Winter in the Yorkshire Dales, and commoner Will Dawson heads out to feed the sheep: join him in this short film made while he tends the flock.

Farmer Will Dawson takes us out into the fields to witness a day of making hay and silage: one of the annual tasks of a Yorkshire Dales commoner that’s a critical part of the farming year. Will it stay dry for long enough?

How might upland farmers become more involved in restoring peat and increasing sphagnum growth in the uplands? Harriet spoke to Simon Bland, from Dalefoot Farm, Bampton Common, to find out more about his vision, and Dalefoot’s work in producing peat-free compost, and restoring peatlands across the country.

Lambing is a time for seemingly endless chores, and, on occasions, some hands-on assistance for a lamb coming into the world. This poem by Harriet was inspired by her time with John Heighway, in the Shropshire Hills.

Lambing time is one of the most intense periods of the farming year. It comes with joy and many challenges. This post reflects on 24 hours in the thick of things, with John Heighway, who is a commoner on Clee Liberty Common, Shropshire Hills.

Birch Tor, Dartmoor, deserted and quiet in the February wind. A short piece of reflection.

Graham Goddard is a Dartmoor Commoner, and grazes Dartmoor Ponies on Walkhampton Common. In this piece he shares his thoughts on commons, ponies, government policies around upland farming, and what it’s like to be chair of the commoners association.

Peat across Dartmoor’s upland commons is a precious habitat and a vital carbon store, but most of it is in poor condition. We head out with David Leach from the South West Peat Partnership to see restoration work in progress on The Forest of Dartmoor.

What evidence is there of a Roman road on Bampton Common - and why does learning more matter? We spent time with Archeologist Martin Railton to find out more about the 2022 dig on Cumbria’s mountain-top High Street.

Across the commons on the west coast of Cumbria, farmers are joining together to develop landscape-scale learning and collaboration in support of sustainable upland farming. Helen Race, who is one of four facilitators, talks about the journey so far.

Commoner Richard Gray talks about his Galloway cows, which roam across vast expanses of the upland commons. He discusses their wellbeing, the benefits of extensive grazing for cows and for nature, and the high quality of the meat. One cow wears a collar which allows Richard to track the movements of the herd and monitor their wellbeing.

In this short film Richard Gray talks about farming and being a commoner in Dartmoor. He keeps cows and sheep, and wants to find the middle ground to keep the pressure off nature and maintain a viable farming business, a wish born from a strong sense of belonging and pride.

A poem written after a day gathering herdwicks in from the fells above Langstrath Valley, in the Lake District, with Craig Fearon and his neighbouring commoners.

Lake District Commoner Craig Fearon joins two other commoners to gather their herdwick sheep down from the upland commons into Langstrath Valley. A short post with an opportunity to listen in to the calls of farmers echoing around the valley.

In a break from shearing his herdwick sheep on his farm in Grasmere, Will Benson shares his thoughts about farming in the Lake District and the heritage of the upland commons. A 6-minute watch.

Why do commons matter? What do commoners do? A long read touching on habitats, heritage, governance and future thinking, with views from commoner Ann Willcocks in Dartmoor.

How does gamekeeping fit into the bigger picture of caring for land and nurturing a range of wildlife in the upland commons? We met with George Hares on Grassington Common in the Yorkshire Dales to find out more.

Matt Betton has been contracted by the Our Upland Commons project to do some active shepherding on Stiperstones, to encourage sheep to graze more widely and in doing so, help to conserve and enhance the very special habitat that supports an abundance of bird and butterfly species.