LIFE ON THE LINCOLNSHIRE SALT MARSHES

‘Queen of the salt marsh’ is another name for June Barton, for one could not meet a more dedicated & enthusiastic person when it comes to the flora & fauna & taking care of the salt marshes. She was born one mile from Kirton Marsh to farming parents & at six weeks old was taken to the marsh when her father went to harvest Samphire. Her knowledge is such that none have been able to ask a question about the marsh that she could not answer. She is now well known & can be heard on the local radio & has been interviewed for BBC TV programmes. She likes to meet people but says she is just as happy being alone on a 1000 acres of marsh watching birds in flight.
June explained that a salt marsh is an area covered by water twice a day & explained about spring & neap tides, how the creeks can alter course over time & how it can be a dangerous place because of quick sand & the tidal actions. She can also weather forecast by observing nature’s signs.
Her fame spread when she claimed commoner’s rights & succeeded, to harvest Samphire, also known as poor mans asparagus, which the local council wanted to stop. June explained that the correct way to harvest Samphire properly was by cutting & not by pulling up by the roots. She pointed out that the collection should be done by the locals & not turned into a commercial project.
During her life June has been a local government officer amongst other occupations, & her opinion is called for when decisions need to be made about her beloved environ. Her talk was fascinating & was interspersed with amusing anecdotes.
June showed us videos of some of her TV broadcasts & then answered questions, one of which was about her thoughts on wind farms. As much as she dislikes them June said she thinks eventually the coast line will have several & that we have to be prepared to look forward even if the outlook is not as favourable as we would like.
An enlightening evening in the company of a lady whose life is the Lincolnshire Salt Marshes.
[Barbara Holmes]