Rare Breed News

Salvation Army-Hadleigh Farm

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Discover the Rare Breeds.

There is always something to see or do at the centre. We have Ixworth, Scotts Grey and Derbyshire Red Cap chickens and Crollwitzer turkeys. You may even see a chick hatch in our incubation room. There are the Grey Face Dartmoor, Leicester Longwool and Jacob sheep as well as the very rare Bagot goats and the very friendly Golden Guernseys. If its pigs you like we have Gloucester old spots, Middle whites and Large Blacks all to be seen some outside in the woods.

Beautifully situated in the Essex downs the centre is easy to find by Hadleigh Castle. There is ample car parking, easy access paths and the Hadleigh Training centre run Tea Rooms.

Educational Visits. We can provide a unique educational experience for up to 60 children at a time in a safe enviroment. Visits can take place any day in term time. Key stage 1-3 can be catered for and linked to the national curriculum through trained staff we have on the farm. We can tailor a visit to your needs. Please contact us for details of booking and prices.

The Rare Breeds Centre is just a part of the whole farm site. A network of footpaths link us to Hadleigh Castle Country park next door. 01702 551072 or www.hadleighcountrypark.co.uk for details of events for all.

In the summer months we jointly ran a Maize Maze. This year it was bigger and better than last year and was open during August. Around 8700 people tried to find their way around it including around 800 who came to the scary night in the maze. There will be no maze in 2008.

The farm is please to announce and is very grateful that it has recieved two grants from Cleanaway Pitsea Marshes Trust and one from NFU members trust. This project was also supported by East of England Development Ageancy with funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for some of the improvements made to the Rare Breed Centre in 2006.

Princess and Curly when they were younger.

What's New on the Centre.

1,5,08

We had a real surprise this week. Rose one of our Greyface Dartmoor ewe lambs was stolen from us just before Christmas. This week she was found, sitting on the grass outside the farm gate. We can only assume that whoever took her got fed up with her and bought her back. She soon hit the headlines and we did interviews with two local papers, a live radio interview and a slot on Anglia TV on Saturday night.

School visits have started again this week and its good to see the children enjoying the farm and learning about farming and food.

Dylan the Donkey has got over his bad foot but now likes to eat peoples fingers, biting three people on one particular day but none since. The sun is out and lots of people are visiting, the willow maze is really growing well now and its hard to see over the top now.

13,3,08

It has been a very busy Easter holiday. It has stayed wet underfoot with some parts of the centre being closed off to the public at times. More snow fell last weekend. When the sun has shone many people came to see us. We have had four new longwool lambs by our new ram Lenny and all the bagots have kidded except one. Dylan the Donkey had a bad foot but now is better and outside loving the attention. Our kiosk staff have done very well to cope with the new season and all the visitors and new things to work with. Ginny did a great job on the willow maize before she left for her new job. We now wait to see how the new manager will cope when they are appointed. In the mean time Simon is trying to run things along with the rest of the farm.

The cows are now outside as most have calved so look out for them in the fields by the centre.

We have three chicks in the hatchery and some more to hatch next week.

24,3,08

Well we had lots of snow yesterday but all is ready for the opening today. Its a bit wet but hopefully it will dry up a bit in the next few days. Lots of work has been done on the willow maze, all the animals are outside and keen to meet everyone again. The Bagots have 9 kids, there are five lambs and some new chicks are due this week. Dylan the donkey has a bad foot but should be out in his paddock again soon.

Contact us by E mail

Hadleigh Training Centre Tea Rooms for all refreshments on site. www.sahtc.co.uk

We are now open every day in June except Mondays. Entry fee will be £2 per person. (under 36mths free)