Farm News
5 star accommodation
You remember we told you about the dramatic December rescue from our blazing calf shed? Farmer Neil and Lynda had to herd animals to safety through thick black smoke from the burning building.
Well, the shed is all rebuilt now and looks very smart. Not only that but our calves are looking very cosy and happy...
Here of some of our latest youngsters enjoying a meal in their luxury accommodation.
Bampfield gets its very own red coat!
Whilst some of you were singing the traditional "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" Honey the pony asked for something far smarter! She had a new red coat, to keep out those winter chills.
Now we have our very own red coat to keep you amused while you're staying. Here she is outside the stables and doesn't she look great? (and very cosy!)
There's no smoke without fire!
There's been real drama down on the farm in the last few months...
Whilst on his way to work in early December, Farmer Neil spotted flames from the calf shed. He called the fire brigade. Lynda and David were not far behind in dialling 999!
The whole barn was alight in various places, the water pipes had burst and the bales were aglow.
The fire brigade were quickly on the scene but couldn't enter the building until it had been properly assessed in case it was dangerous and might collapse.
Our first thought was for the calves. Who would help them? Some had managed to escape because the string tying their gates had melted, allowing the gates to fall and the animals to pass. But there were still calves inside, so Neil and Lynda waded through thick black smoke to rescue them. Some of the clever calves were sheltering under a fountain of water coming from one of the burst water pipes and Neil and Lynda herded them out to safety.
Could we save the building? The burning bales were removed from the building by tractor grab to try to maintain as much of the building's structure intact as possible. Amazingly, the straw that was taken out of the barn burned in a heap in the field for 5 days!
It seems that the fire had started with a heat lamp which had been warming a poorly calf.
We were really blessed - the positive thing about the whole episode was that it has given us an opportunity to rebuild the shed and make it purpose built for rearing young calves. We have had to replace half the roof and the upright posts but it could have been so much worse...Now we have five star accommodation for the youngest members of our bovine family.
and:
Happy cows = Happy Farmers
What's on at February Half Term?
Bampfield Farm is ideally situated for access to wonderful coastline and beautiful beaches. But sometimes you just want to go somewhere where the kids will be amused, leaving everyone happy!
We are within easy reach of some of North Devon's most popular attractions - The Big Sheep, The Milky Way Adventure Park and Exmoor Zoo, to name but a few.
The National Trust property, Arlington Court, and the beautiful walk at Heddon's mouth are also firm family favourites as is the RHS garden at Rosemoor.
This February half term (11-19 February) Arlington Court is staging "Arlington Needs Ewe" - follow the trail around the grounds to find the names of all the lost sheep.
There is also "The Great Sheep Dip" - you are asked to guess which sheep will lamb first with prizes for the winners . And then there is a very interesting sounding event entitled "monsters under the microscope" - visitors are invited to discover a disgusting world of microscopic monsters and tiny terrors that spend all their days chewing up the NT's precious objects. The conservation scene investigation laboratory is open!
RHS Rosemoor invites you to "banish boredom" this half term with a number of events: on Monday there is a clay bird workshop for children aged 8-12, on Tuesday under 8s can make tin can wind chimes, and on Thursday Goodleigh's own Mrs Recycle will be running a workshop to make hanging masterpieces from unwanted materials - again for under 8s. Check out Rosemoor's website for timings and more details.
The Big Sheep is open all half term and has the added attraction in the winter of a toboggan and ice skating slope. They are also expecting their first lambs in February half term.
With all these things to add to our on-site attractions to amuse the kids, Bampfield is the perfect place to spend half term.
Meet the animals...
We want you to feel at home here the moment you arrive. So, starting this month, we are going to run features on all the animals we have at Bampfield. You'll have chance to meet some of our cats and their adorable kittens. You can familiarise yourself with our pygmy goats, Daisy, Fudge and Buttercup. You can find out all about the ponies, Honey and Woody. Then there are the calves, chicks and cows.
Knowing something about our animals should help you to look forward to your time at Bampfield - although we hope to keep a few special surprises in reserve!
Like a taste of Bampfield?
Bampfield farm currently sells its milk to Milklink. It is then turned into yummy Taw Valley cheddar cheese. Look out for it in your local supermarket and get a taste of Bampfield!
More new arrivals
There have been three more new arrivals down on the farm - three beautiful heifer calves!
They are Friesians - large cattle with distinctive black and white spotted markings -and will be reared here on the farm. Friesian cows are renowned for their milk production and when our calves are two years old they will join our milking herd.
Venturing out - see how we've grown
As we've grown, we've become much more adventurous and much more cute (if that is possible)!
Where's Barney now?
Since Josh rescued a young Barn Owl, it got us to thinking a bit more about how these beautiful birds live.
The cycle of their lives ties in very well with the seasons:
Spring - nesting
Summer - Rearing young owls
Autumn - dispersal of young
Winter - hardship
It is likely that our young owl will be looking for his own home before the end of November and we are very glad to have been able to give him a helping hand.
The Barn Owl Trust have a brilliant website with lots of amazing information about these wonderful birds and a facts section especially for kids.
All that glitters IS gold!
Visitors to the farm have been amazed by the Speaker's State Coach now displayed at Arlington Court.
The suberb state coach was last used for the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981 and is now housed in part of the Old Coach House at Arlington, which features a renowned carriage museum.
The coach is painted and gilded and is believed to have been created in 1698 for King William III. It has been beautifully restored and is a true sight to behold.
Arlington Court is easily reached in less than 20 minutes from Bampfield Farm cottages by car.
For more details see the National Trust website.
