We have been busy finalising plans, building a shelter and recycling items including drainage pipes, tractor tyres and scaffolding planks!
Work started on Fenland Dog Park, Long Sutton, on Thursday 2nd March, with Henry sowing the grass and wild flower seeds with our John Deere tractor and Lemken 4m combination drill (seeder). Many weeks of cold and wet weather meant that the grass was slow to emerge.
With March and April rainfall (85mm and 76mm respectively) being more than needed, and more than double our very low entire winter rainfall combined (Dec, Jan, Feb = 67mm) it meant planned work on the arable farm was delayed, and so our capable and keen team on the farm turned their hands to making some kit for the Dog Park.
Richard and Martyn up-cycled some old tractor tyres, 2nd hand astroturf, broken potato boxes and old scaffolding boards to make various items to put in the paddock at Fenland Dog Park. A few jumping platforms, hanging tyres and a balance bridge have been made as dog agility equipment, and these will be joined by tunnels and weaving posts in the paddock. Mini versions of these have also been made for the small dog / puppy zone! Up-cycling and using second hand items all helps keeping our carbon footprint as low as possible.
The team also turned their hand to making a shelter for the paddock, so that you and your dog can be happy, whatever the weather. The shelter was made from old telegraph poles, potato boxes wood, scaffolding boards and corrugated tin – all these were from 2nd hand or redundant materials, with the exception of the corner posts and screws, nuts and bolts to hold it together!
Next month we will put in the new access track and car park to the paddock. The limestone base was sourced locally from a quarry near Bourne, and the Type 1 granite came from the closest granite quarry near Leicester, The positioning of the track and car park had to follow Council Plans, to help keep noise away from our neighbours.
Also next month we are hoping that the grass in the paddock will be robust enough for us to work on, to put up the fence posts and wire around the car park and paddock. As you would expect, the wire will be strong enough and tall enough to keep even the most enthusiastic dog safe and secure, while the secondary 33mm heavy duty hexagonal chicken wire at the bottom section and dug into the ground will give you peace of mind for the smaller dog or puppy.
