Cat Frampton
@catframpton.bsky.social
Dartmoor based artist and Farmer who believes land layering is possible - She/her - Team waxcap/dung beetle/nature - it’s always more complicated than that!
Drew a woodcock for a commission.
Why yes, yes I am taking bird drawing commissions at the moment…
Why yes, yes I am taking bird drawing commissions at the moment…
November 16, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Drew a woodcock for a commission.
Why yes, yes I am taking bird drawing commissions at the moment…
Why yes, yes I am taking bird drawing commissions at the moment…
Yes, yes it is
But…
May I also introduce you to waxcap fungi?
(Which I think are also very brilliant.)
But…
May I also introduce you to waxcap fungi?
(Which I think are also very brilliant.)
November 6, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Yes, yes it is
But…
May I also introduce you to waxcap fungi?
(Which I think are also very brilliant.)
But…
May I also introduce you to waxcap fungi?
(Which I think are also very brilliant.)
October 31, 2025 at 9:08 AM
We also sometimes, rarely, not this year yet, get these….
October 28, 2025 at 11:55 AM
We also sometimes, rarely, not this year yet, get these….
I think we have it nailed down to Gliophprous Perpelux aff.
Some had much lighter stems this year(below). That (above ) photo is from ‘23.
We got it all going on across this small Dartmoor farm!
Some had much lighter stems this year(below). That (above ) photo is from ‘23.
We got it all going on across this small Dartmoor farm!
October 28, 2025 at 11:48 AM
I think we have it nailed down to Gliophprous Perpelux aff.
Some had much lighter stems this year(below). That (above ) photo is from ‘23.
We got it all going on across this small Dartmoor farm!
Some had much lighter stems this year(below). That (above ) photo is from ‘23.
We got it all going on across this small Dartmoor farm!
Spangle?
May easily not be, but I may need to go have another look tomorrow if it’s possible ?
#WildFungiHour
May easily not be, but I may need to go have another look tomorrow if it’s possible ?
#WildFungiHour
October 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Spangle?
May easily not be, but I may need to go have another look tomorrow if it’s possible ?
#WildFungiHour
May easily not be, but I may need to go have another look tomorrow if it’s possible ?
#WildFungiHour
We desperately need support, both financial and moral, for well grazed land
And by well grazed I mean chemical free, mixed sward height pasture.
And we need to pay attention to the scraps left literally by the wayside (the verges, the churchyards, the lawns) and treasure them.
And by well grazed I mean chemical free, mixed sward height pasture.
And we need to pay attention to the scraps left literally by the wayside (the verges, the churchyards, the lawns) and treasure them.
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
We desperately need support, both financial and moral, for well grazed land
And by well grazed I mean chemical free, mixed sward height pasture.
And we need to pay attention to the scraps left literally by the wayside (the verges, the churchyards, the lawns) and treasure them.
And by well grazed I mean chemical free, mixed sward height pasture.
And we need to pay attention to the scraps left literally by the wayside (the verges, the churchyards, the lawns) and treasure them.
Waxcap grassland are in a nasty vice
One side is, oddly, conservation. Focused on trees or long grasses and less livestock
The other is a desperate need to make some money, so working the land harder, using every available (short term) tool. It’s today’s bills that need paying.
One side is, oddly, conservation. Focused on trees or long grasses and less livestock
The other is a desperate need to make some money, so working the land harder, using every available (short term) tool. It’s today’s bills that need paying.
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Waxcap grassland are in a nasty vice
One side is, oddly, conservation. Focused on trees or long grasses and less livestock
The other is a desperate need to make some money, so working the land harder, using every available (short term) tool. It’s today’s bills that need paying.
One side is, oddly, conservation. Focused on trees or long grasses and less livestock
The other is a desperate need to make some money, so working the land harder, using every available (short term) tool. It’s today’s bills that need paying.
We have a vocal push to rewild/abandon upland farms, and eNGOs talking about tree planting, we have people making massive amounts of cash from carbon credits and lapping up the moral high ground…
And the waxcap grassland shrink
The rare beauties disappear one by one
It’s Fungicide.
And the waxcap grassland shrink
The rare beauties disappear one by one
It’s Fungicide.
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
We have a vocal push to rewild/abandon upland farms, and eNGOs talking about tree planting, we have people making massive amounts of cash from carbon credits and lapping up the moral high ground…
And the waxcap grassland shrink
The rare beauties disappear one by one
It’s Fungicide.
And the waxcap grassland shrink
The rare beauties disappear one by one
It’s Fungicide.
