My farmer husband Christopher is an historian and field walker who spends hours researching ancient documents relating to our farm, and trying to identify obscure broken bits of pottery from the fields. Our eldest daughter is studying A-level archaeology and has studied our farm’s pond origins. And I am, amongst other things, an amateur naturalist. Together we hope to produce a ‘history, archaeology and natural history of Milden Hall’, our farm. Not ambitious then when one considers the length of time man has pottered about in this area!

From the outset, any natural history of a reserve or, in this case, a rather typical but much-loved heavy clay land Suffolk farm can only ever be a snapshot in time of the wildlife of a particular time. And, as such, will only ever provide a partial record of what wildlife inhabits or visits the area, and be as good as the records or observations made. That said, we have been fortunate enough to have had several naturalists visit and record over the last 20 years and, combined with our own records and observations, we have a fairly broad-ranging view of wildlife present on the 500-acre predominantly arable farm - a farm that does not have exceptionally special ancient semi-natural habitat. The farm does, however, include ancient species-rich hedges (as much of Suffolk) and grassy field margins; ancient and recent ponds; ancient meadows over the remains of a Norman castle (Scheduled Ancient Monument) and another, recently designated as a County Wildlife Site for its flora; and young established woodland with seeds collected from our neighbours’ ancient woodland SSSI.

As part of the 2008 programme of events we would like to offer one day a month during the summer when SNS members and county recorders can visit the farm to make informal observations and records. The intention is that wildlife enthusiasts can do one of several things:

      Take part in a guided, slow-speed potter around the key habitats where we can discuss what we see and find; or

      Wander where you will at your own speed making observations and records; or

      Attend an informal workshop run by a specialist or county recorder on different topics to improve your identification skills of a particular wildlife group, e.g. freshwater invertebrates in one of the ponds.

      And of course, bring a picnic to enjoy somewhere on the farm.

Whatever format we choose to produce our first 20 years’ findings at Milden in, we hope that it will be of use to historians, naturalists and others some day to look back and use as a wildlife record reference point for a fairly typical Suffolk clay land farm. So please, do, come and enjoy a day or two in the field at whatever speed and level you like … and leave us your notes!