CAERLEON FESTIVAL – THE GATEWAY MEADOW
Despite the curtailment of activities by covid the Festival Team has been busy on the Gateway Meadow.
Despite a damp August, with the help of our friendly farmer most of the Meadow was cut, turned and baled – with bales removed. The wildflower borders were left intact to allow heads to dry, mature and release their seeds.
On a glorious September Sunday a Team of socially distanced Festival Volunteers convened to complete the job, Team Leader Bryan, the cutting of the wildflower borders, and the rest the raking.
With the Meadow now fully “mown” there remains the happy task of “scattering the good seed on the land” – that is with a wildflower meadow and cornfield annuals mix (with chain harrowing and rolling) ready for a fine display next year.
That will be all for this year, marking the end of our four year programme with fences and walls repaired, trees pruned, rubbish and coarse weeds removed, and masses of wildflowers planted and sown. Some may remember how the field was before the start of the project and marvel at the transformation from wasteland to wildflower meadow.
We thank all our volunteers for their hard work and the community of Caerleon for support and encouragement. We thank Newport City Council for funding us via the landfill tax scheme. Further funding will be sought for meadow maintenance over the coming years.
The work continues. The Meadow flourishes.
Tim Davidson Chair
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