As the rain falls, and we scan the forecasts for suitable weather for another opportunity for some very small scale manual hay making, I thought I’d bring to readers’ attention the Save Our Magnificent Meadows Project (SOMMP), which I only recently discovered.

(Scarlet Tiger Moth)

Click here for a link to their site. There are several pages you can explore, but I thought I would mention 3 specific items. They  helped to organise a first National Meadows Day on Saturday July 4th. Perhaps next year, in Carmarthenshire, meadow lovers can get involved in staging some events centred around this?

(Butterfly Orchid …probably Greater)

However I was fortunate to be able to spend the following afternoon, July 5th, in a lovely meadow near Pumsaint, being opened to the public for the first time, as part of a garden open day to raise funds for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

Many people wandered up into the meadow beyond Glan yr Afon’s beautiful gardens, and there was real enthusiasm for the flowers, moths and butterflies which were around in the warm sunshine between a few heavy showers.

(Small Skipper on Scabious flower – probably Devil’s-bit Scabious)

Several meadow owners with stories to tell about their own fields, also exchanged information and thoughts which confirmed to me that Carmarthenshire is extremely fortunate to still have so many areas of such unspoiled landscape in existence. But many are for now, hidden, unknown gems, and lots of owners are keen for more information on how to best manage them for maximum diversity of flowers and other wildlife.

(Resting Ringlet butterfly)

Many thanks are due to the hosts, Anne and Philip Large, and Jane and Steven Holmes for all their hard work in making the day so successful, and apart from the enjoyment of all attending, over £4,380 was raised for the very good cause. Amazing!

But the other reason for this post is to bring to everyone’s attention that there are 2 competitions that SOMMP is hosting, with a deadline for entries of July 31st this year.

(Narrow-bordered Five-spot Burnet moths, mating)

The first is a National Meadows photography competition prize with 3 separate categories, and a top prize of a 3 night break at a National Trust Cwm Ivy Lodge Bunkhouse on the Gower. Click here for more details.

The second is a Meadow and Grassland Award for landowners/smallholders/farmers who are successfully managing or restoring wild flower meadows. Click here for more details on how to enter.

So do get involved, why not enter? And I’d still love to be sent photos or information on any other aspects of Carmarthenshire’s meadows. So do get in touch. Contact details at the side of this page.

Thanks for reading.