Tam O’Shanter Times Winter 2004

Urgent – Friends needed now!

Did you enjoy the Christmas Fair and Santa’s Grotto on December 12th? Well, after 12 years of putting on this event, it could be the last! Organised by the Friends of the Farm with support from the farm staff and lots of volunteers this event, and all the other fairs, are enjoyed by many visitors and raise a bit of money for the running of the farm. However, the Friends group, although having many members, desperately needs more people to become actively involved.

The group meets once a month for an hour or two and plans events, newsletters and ways to improve the farm for volunteers and visitors. Normally we meet at 7.30pm at the farm but we will consider other times and venues if anyone can suggest anywhere. The meetings are friendly and informal and vital to the continued success of the farm. In recent years the group have successfully applied for grants from the National Lottery for new play equipment, ‘Living Spaces’ for grants to improve the paths and Community Chest for grants for tools and equipment for volunteers. If this group folds up it will seriously affect the running of the farm. If you want to be involved please email us at mail@tamoshanter.fsworld.co.uk or phone John at the farm (0151 653 9332) or Janet (Chair) on 0151 606 9702

Suggestions of different times and venues for meetings are more than welcome.

Animal Update Today (15th December) we have just acquired a Gloucester Old Spot boar to put to our sow – Lily. We were very fortunate to be able to borrow him from a farm in Barnston thanks to the generosity of the farmer there. We will be able to keep him until we are confident that Lily will be able to give us a litter of spotty piglets in April / May. This should be just after when our lambs are due. Hopefully, our 4 Manx Loghtan ewes will have their lambs around March and April.

Annabelle has been busy training Arnie, our Shetland pony, most Saturdays. She has also been fund raising to buy more harness for him and you may have seen her stall at the recent Christmas Fair. At this time of year we have to be very careful not to overgraze the fields. With the cold weather and lack of grass growth we have to keep many of the grazing animals off the fields. Jacko and Arnie will be sharing the winter paddock near the polytunnel. This is a very well drained and dry paddock that we try to keep even drier with the application of wood chip. Although there is no grass for them to eat we give them hay and they are able to get out of the stable for exercise and fresh air. The sheep also get hay and green stuff such as cabbages and turnips as there is no grass left in their field. They will be coming into the stable after Christmas, again to save the field for the new grass in spring. Arnie and Jacko will be moved around to make way!

Farm Paths We are now nearing completion of the new paths around the extra piece of land that we leased from the Local Authority a few years ago. Thanks to a grant of £4000 from ‘Living Spaces’ and with the work of volunteers, particularly the group from the Heswall Centre, we aim to complete the surfacing of the paths by November / December. The extra paddocks will enable us to rotate the grazing animals around more effectively and the extra pathways will give us an extension to the nature trail.

Thatcher is Back! Don’t panic. No, it is not Margaret, but Mr. John Burke, Master Thatcher and Reed Layer from Timperley in Cheshire. He came with his men one day in November to clean the roof of the cottage of all the moss and lichen that had gathered over the last few years. Although quite attractive, the mosses and lichens unfortunately help to hold the water on the roof. Consequently, the reed thatch does not dry out enough and rots down too quickly. Hopefully, this remedial work will extend the life of the thatch for a few more years yet. The ridge however, is only made of straw and needs replacing more frequently. Last done 8 years ago it is due for replacement next year. So, look out for Mr Burke and this headline again next year – and don’t panic!

Café The café is run by Richard Jeffers as a separate business from the farm. If you are interested in holding a birthday party at the farm please contact Richard on one of the following numbers: 0151 652 9197 café at the farm 0151 342 1273 home 07956 318 238 mobile The café will be close on the following dates: - December 24th December 25th

December 26th

December 31st January 1st

The farm will be open every day – including Christmas Day!!!!

Thank You To: - The lady who kindly brings vegetables from a greengrocer for the animals. The ladies who knit small items to sell on the souvenir counter. Jim from MPAC who provides us with a variety of very useful items. Michelle, who spent hours painting scenes for the Santa’s Grotto. Heather for managing our website.

Friends of the Farm (W.U.F.A) Membership is by subscription – only £2 / year. Please ask for details Charity Number 515789telephone:fax : email:

website:

0151 653 93320151 652 4236

mail@tamoshanter.fsworld.co.uk

www.tamoshanterfarm.org.uk