Connemaras, Dorset chanterelles, and our ‘ugly, slug-loving splodges’

BV July '22, Part 3.

In the third and final July episode we have the Equestrian, wildlife and farming sections:

• Is the Connemara simply the best pony? Local breeder Kate Walters explains their appeal and introduces a couple of Connemara superstars

• Last month one curious foal stole our hearts with her naughty leap inside a small pen after a ruptured bladder operation – Lucy from Glanvilles Stud shares her story 

• Three day eventer Toots Bartlett shares how her new boy Equador MW showed his Aston Martin tendencies but Freebie slowed to miss out on his second International win. 

• Some of Dorset’s coastal creatures play an important national role in our coastal biodiversity, explains Hazel Ormrod from Dorset Wildlife Trust

• Why did we stop eating the fat hen, wonders expert Carl Mintern, who is celebrating the season for finding the jewel in the mushroom-foraging crown

• When was the last time you saw a toad in the garden? Writer Jane Adams raises the alarm call for our endearingly ugly, slug-loving splodges

• The 1950s green ‘wonder foam’ for flower arrangers is not actually green at all, says flower farmer Charlotte Tombs

• The transition from the EU’s Basic Payment Scheme is likely to result in a big loss to the Dorset economy, says NFU county advisor Gemma Harvey

• Fifth generation farmer James Cossins says it’s time to explore new (old) ways to maintain cattle feed through the summer

• The disconnect between consumers and the food on their plates has arguably never been wider – Andrew Livingston suggests that social media can help