What's New
It has been an exciting time at Home Farm this month as one of our farm favourites Skye the Saddleback gave birth to 8 beautiful piglets on Saturday 23rd January. Piglets are certainly not an uncommon occurrence at Home Farm, but these adorable eight are particularly special because they are all pure bred Saddlebacks! Both their mum and dad are pedigree Saddleback pigs and Skye has even had a little turn in the show ring at the Cheshire Show when she was in her prime! She is now 5 years old and approaching retirement in a few years, and so staff are keeping their fingers crossed that there will be a pretty little gilt (a young female pig) amongst the litter which will in turn remain on Home Farm in the future as a breeding sow, helping to conserve these rare pigs for future generations to enjoy. We have also welcomed 2 new arrivals in the form of 2 month old Lucy the Large Black and 6 month old Millie the Middle White, who are still a little shy but are being made to feel very welcome by their fellow neighbours!
On to more exciting news.....our flock of 30 ewes were scanned on 29th January. This was to find out how many of our flock are 'in-lamb' (pregnant) and if so, how many lambs they were carrying. This is so all the ewes carrying triplets and twins can be fed that little bit extra to keep up their energy for supporting 2 or 3 extra bodies! The ewes carrying just a single lamb will not need as much food and so it enables staff to separate them into different fields accordingly. The scanning device is so accurate (as is the skill of the scanner Gus Dermody of 'One Man and his Dog' fame) that it can also detect the age of the lamb inside the womb, give or take a few days. We normally start feeding the ewes 8 weeks prior to their due date so this information is essential for the well being of both ewe and lamb. This as you are probably aware is an annual event and it never fails to bring a smile to staffs' faces when they realise how many adorable lambs are going to bring their cute and cuddly appeal when they arrive into the World! This year we are hoping for 49 lambs, and they will begin to arrive on April 8th so please don't hesitate to come and welcome them to their new home. Date for the diary! - 'Lambing week' starts on 17th April - 23rd April where you can learn all about the care of the newly born lambs and maybe even witness a live birth!
Along with scanning the ewes, Gus Dermody was also asked to scan something a little more unusual.......our 3 Angora goats! All 3 were scanned 'in kid' and they are also due in April, on the 13th! It really is going to be a baby boom at the farm and staff are so excited about all their new arrivals.
BIRD-BOX MAKING ACTIVITIES
Join us at the Farm on Wednesday 17th February for our bird-box making activities! Learn how to make a lovely home for spring chicks. Entry £3 per child (in addition to normal Farm and Park entry). Children can take their bird boxes home. Limited numbers available. Farm is open during half term from 11am-4pm (last entry 3pm). Closed Monday 15th Feb.
STOP PRESS! ONE MAN AND HIS DOG
We're delighted to be able to annouce that TV's Gus Germody from One Man and His Dog, and his faithful companion, will be demonstrating their skills at Tatton on Sunday 29th August. Further details to follow. Watch this space!
Tallulah is now `oinking' on twitter
Find out what Tallulah - one of our favourite farmyard animals - is doing by following this independent 3 year old Tamworth sow on Twitter. Mother of 46, she loves the great outdoors almost as much as the attention she gets from visitors to the piggery
Everyone at Tatton is really excited about our new wet weather play area which opened the 2nd week in April. Toddlers and children up to about 8 years old can have great fun with the pedal tractors and trailers of their choice : John Deere or Massey Ferguson - they can choose! There are also tipping trailers and rollers to experiment with. The threshing box shed has been converted to a colourful play area, featuring a farmyard mural with all the children's favourite Home Farm friends. Mum and Dad can relax at the tables and benches provided and watch the little ones playing safely undercover before going off to feed the animals and check out how the newest arrivals in the piggery are getting on.
Adopted Animal Updates
Blossom the Clydesdale
Blossom has nearly reached halfway in her pregnancy! She is really enjoying the extra TLC that is being lavished on her. Finn, Blue and Tabitha are really looking forward to welcoming a new brother or sister into the herd next year!
Tallulah the Tamworth
Tallulah is certainly a very buy bee since the arrival of her 10 piglets on October 21st. In true Tallulah style she is teaching her babies all the best tricks in the book. The favourite game being 'How to outwit the farm staff!'
Rosie the Red Poll
Rose is enjoying the home comforts of being overwintered. She is loving the fresh haylage being delivered to her door every day and the comfort of a deep straw bed. Oh it's a cows life! She enjoys putting her hooves up and relaxing whilst she can before she becomes a mum again in May!
If you adopt any of these animals you will be making a worthwhile contribution to the conservation of these rare breeds. You will be sent regular 6 month updates about your chosen friend and will be able to have a free visit to the Farm to meet them.
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