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a fern trip! how very victorian.

hi flopsy, hope your well. not seen you for a while.

This one is jinxed. though. They are looking for some known examples of the fairly rare Dryopteris expansa (to photograph, not to collect!). The excursion has been on the programme for the last 4 years, but the first 2 it was weathered off, then last year (when I did go), we didn't find any.

I wonder how they are getting on today?

Yes, been very busy with the horses and weeding many acres of paddocks with a pick axe.(beats going to the gym)
so not had much time to sit and do crosswords. I seem to have lost how to do them again.

Goodness sounds very exotic. I watched a program on tele the other week about fern collecting. I did'nt realise it was so huge. As a matter of interest what do you do for a living. Your knowledge is amazing.

Retired Chemistry teacher, flopsybunny.

My wife is very active in the fern society (British Pteridological Society), and I usually join her on trips. We probably saw the programme too - was it Sarah Whittingham? She has been on "Coast", and on Michael Portillo's Railway Journey programme as well recently.

yes I think it was sarah. I really had no idea that people like ferns or so many different types. I have loads around the farm. I have 57 acres and two deciduous woods as well!

Gosh, that must keep you busy! Arable or livestock?

I seem to remember that you are in the Southwest? Lots of great ferns there!

All horses. Yes, Southwest. Yes have been out banging up weeds such as docks with a pick axe. I will not use chemicals so nearly organic. People keep trying to persuade me to use chemicals to control the weeds but I prefer to do it my way. It also keeps me very fit and I can swing a pick axe and be extremely accurate. Shame there's not a competition for pick axe swinging, I think i would be a real contender.
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