The grass cutting is completed in late July and August when the summer provides the dry period needed to get a good cut and to make grass easy to rake up and collect – exactly the same principle as farmers use when making hay. Making hay bales is not an option because the orchards are open to public use, increasing the risk of contaminants in the grass that could be harmful (e.g dog mess, which can cause neospora if eaten by livestock). Instead, the grass from our orchards is currently deposited at a suitable site and composted down, which in turn creates a heap that can be good breeding sites for snakes, rodents and insects.