The uk is one of the countries which is important for their survival and yet we have, during a biodiversity crisis, a government pushing the holders of the last good grasslands to intensify, to fertilise, to up numbers and inputs, to reseed, plough, or be paid to sell off the sheep…
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
The uk is one of the countries which is important for their survival and yet we have, during a biodiversity crisis, a government pushing the holders of the last good grasslands to intensify, to fertilise, to up numbers and inputs, to reseed, plough, or be paid to sell off the sheep…
They also hate trees. The fungi that surround and support trees are stronger than the waxcaps and so, too many trees equals destroyed waxcap pasture
And as I said it’s a ‘may never recover’ situation.
So planting or allowing too many trees in waxcap pasture is 100% ecofungicide
And as I said it’s a ‘may never recover’ situation.
So planting or allowing too many trees in waxcap pasture is 100% ecofungicide
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
They also hate trees. The fungi that surround and support trees are stronger than the waxcaps and so, too many trees equals destroyed waxcap pasture
And as I said it’s a ‘may never recover’ situation.
So planting or allowing too many trees in waxcap pasture is 100% ecofungicide
And as I said it’s a ‘may never recover’ situation.
So planting or allowing too many trees in waxcap pasture is 100% ecofungicide
They are awkward though, for some.
They require grassland that is tightly grazed (or mown) and no ‘improvements’ like fertilisers.
They hate ungrazed or under grazed pasture, that can kill them.
They are fond of ‘sheep wrecked’ land
Awkward for proponents of land abandonment for nature recovery
They require grassland that is tightly grazed (or mown) and no ‘improvements’ like fertilisers.
They hate ungrazed or under grazed pasture, that can kill them.
They are fond of ‘sheep wrecked’ land
Awkward for proponents of land abandonment for nature recovery
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
They are awkward though, for some.
They require grassland that is tightly grazed (or mown) and no ‘improvements’ like fertilisers.
They hate ungrazed or under grazed pasture, that can kill them.
They are fond of ‘sheep wrecked’ land
Awkward for proponents of land abandonment for nature recovery
They require grassland that is tightly grazed (or mown) and no ‘improvements’ like fertilisers.
They hate ungrazed or under grazed pasture, that can kill them.
They are fond of ‘sheep wrecked’ land
Awkward for proponents of land abandonment for nature recovery
God, #waxcaps are just fabulous aren’t they?
And if their grasslands get damaged they are gone. Like ‘20 years for partial recovery but maybe no coming back’ gone
Makes me both full of awe (that they still exist at all, let alone in number) and so bloody scared for their future
And if their grasslands get damaged they are gone. Like ‘20 years for partial recovery but maybe no coming back’ gone
Makes me both full of awe (that they still exist at all, let alone in number) and so bloody scared for their future
October 26, 2025 at 8:49 AM
God, #waxcaps are just fabulous aren’t they?
And if their grasslands get damaged they are gone. Like ‘20 years for partial recovery but maybe no coming back’ gone
Makes me both full of awe (that they still exist at all, let alone in number) and so bloody scared for their future
And if their grasslands get damaged they are gone. Like ‘20 years for partial recovery but maybe no coming back’ gone
Makes me both full of awe (that they still exist at all, let alone in number) and so bloody scared for their future
It’s said that it may take 50 years to recover a waxcap grassland, some never recover fully.
But…
Gradually, year on year, with low input grazing and careful sward height management we are getting somewhere here!
Happy days.
But…
Gradually, year on year, with low input grazing and careful sward height management we are getting somewhere here!
Happy days.
October 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
It’s said that it may take 50 years to recover a waxcap grassland, some never recover fully.
But…
Gradually, year on year, with low input grazing and careful sward height management we are getting somewhere here!
Happy days.
But…
Gradually, year on year, with low input grazing and careful sward height management we are getting somewhere here!
Happy days.
Signs of recovery
These babies are from one of our hardest worked fields.
A field that may not have been intensified as fully as most but still was pumped up with fertilisers.
Four years ago we had one species of waxcaps, (Snowy One of the toughest) return
Then parrot and meadow
And now…
More!
These babies are from one of our hardest worked fields.
A field that may not have been intensified as fully as most but still was pumped up with fertilisers.
Four years ago we had one species of waxcaps, (Snowy One of the toughest) return
Then parrot and meadow
And now…
More!
October 9, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Signs of recovery
These babies are from one of our hardest worked fields.
A field that may not have been intensified as fully as most but still was pumped up with fertilisers.
Four years ago we had one species of waxcaps, (Snowy One of the toughest) return
Then parrot and meadow
And now…
More!
These babies are from one of our hardest worked fields.
A field that may not have been intensified as fully as most but still was pumped up with fertilisers.
Four years ago we had one species of waxcaps, (Snowy One of the toughest) return
Then parrot and meadow
And now…
More!
September 24, 2025 at 6:05 PM
September 24, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Our livestock have a deep and lasting impact on our land and that a Good thing.
This land has been grazed for a long time, Bronze Age and before the meat and milk roamed.
A hoof that breaks the soil is the same hoof that pushes the seed home.
This land has been grazed for a long time, Bronze Age and before the meat and milk roamed.
