities, ideal for embracing the fleeting warmth before winter's grasp.https://www.buzzsprout.com/2432378/episodes/18150574-episode-2-45-teasel-treasures-and-skylark-symphonies.mp3?download=trueSupport the showPlease email any questions for Chris to answer on the podcast [email protected] podcast is brought to you by High Ash Farm. To support our efforts in creating this content, please consider making a small monthly or one-off donation. Your contributions help us with production costs, and after expenses, every penny goes towards conservation and maintaining free public access at High Ash Farm. Support us here:https://donorbox.org/podcast-12or from the Podcast page here:Podcast | High Ash Farm