Caption: Tractors ready for cutting bracken above Ullswater
Caption: Bracken harvesting
The tractors with mowers are out on the fells around the farm cutting the bracken. It is left on the ground until it turns brown and then baled and collected. Some of the ground covered is quite challenging - there are often hidden rocks, and gulleys. We have a computer in the tractor cab that maps the ground and the obstacles are marked, so the driver can see areas to avoid, but it still takes skill and local knowledge. We are now also sourcing bracken from other parts of the Lake District and Yorkshire too. We often have to obtain a licence from Natural England as many areas are part of sensitive environmental stewardship schemes that manage the land to protect its flora and fauna.