Total Pageviews

Saturday 21 March 2015

Farm Photos - Saturday 21st March 2015

Hello Friends,

A bit of a photo heavy post, as promised photos of our fabulous day at Cotswold Farm Park yesterday. For those who don't know and are in the UK and watch Countryfile on BBC, this rare breeds farm belongs to Adam Henson, their resident farmer and is part of his actual farm. We are lucky that it is only about an hours drive from our house. I remember going there as a child with my own parents, when his dad first opened it and it was very small with just a few examples of rare breeds. I've always been happiest around animals, so this is the ideal birthday for me! 

Today the farm is an amazing place for whole families, especially now when there are so many new born animals...the little kiddies from a local school were having a wonderful time handling the newly hatched chicks and bottle feeding some orphaned lambs, as well as cuddling bunnies and guinea pigs. The lambing shed is the main activity this time of year, but in several years, we've never been there when one has actually been born. This was the first year we haven't seen Adam Henson either in the petting shed or lambing shed, but we did see him from a distance with a film crew, probably something for Countryfile.

Yesterday the weather was beautiful, most years it has been quite cold and even wet, so we've never before done the wildlife walk. There are two, an easy one and a 2 hour one over more hilly terrain. We decided to do that one. It takes you across the acres of farmland and for those few hours it was just us, some rabbits, hares, birds and sheep...so still and peaceful.

How we rescued a sheep!

Down in a valley, we came across a very distressed sheep: she had climbed up an incline to try and see what was in the water trough in the next field and got her head stuck in a wire fence. Of course animals, especially sheep, will simply panic and it was making it worse for her, so she had got very stressed and was in danger of choking. In reality there was plenty of room but she was  fighting against it. We were an hour each way from anyone and we couldn't leave her. So we let ourselves into the next field to be at the front of her and I stroked her forehead whilst lifting the wire so she could back out and off she ran to the rest of her flock...what a lovely sight.

I know they go around checking them, but we couldn't have walked off and left her, no way. 

So, here are some photos from our day....





It's official, all Oringtons are super friendly, these were in a pen, three hens and a cockerel..I poked my hand through and stroked this one's breast for ages and even the cockerel came for some love! Gosh I missed our Penny!













Also not to leave our girls out and because at 4 years old and a 'year off', Cara started laying again last week, must say I was surprised. She is so beautiful right now...a really large bird with plummage of black, brown and green. Tilda is pictured on the outdoor garden perches Tom made for them  a few years ago..

They seem to be on alert since my birthday and there have been fewer wild birds about, so it could be the Sparrowhawk is still hanging  about. If you missed my 19th March birthday post and the photo I got of it, do have a look here



Finally, I should have shown this on my birthday, but here are the beautiful flowers Tom sent me..

That's all for today, I'll be back soon with craft, thank you for your comments yesterday and for my humming bird photo, I was really pleased with that..as you know they don't tend to stand still!

Love and Hugs and thanks for your visits,
Carole X

16 comments:

  1. Hi Carole didn't you have a wonderful day. I do love the Cotswolds Wildlife Park we have been there a few times. We used to live in Kidlington just north of Oxford and our Hannah was at uni in Oxford. Well done for rescuing the sheep you did the right thing. Are you going to Ally Pally? We are going on the Saturday. Have a great weekend. Hugs Jackie

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a fabulous post Carole! It is on my 'bucket list' to visit Adam's farm, he is the best part of Countryfile in my opinion - I still miss Eric the bull! The photo of the lamb asleep on top of it's mum is adorable. Thank you so much for sharing these, you really have cheered me up... Hugs, Anne xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The lamb on mum's back was adorable! You definitely must go sometime xx

      Delete
  3. PS, lovely to see your 'girls' looking so well too! xx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looks like you had a great day with gorgeous weather. Your definitely not a baaaaaaad (yes that is a sheep pun) person for rescuing that sheepy and sending her back to her flock.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Morning Carole, A lovely post today, great photos, Thanks for sharing.
    Lydia
    X

    ReplyDelete
  6. Carole, your humming bird card is gorgeous and what fantastic photos. Also so pleased you helped the sheep, like you I couldn't have walked away - so grateful for fellow animal lovers xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Carole,
    what super photos of your lovely day.
    The animals look wonderful.
    So glad you were there to rescue that poor lamb.
    Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy belated birthday! I enjoyed looking at all your photos and glad to hear the sheep story had a happy ending!

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is such an amazing time of year with all of the baby animals. I grew up on a ranch, and I have so many wonderful memories of spring time and all the cute farm and wild animals with their babies! Looks like you had a wonderful day Carole! hugs :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey Carole, sounds and looks like a lovely day out. I love baby animals..its why I always end up having Cats! I get lured in by the kittens..then they grow up to terrorise me, like the 2 monsters (slash my precious furbabies) that I have now! The weather looks gorgeous! Is it warm? It was -5c this morning!!! Cx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dearest Carole, I am so sorry I missed your Birthday. Happy belated Birthday and I can see you had an awesome time being in your element amongst all those weird and wonderful animals. Way to go rescuing the poor sheep. Just love your Cara. she is a beautiful specimen. I really apologise for my lack of visits here and wanted to thank you for sticking by me and still popping in regularly on my side.
    Hugs
    Desire

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Carole
    Happy Birthday for the 19th. It was my son's 19th on the 18th, with my MIL's on the 20th, me and my son on 11th - and many others in between - as well as Mother's Day of course, so March has been pretty hectic in our house!!! I'll add that's only hectic for me though... as the card-maker, it's been tough, but everyone else, apart from my birthday, have been pretty unaffected by it!!!

    Your hen is beautiful and as perfect as a picture - her green and black plumage just like a painting, and reminiscent of most images one would get in pictures for nice things for the kitchen!!

    Lovely pics of the other animals - love the ducks and the lambs in particular.

    I just had to drop in and leave a message as I saw your post on google+, so came over to see the pics on your recent visit. Glad I did!

    Paula x x x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgot to say - what a lovely thing you did for the poor sheep. Exactly the kind of thing I would have done. awww - glad you were in the right place at the right time.

      Paula x x x

      Delete
    2. Thank you for your comment sPaula, I am so sorry I've taken so long to acknowledge your visit to my blog! Sounds like you had a busy birthday time in March! XXX

      Delete