Maintaining our nature reserve and ancient drove

Our nurtured nature reserve

At Honeybuns we are passionate about creating the most delicious cakes we can using naturally gluten free ingredients. We are lucky enough to be based at Naish Farm, an old dairy farm in very rural Dorset. We run the surrounding 5 acres as a nature reserve which you can visit on our pop up shop days and we are as enthusiastic about our environment as we are about artisan baking.

Purchasing the ancient droveway next to the bakery

Three years ago we were lucky to be able to purchase the ancient droveway or green lane which runs up to Naish Farm. It belonged to an elderly farmer when we moved here 22 years ago. Mr Maggs left things to nature and consequently the footpath was overtaken by briar, bramble and fallen branches.

The tunnel of green reminded us of a scene from sleeping beauty and was totally impassable. Since we became the current caretakers of this magical wooded way we have spent many an hour standing, mugs of tea in hand, gazing at the untamed beauty of it all.

Restoring the drove

Here at Honeybuns we embrace the wild and the woolly aesthetic over the manicured – however even we could see that there was a balance to be struck. A considered approach was required to help preserve the precious mature oak and Ash trees by removing diseased wood and letting in some light.

Some purists would be against any human intervention but we wanted this ancient sheep droving route to be opened up again and for the public footpath to be enjoyed. To do this sensitively we visited similar local holloways and drove ways tucked away in deepest Dorset and Somerset.

We also sought the advice of an experienced local tree surgeon, Ian Davies who favours traditional and “light touch” methods.

Traditional hedgelaying

Graham Goodger also played a lead role in identifying tree species and laying the ancient hedges in the time honoured way using a billhook. Graham has worked at Honeybuns bakery for the past 16 years and has also laid our hedgerows each winter. He knows the flora and fauna at Naish Farm better than anyone and once completed, Graham’s craftmanship is sculptural and breathtaking beautiful.

During 2022-2023 we cleared a way through the undergrowth and started to literal “see the wood for the trees”. The hedge along the left hand side of the drove (going uphill towards the farm) was laid and any gaps were planted with native whips including:
– hawthorn
– blackthorn
– dog rose
– spindle
– field maple

We also re-instated holly plants which thrive in dappled shade and are commonly found growing alongside mature oak trees locally. These hollies will provide shelter for wildlife as well as food once the berries appear. We’re also looking forward to being able to deck the Honeybuns office with homegrown greenery in Christmases to come.

Future proofing the ancient drove

Our aim this year is to restore the other side of the drove. We’ve just taken delivery of 100 holly plants with another 1000 assorted species due in next week.

We plant 5 whips, aka young bare rooted plants, per meter which makes for a super thick hedge.

The element challenge is dialled up by the limited time frame. Planting bare root hedging needs to be done before the sap rises in March- so Graham and I will be on a bit of a mission- fuelled by Milk Chocolate Brownies and tea on tap.

Visit us at the bakery

If you are in the area we are open the first Saturday of each month March- December inclusive for our Honeybuns pop up shop days.

We can happily show you the nature reserve circular walk which incorporates the droveway. Fingers crossed we might even have some inhabitants nesting in the numerous bird and owl boxes to spot too.

Em x