A hoof that breaks the soil is the same hoof that pushes the seed home.
September 14, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Our livestock have a deep and lasting impact on our land and that a Good thing.
This land has been grazed for a long time, Bronze Age and before the meat and milk roamed.
A hoof that breaks the soil is the same hoof that pushes the seed home.
This land has been grazed for a long time, Bronze Age and before the meat and milk roamed.
A hoof that breaks the soil is the same hoof that pushes the seed home.
I’ve realised I’ve said low impact and that that could be read as or no impact or no noticeable signs of impact on the land, no mud, nothing broken
What I mean instead is low industrial impact. Low fuel, low inputs, low chemical impact
Which type of broken ground do you want? The good or the bad?
What I mean instead is low industrial impact. Low fuel, low inputs, low chemical impact
Which type of broken ground do you want? The good or the bad?
September 14, 2025 at 8:54 PM
I’ve realised I’ve said low impact and that that could be read as or no impact or no noticeable signs of impact on the land, no mud, nothing broken
What I mean instead is low industrial impact. Low fuel, low inputs, low chemical impact
Which type of broken ground do you want? The good or the bad?
What I mean instead is low industrial impact. Low fuel, low inputs, low chemical impact
Which type of broken ground do you want? The good or the bad?
Sure signs of autumn on our place.
If you farm livestock in a very low impact way you get all kinds of good stuff*
All I need now is the waxcaps!! (Which are slow to show this year here)
*you may need to wait a few decades for the results but it’s worth it!
If you farm livestock in a very low impact way you get all kinds of good stuff*
All I need now is the waxcaps!! (Which are slow to show this year here)
*you may need to wait a few decades for the results but it’s worth it!
September 14, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Sure signs of autumn on our place.
If you farm livestock in a very low impact way you get all kinds of good stuff*
All I need now is the waxcaps!! (Which are slow to show this year here)
*you may need to wait a few decades for the results but it’s worth it!
If you farm livestock in a very low impact way you get all kinds of good stuff*
All I need now is the waxcaps!! (Which are slow to show this year here)
*you may need to wait a few decades for the results but it’s worth it!
They are basic questions like - What is the uk gov definition of peat?
And
who’s paying for the rewetting?
And
Why are plastic bags of garden peat still allowed?
And
Wildfire back-burns… are they allowed still?
Changing the rules without clear guidance for land managers seems a bit muddled to me.
And
who’s paying for the rewetting?
And
Why are plastic bags of garden peat still allowed?
And
Wildfire back-burns… are they allowed still?
Changing the rules without clear guidance for land managers seems a bit muddled to me.
September 13, 2025 at 7:31 AM
They are basic questions like - What is the uk gov definition of peat?
And
who’s paying for the rewetting?
And
Why are plastic bags of garden peat still allowed?
And
Wildfire back-burns… are they allowed still?
Changing the rules without clear guidance for land managers seems a bit muddled to me.
And
who’s paying for the rewetting?
And
Why are plastic bags of garden peat still allowed?
And
Wildfire back-burns… are they allowed still?
Changing the rules without clear guidance for land managers seems a bit muddled to me.
Have you looked at the 1940s aerial images and historic maps in Devon environment viewer? map.devon.gov.uk/portal/apps/...
They show the same story all over Dartmoor.
Here is the becka brook with two trees marked, it’s changed a lot in 100 years!
They show the same story all over Dartmoor.
Here is the becka brook with two trees marked, it’s changed a lot in 100 years!
September 7, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Have you looked at the 1940s aerial images and historic maps in Devon environment viewer? map.devon.gov.uk/portal/apps/...
They show the same story all over Dartmoor.
Here is the becka brook with two trees marked, it’s changed a lot in 100 years!
They show the same story all over Dartmoor.
Here is the becka brook with two trees marked, it’s changed a lot in 100 years!
Quite.
We will be fighting this bad data forever.
We will be fighting this bad data forever.
August 30, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Quite.
We will be fighting this bad data forever.
We will be fighting this bad data forever.
Basically it’s a case of
“we fed what we already know into a machine and it told us what we expected so it’s fine”
Not exactly the most detailed peat map ever…
And now they know it’s wrong they are still going to use it for advising on big decisions and POLICY
“we fed what we already know into a machine and it told us what we expected so it’s fine”
Not exactly the most detailed peat map ever…
And now they know it’s wrong they are still going to use it for advising on big decisions and POLICY
August 30, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Basically it’s a case of
“we fed what we already know into a machine and it told us what we expected so it’s fine”
Not exactly the most detailed peat map ever…
And now they know it’s wrong they are still going to use it for advising on big decisions and POLICY
“we fed what we already know into a machine and it told us what we expected so it’s fine”
Not exactly the most detailed peat map ever…
And now they know it’s wrong they are still going to use it for advising on big decisions and POLICY