A Jo of All Trades: a Catch-up with Joanne

“Sometimes, working with the cattle comes as a surprise. One morning last year, I was cycling down to Sheepdip Paddock when, lo and behold, a load of cows came running down the lane. I stopped, thinking somebody would catch up with them, but nobody came. Most of them went into Sheepdip so I shut the gate after them. With the help of Paul, Tristan and a passing policeman, we got them moved back to where they belonged. The Reds had a nice brunch and pooed on my benches!

“Hedge-planting has been a revelation as gardening wasn’t something I was into. Andy and Damian asked me to do a bit; I tried it and loved it. First off, we lay a biodegradable tramline and peg it down. Next, we measure and Damian uses an auger to make holes. We then lay a hawthorn every five spaces with a mix in-between. You plant them, pack them in with mud and add a protective spiral. You get into a rhythm and I love being outdoors. You sleep well after a day of it.

“Now and again, I’ll take cake along for the workers. I don’t know how many metres I’ve done altogether, but when we go shopping on Fridays, I’ll look over at the new hedgerows and smile. When I’m gone, I know I’ll have made an impact. Part of that landscape is mine now.

“At Sheepdip Paddock, I see lots of familiar faces. There’s a bit of a community of walkers. I get to introduce myself, talk about the Estate, offer drinks, tell them about the walks and generally have a chinwag. Some folks come to have a brew and play cards.

“Winter weather can be bracing. It can get cold when I do click & collect on Saturday mornings. Steve the handy-man loans me a windbreaker! Charlie and Jack got me a couple of chairs. I jokingly told Charlie that I expected to see him with a bacon sandwich next time and, bless him, he turned up with one!

“For the latest guided walks, I did pulled turkey buns. I tried out two recipes on staff. Three liked turkey in pigs-in-blankets gravy but nine preferred slow-cooked turkey with apple sauce, herbs and stock. I borrowed the Hall’s big slow cooker and it worked out pretty well. There certainly wasn’t much waste!

“I’m looking forward to working with Ash and Pete on the Lincolnshire Wolds Outdoor Festival tours. That’ll be a busy time for me – nearly ten days, full-on. It’ll be hard work but I love it.

“I take a personal pride in what I do. If people end an experience on a positive note, they’ll tell other people. At Christmas, as a personal touch, I put chocolates in the cups at Sheepdip Paddock then put the lids back on. It’s a nice surprise for people and it went down very well.

“Last year, I met some of the tour volunteers and now we meet up once a month for a social session. I like all the seasons and now I’ve got a bike I’m getting out and exploring a bit more. I surprised myself last year. I got carried away, did a full circuit and came back through Brinkhill.

“You’ve got to be a bit of everything here but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a lovely little community and coming here was a decent move for me.”

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