Paul in the woods

Simple answer is you cannot calibrate a cheap, simple moisture meter. (Well, I'm not aware of anything other than performing your own oven dry test). I think now the new law's in force Woodsure should be much clearer in it's statements. They may mean ensure you select the correct timber type and temp if your meter allows but I wouldn't call that calibration. Woodsure should also be much clearer about the basis you're measuring on as well, they've had plenty of time.

It looks very close. Have you found the spare parts for them? https://www.hunterstoves.co.uk/parkray-spares They show parts and dimensions for their stoves so you should be able to check the model and see if anything is missing.

Good luck, looks like you'll get to see it when it's wet and windy. They may think someone expects a bit of land, or it could just be too small for them to use. With my two small fields one the road is too small for even a small modern trator to get in. The other does have reasonable access but the farmers now don't wish to bother fields under 5 acres.

You may have a problem with garlic as it's planted in late autumn and will be exposed over winter. Do you know what the land is currently used for? I would think it would greatly depend on what neighbouring properties are used for as well. Any chance of having a chat to the owner to see what they want?

Have a look at blandford fly bites and symptoms. Not seen them myself but what you describe matches up with others have said.

I don't know if you've kept bees before but a couple of hives would be more a labour or love than a money making exercise. Set-up costs for a couple of hives, bees, frames, suit etc would easily be £1000+ and there's no guarantee you're get much honey. I would site hives in a sheltered spot near the house, you'll want to keep an eye on them and they'll be easier to get to. The bees will most likely fly off and forage elsewhere anywhere. No reason not to set aside an area for bees and wildlife of course. We're in a similar position, we have a couple of acres of pasture but even the local farmers can't be bothered to cut it for hay/silage (for free) as the fields are too small. It's now managed purely for wildlife. We do have bees but they mainly forage in the woodland and surrounding hedgerows. They do forage the fields for dandelions, knapweed, plantain and a few other things. Edit to add, bees may be useful for planning as you can need a large amount of equipment and an area to process the honey. Good reasons to build/convert something.

It's not easy, I think it's three but hard to be sure. Sabiniana has three and sylvestris two, tabuliformis twos or threes. I don't thin Sabiniana is often sold in the UK so it's probably something else. Looks like a garden setting though so who knows.

As a private user I'd love that. Shame transport is so expensive, that and the fact you'll not get a suitable lorry down my lane. But it does lead me to another question. Does anyone supply logs for outdoor firepits, chimineas etc? I would have said alder would be ideal for them.

If that's you in the last photo you're a freak with two left hands! At first glance it looks like a spindly Scots, but a bit of a search suggests Pinus sabiniana ghost/gray pine? Although that's a wild guess.

What about Cornus kousa? I also wonder if those flowers will fade to white or even if they've been damaged in any way by the late frosts? Cornus kousa 'Venus' WWW.GARDENERSWORLD.COM Plant profile of Cornus kousa 'Venus' on gardenersworld.com

The bark looks too rough for a cherry, it looks more like a crab apple to me. Possibly something like Malus x moerlandsii "Profusion"?

3500 + 30% = 4550, and is just a fine...

Something like this:

Well done for phoning them, I'm tempted to email them to ask as well. I'm still a little doubtful as the instructions and sales bumf does not mention what basis it uses. I'm also put off by the contradicting sales details that say the screen will show green under 20% but the instructions say it has to be between 6-15%. Valiant Moisture Meter | Colour Change SHOP.HETAS.CO.UK Valiant Moisture Meter Colour Change It would be useful to see some test results as a cheap wet basis meter would be very useful to many here.

The problem with that story and the government report is that it doesn't say how it has concluded "Most emissions from this source come from burning wood in closed stoves and open fires". How, for example, does it distinguish between home heating and bonfires? Or wild fires. Or farms burning plastic etc.

Dare I ask what a potable glory hole is?

I wouldn't say nasty, surprising large for a UK spider and when you shine a torch on some with several orbs hanging down a bit spooky. Not a spider I'd pick up with my bare hands though. I mostly worry I'll hurt them so take care to replace the manhole covers they tend to live under.

If you look at the reviews it seems some people find CO2 traps work really well and others have problems. Siting the trap seems to be one of the main reasons. This matches up with my experience with the bodygrip traps. Ones that have been sited well (both on a small oak that has been badly stripped of bark) and baited for a week or so before setting the trap seem to catch within hours of being set. The same traps on other trees in the same woodland catch nothing.

People use the plastic as a roof, see this thread:

Red troll squirrel?

I'm not sure bark damage is down to food, you could try feeding them and see if that makes a difference. I thought it was more down to single males marking territory/being bored. They certainly do go for oaks, that's the biggest problem I have. Sycamore seems their favourite and then beech, hornbeam, oak etc. I'm not convinced by pine martens. It's going to take a number of years before there's enough to make a difference down here in Devon for example and I have concerns about their impact on other endangered wildlife such as birds. As for reducing their numbers in a 3000 acre wood, it would seem possible if there is a serious will to do something. One problem would be stopping public access for a while. A good method of control is putting out a feeding station for a while and then shooting as it's gets them down on the ground and in a safe place.

I tend to find they vary in size a great deal, some small males are not worth preparing for the table but others can be a good size. If you get a dominant male you could even dabble with a squirrel nugget recipe! I find reducing the numbers greatly reduced the damage to trees, so certainly worth doing. Shooting or trapping, I like the Fineren offset wooden boxes and bodygrip traps as they're easy to use. https://www.fourteenacre.co.uk/shop/fineren-bodygrip-box-for-squirrels/ Not everyone has the time to deal with them, check traps regularly etc, so well done for offering a service.

The other thing could be wind scorch? I'm have various Scots pines and at this time of year one the windward side they are very brown and scorched. They do recover though when (if) spring arrives.

Any chance they've dried out too much? It's been weeks since we've had any serious rain down here in Devon.

Not enough fairies around these parts for that. I probably wouldn't grow it at all, it wasn't grown around here a couple of years ago and now it seems all the rage. I'm genuinely curious as to why it's grown as I can't see how it's that economic to grow. Possibly extra grants or to use up all the slurry and sewage waste. It also causes a large amount of pollution through run off in the streams and the amount of pesticides required also seems high. As for the concern the farmers couldn't cope without red, their subsidies could be increased if there was a will to do so. (No, I'm not that naive to think it would happen).