Pannage is the name in the New Forest for anti-acorn operations, when pigs are allowed on to the common land to consume the acorns which can be deleterious to equines. This year has been labelled a “mast” year indicating a bumper crop. What you see is a small tree crop after storm Amy’s overnight hoolie.

We’ve not had a problem but we do like to clear them away, just in case. There have been a couple of issues locally when the sheep have become fixated with them, or addicted, which has resulted in death.

In the absence of a pig we rake them up and put them in the wood – the acorns not the sheep. The amount is