WHY STAY ON A FARM ?
A small group within our membership specialise in dairy farming.
The day begins around 5.30am when the farmer gets the cows in for milking. He also cleans the yards and feeds the cows silage and cereals. This routine happens twice a day. In the spring, summer and autumn the cows eat grass to produce milk, their average yield is 5000-8000 litres a year.
Baby calves have milk twice a day. When all the jobs are done the farmer goes home for a hearty breakfast.
On average a cow produces a calf once a year, so the farmer is often observing calving cows. He or she also the checks the health of the cattle in the fields. All spring and summer we grow and store grass and corn to feed the animals during the winter months.
Other members provide the opportunity to meet the animals.
“We adored watching the ducklings waddling after their mother and the male turkey ‘strutting his stuff' around the farm”
“My little boy wouldn't eat eggs at all until he came to your farm. Since he collected his own egg for breakfast he wants us to get chickens so he can have one daily!”
 Of course, which animals you will find depends on the farm you visit; many have a huge variety of animals ranging from cows, horses, donkeys to rabbits, sheep, pigs, chickens.....
The fantastic thing is that children and parents enjoy helping look after the animals, they gain confidence , they experience the freedom of the countryside and the animals provide the fun and laughter.
Organic Farming.
How often do you connect to a farm? The answer is at least three times a day every time we eat a meal or have a snack we are relying on a farm because just about everything we eat is reared or grown by farmers.
So there is a lot to be discovered if you stay on a farm and you may also be able to buy food directly from the farmer!
Farming is the very bedrock of our society and yet most people know very little about where their food comes from and how it is grown. There are several methods of farming but very broadly they can be divided into conventional and organic systems.
On organic farms the crops are grown without the use of artificial fertilisers and minimal use of pesticides relying instead on building soil fertility using crop rotation and crops such as clover. Clover can absorb nitrogen from the air and store it in nodules on its roots. The nitrogen is then released into the soil to feed the plants. Habitats are created to encourage predators such as birds bats and beetles who eat the pests that are affecting the crop, reducing the need for pesticides.
In an organic system the animals welfare is paramount and farmers are very strictly controlled by their certifying body. The amount of space each animal has to live in, access to pasture and the ability to display natural behaviour as far as possible are all carefully monitored
The principle is to promote strong healthy animals to encourage their natural defences so that medication is minimised .In organic systems there is no routine use of drugs, but if an animal is unwell then they are treated with the vets supervision. Organic farming has a lower carbon footprint than conventional systems due to the avoidance of fertiliser and pesticides. Buying locally and in season will have the greatest reduction in food miles also providing the freshest and tastiest produce.
Reference the Soil Association booklet 'So, what's organic farming all about then?'
Lambing
 Lambing time varies from farm to farm but generally is between December and April. It is a busy time for the sheep farmer who tends his flock day and night with anticipation of new life. Sheep need extra feeding and are often brought in from the fields to provide warmer and more comfortable conditions for them to give birth in. Once born the farmer needs to ensure that the lambs are feeding from their mothers correctly, they are fit and healthy and that the ewe has sufficient milk to feed them. The lambs are kept in until the farmer is happy that they are well and strong enough to go into the fields with their mothers. Once in the field they are checked regularly as they are still very small and vulnerable, but great fun to watch as they play and explore their brand new world. Watching a lamb being born is an exciting and emotional time and one that memories are made of.
Get close to the countryside for free!
Farm Trails on North Devon Farms.
 Several farms in the North Devon area have taken the opportunity to work with the Devon Wildlife Trust to produce well signed and interesting farm trails around the individual farm providing accommodation. Guests are provided with a detailed map of the trail. This leaflet also describes the type of farm they are staying on and the way it is farmed. There is a detailed description of the environment and indigenous species of flora and fauna, which can be seen whilst walking on the farm trail.
The farm trail provides an excellent way for visitors to experience the beautiful countryside in which they are staying but at the same time to feel safe. Many of the farms have unique features such as Culm grassland, dewponds and barn owls. It is an ideal way to get close to the heart of the countryside, which costs nothing!
Click here for more photos from our Farms
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