Bedstraw

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 A common plant along the old railway line is Lady's Bedstraw. This plant with a fragrant honey like smell like new mown hay is in full bloom at the moment. At one time the plant was harvested and used to stuff mattresses giving a sweet smelling bed. There were apparently special benefits for pregnant women ( no I don't know quite what these were!) hence the name Lady's Bedstraw.



Another use for this plant is that it can be used as a way to clot milk as part of the cheese making process.
There is a related but much smaller plant called the common marsh bedstraw which grows on the moorland areas hereabouts. This photograph was taken at Tarn Sike reserve.

Diary

Overnight trail cams showed roe deer, foxes, and a pole cat. It rained last night and there is more forecast for today although the stream at the bottom field is still dry.






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