Wednesday 6 May 2009

May Bank Holiday weekend

We had a great day out at a local working farm on Sunday, in fact it was so good we went back again on Monday!
We have often been to Manor Farm Country Park for a walk around the park, woodland and along the River Hamble, but had not as yet gone to the farm - except for walking around it and to the duck pond. It was fantastic. We have been to a couple of other working farms where you get to meet the animals, etc but this one has to be the best we have been to. Imogen just had a fantastic time. I think the pictures (and there are a few) can tell the story quite well but this is what we saw.
On arrival we saw a cockerel, then went to see the cows being milked, and alongside them were some very young chicks and ducklings. Chickens, guinea fowl and turkeys were just wandering around everywhere you went.(heavily pregnant with calf expected any day now)

We saw lots of sheep and many lambs, of all colours -white, brown and black. We'll be back again in a couple of weeks when they have a Woolly event with sheep shearing, spinning and wool crafts. We have also found that we can purchase their fleeces in the future, although I have some at home already (white, brown and black). I want to learn to spin, so am going to build a drop spindle to start with and see how I get on.We met some pigs and found out it was coming up to feeding time. Blossom and Snowflake - the mommy pigs in the picture waited in anticipation of feeding time.

(Imogen feeding the pigs)
Snowflake is a looker eh?
Some of Snowflakes piglets sleeping.

We met Duke and Duchess the Shire Horses who pull the cart for rides around the farm.



Lots of Sheep and lambs.

Imogen fed the chickens.

She fed the piglets.

On the Monday there was a May Day fair outside, but Imogen wasn't too interested in much of that except the pin the tail on the pig, which she cheated at a little!

So we went to meet the animals again. We held a baby rabbit,

a baby gosling
and a baby chick. We really enjoyed that part, as you can probably tell from Imogen's face.
We then went into a pen with a few lambs for a stroke, when they stayed still long enough and fed them some grass.
We went to the Duck pond and fed the ducks some grain.

We saw more pigs, another Shire horse, Donkeys, a pony, rabbits, more chickens,cockerels, turkeys, etc, etc. We went into the farmhouse and saw how the family would have lived. Imogen had a go at pumping the water.
It was fascinating. A great day out, one I think Imogen will remember for a long time. Only a couple of weeks and we'll be going back there for the Woolly weekend event, taking Nanny and Grandad with us. They will just love seeing Imogen interact so well with the animals.

All in all a very good Bank Holiday. Can't wait for the next one, although Daddy has a week off work before that one so lots of things to plan to do.

3 comments:

  1. what a lovely farm xx will have to check it out x

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  2. That looks like a fantastic day out Dawn. Great pictures. Loving your dandelion syrup posts too. I so know what you mean about not buying cordial again - my nettle worked out so well I am now looking at all sorts of weeds and leaves and wondering..... I am going to try dandelion and chicory coffee later on. xxx

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  3. Thanks both.

    Jacqui - I just love to make these cordials at the moment. Just made some Hawthorn flower cordial (picked flowers at the countryt park), and more dandelions. Waiting for the elderflowers now. Looking at other things too.

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