It's like rush hour on the Farm at the moment, Ducklings being marched down to the river, Thrush and Blackbird fledglings being enticed out of their ivy homes to take their first flights, Lambs, Calves, Piglets and baby Rabbits are everywhere! It's a great place to be.
With the Berry's Farm team, Elspeth impressed us all by producing twins. It's an effort to stop her coming for a walk with the Dogs and I, as she feels the twins should be well up to a stroll, even with their tiny legs.
The twins are less ugly than first appearances, they are growing into their Manx Loaghtan tails, white Swaledale bodies, brown faces and fast-growing horns - cheeky characters indeed.
So, Duchess wasn't just overweight, she had seven strapping piglets of every colour way with stripes, spots and freckles.
Sorry we ever doubted you, Duchess.
Sadly, Doris had a miscarriage, but the general feeling is two Pygmy Goats are probably enough. Blackadder does a great job of entertaining the crowds with his standing up dancing and Doris seems very happy admiring from a distance.
This time of year, Rolo is not the biggest in the team. While he is shredding his coat and the birds are lining their nests with it, Harry is expanding his. On the warmer days he is trying to find shade with the walls and trees. Come and watch the shearing of Harry and Elspeth's fleeces at our Haytime Festival on the 24th June. We are going to sell the wool for charity, any takers?
Just when we thought 'Auntie' would always be an Auntie, she arrived on Sunday with her own Highland Calf. The Bull must have been here longer than we remember or it's going to have a smooth brown coat and no horns??
We had to do something to celebrate reaching the 5 year milestone. Sir Gary Verity of Welcome to Yorkshire came and blew out the candles and cut our birthday cake! He then walked around the craft exhibitors, studied Duchess and suggested 10 Piglets would be born - a touch too many, but she was large.
Sir Gary even found the time to admire our Swinithwaite Race horses while out on exercise. Hannah Russell was signing books about her Shetland, Alfie and hopes to bring Alfie on another visit to Berry's.
On the theme of birthday parties, Rolo and the pet Lambs have been the favourites for the birthday parties at Berry's. The Farm jolly usually follows on from birthday cake and lunch in the Peach house, all tailor made to suit the Birthday star!
The top barn is now equipped with it's own toilet, in readiness for the bookings this Summer. The new coffee machine is in full use, supplying the take away hot drinks, customers are enjoying the option of park and grab if time is short.
Hopefully, lots of customers will soon be enjoying the late opening option of having a glass of wine in the courtyard with supper when we open until 7pm from Monday 22nd May and carries on until the end of August! I know the Yurt glamping customers will enjoy having somewhere to go while the hot tubs get hot!
The ground on the Farm is starting to get dusty after a very dry Spring, not a problem we often get in May, but the Fish are desperate to swim up stream and will struggle if it doesn't rain soon.
Seems like it's all go on the Farm and at Berry's and there's not much else to tell you about, but that's how life is at the minute, so, on with feeding the expanding rabble, sadly no helpers tonight.
