Hay-making at Sustead

On Thursday 3^rd September, 16 of us gathered on a warm and humid morning to give various areas at Sustead their autumnal haircut. 

Commencing with the Surveyor’s Allotment, Sustead Common and the NW edge of Spurrells Wood, the six scythers swung into action with rakers following in their wake. 

The aim was to cut and remove the annual growth.  This prevents nutrient accumulation, which would favour grasses at the expense of the wild flowers which we want to encourage. 

The greater the variety of wildflowers, the more food sources there will be for pollinators, herbivores and, in turn, all the animals higher up the food chain.  Increasing biodiversity is the name of the game.

Sustead Common Bees

While working on the Common, Brian’s scything action disturbed a nest of bees. Given his serious allergy to stings, it was lucky that these were particularly placid Carder Bees rather than wasps or honeybees.

Sustead Haymaking

After coffee and doughnuts, we decamped to Sustead Green and a small patch of grassland near the Village Hall.  Both areas were scythed and tidied up for the benefit of the local community. 

After the Sustead work party, five volunteers went on to East Beckham, where they (Trevor, Simon G, John, Alan and David B) scythed the grassland, installed guttering on the Trees for the Triangle shed and finished off the water harvesting system - for use by both allotment users and the tree nursery.

Water Harvesting East Beckham

Our next work party is our annual haymaking at WBOA, on the afternoon of Thursday September 10^th, followed by the picnic (in place of the usual BBQ) and AGM.

Sean Dempster

September 3^rd 2026