When I wrote my last article, the wind was howling and the rivers flooding. Since then we have had some beautiful spring like weather. All fencing and hedge planting works were completed before the deadline of the end of March, and the start of lambing.

We are planning more projects to enhance the environment for next winter. A new Glastir Small Grants application window opened on April 1 and will run until May 10, with projects available to promote landscape and pollinators. We intend to apply for funding to undertake more hedge restoration with double fencing. It is an asset to have good boundary fencing with neighbours to keep stock in, and also help control disease transfer.

At a recent Montgomeryshire NFU Cymru meeting we had a talk by Adrian Kinner-Smith, who works for the Severn Rivers Trust. Adrian is able to advise farmers on funding available from the trust and rural development fund to undertake projects to promote the quality of the River Severn and its tributaries. Their aim is to raise awareness of pollution and to help support land-based businesses to mitigate problems from nutrients and soil erosion. You can contact him on 07579 032472.

Welsh Government has launched a consultation on ‘Environmental Principals and Governance Post Brexit’. The consultation, which closes on June 9, discusses how Welsh Government will legislate to maintain, enhance and improve the environment. It is important that land owners share their views by completing this consultation.

At Cwmfron we have always tried to enhance the environment. Not only does planting and managing woodland, hedgerows and stream sides give the land more infrastructure, but it provides wildlife for us to appreciate. Recently queen bumble bees have emerged from hibernation and are busy collecting pollen from willow, and early flowering plants such as daffodils and primroses. These queens find a warm nesting site in banks or walls. They visit plants, collecting a pollen ball, into which they lay 16 eggs which they then incubate for four days until grubs emerge and develop into workers who forage for honey for the queen. She continues to produce workers until July when she lays eggs which develop into up to 100 fertile males and queens. These queens mate with males from another colony, and then quickly find a place to hibernate until next year, and the original colony dies in early autumn. This whole process requires large quantities of pollen and nectar, so it is important that there are pollinating plants in the environment. Bumble bees are essential in agriculture to pollinate food crops such as fruit trees, strawberries and peas.