The Farm
You will sometimes see Major (our rescued Newfoundland) looking through our garden gate. We have to make sure we
keep him in the garden because he was kept on a chain outside a pig farm for four years, so if he gets the chance
he goes off to explore the world he takes it!!
We also have a female Newfoundland called Maisy, two Old English Sheepdogs and a collie dog who would love to go
for a walk with you if you want a dog for company. We also have six cats (at the last count!).
On the farm we have horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, geese and chickens,
a lot of whom we rescued. This is Pamplemousse (Grapefruit) a young donkey
who had been kept in a field alone and become very stressed. It didn't take
him long to settle in with our other donkeys and you will often see him playing
with the others, particularly in the cool of the evening.
Del Boy and Rodney (The Trotters) came to stay with us in December 2006. They were a bit skinny
when they arrived but have put on quite a bit of weight since then and are quite happy to be in a
section of our orchard. Unfortunately we discovered that they don't like horses or donkeys, so have
to be kept separate and secure, but they are very bright and intelligent animals and real characters.
Our first three black pygmy sheep were born in the spring of 2005 and are very sweet. In the spring of 2006 they had two babies and in 2007 they had another two. As you will see they share an enclosure and fields with the goats. The original male is called Lambchop and his two girls are Mint and Sauce. The babies are called Rosemary, Thyme, Chocolate and Cocopops. They are very sweet natured and will often let you stroke them.
This is Fammie and Pamplemousse being saddled up and taken for a walk, which they enjoy,
then we have a picture of Eeyore, Smallone and Pamplemousse enjoying some hay.
Here we have Coeur and Farceur. Coeur is a Trotter Francais and has a beautiful movement
when he trots. He had been owned by a lady for many years and had been very well trained
so is very well behaved. Farceur (which means 'practical joker' by the way) is a Haflinger
and was never properly broken in. He had been kept in a field all on his own with very little
food or water and had become very stressed and distructive. Since coming here he has calmed
down and settled in very well with the other horses, although he will often chase the donkeys
round if he is bored!
Farceur enjoying the hay!
We only have two female horses, Devin and Vanny (the little Shetland pony). This is Devin who is
very sweet but she suffers from chronic laminitis, which means she has very painful feet, so it is a
few years since she has been ridden. Devin is sweet on Coeur so will often see the others off
so that she can be with him. Vanny was rescued after spending all of her life alone and being badly
treated. She loves it here but you have to be very careful because she can bite!!
These are some of the goats enjoying the sunshine. We have one family (mother and father who have
had two sets of twins) and then three other males who have adopted us. During 2006 one of our
females had babies (the picture is of Beavis and Butthead born in September 2006). The goats,
sheep, geese and chickens (who produce the most wonderful eggs) all live together and enjoy
each others company.
