Why not become a friend of Bath City Farm?

If you would like to receive a copy of our all singing, all dancing newsletter, in glorious colour and with pictures, please consider becoming a friend of Bath City Farm. This only costs £8 a year (concessions available). You will be helping to support our running costs, e.g. salaries, site work, newsletter and of course our animals.

Festival fun at the farm

We had a lively Autumn half-term break last year! Over four days we held a variety of theme-based activities. The week started with "Apple Day", where people could make their own fresh apple juice using an old apple press on loan from the Bath Organic Group.

Toffee apples and apple fritters were also on offer. Children had a go at traditional games such as apple bobbing and the longest apple peel competition, won by Jason Archer with a fantastic 1m 20cm peel. Play Ranger Adam gallantly volunteered to be the "William Tell" target for our historical re-enactment game. Using rubber tipped arrows, the young people had to shoot the apple from Adams head!! Luckily he wore safety glasses and helmet to protect his precious eyes.

Our thanks go to Tim, Helen and Mazzy who were a great help on the day.

Other activities during the half term were a Feathered Friends Day where children made bird feeders out of oranges and cleaned the chickens legs to prevent mites. 57th Bathhampton Brownies came along especially to help with the seed gathering and planted them in pots ready for Spring. Seed Gathering Day was also the Family Day, with Bumps and Babies returning from First Steps Nursery. The week ended with Pumpkin Day when many lanterns were carved and much soup was consumed.

Each day was free, with a nominal charge for pumpkins on that day to cover costs. The week was very popular. Feedback included:

Our annual children's Christmas Party was a great success too. A bonfire provided warmth for those who wanted to stay in the fresh air, and there were lots of games and food. Father Christmas also came to visit and hand out presents and party bags.

See the Up Coming Events section for details on future Family Days, or ring Abby or Helen for further information.

Volunteer Update

Over the Autumn volunteers have achieved some great work around the farm. Volunteers have now finished the new raised flower bed by the picnic area, thanks to funding awarded to Molly Ricketts from the Community Champions Fund. It was a big task ridding the area of weeds and putting in the sleepers, but it now has a very professional look to it and will be even better when the plants start to bloom in the Spring.

Well done to everyone involved and thanks to Culverhay Secondary School students who helped with the planting for their Community Action Day.

Students from Norton Radstock College also came to volunteer for a day in December. They helped to clear some bramble from the hedgerow ready for laying the hedge.

We had a very wet couple of months, which made cleaning out the animals a very muddy task, but the volunteers were not deterred as long as they had wellies to wear. We have also started to lay the hedge along Kelston View and the Holow and have started clearing bramble from the Cow Field ready to plant a new hedgerow. This work is continuing throughout the Winter. We will also be building a new pig pen for Molly and Maggie, so they have a nice flat area to have their piglets in the Summer.

We are always looking for new volunteers, so please call Helen on 01225 481269 if you are interested.

Volunteers trip to City Farms

On Wednesday 11th October Bath City Farm volunteers and staff went on a trip to two of the city farms in Bristol. We set off early in the morning in a minibus provided by Bath Community transport, with the promise of getting new ideas for our farm.

We arrived first at Windmill Hill City Farm in Bedminster to be met by their staff George and Alice. Windmill Hill City farm has been established for over 30yrs and has a cafe, farm shop, many indoor and outdoor animal pens, an adventure playground and even a computer suite!!!

Animals that we met included the heavily pregnant Rosy the Gloucester Old Spot Sow, baby calves, various breeds of chickens and ducks as well as some lovely goat kids. We were all really impressed by the set-up and picked up some top tips for animal care. Some volunteers commented that they felt it was a bit like a zoo due to the lack of room for the animals, but Windmill Hill has a partner farm out in the Somerset countryside where the animals can go for a rest.

Next we travelled over to St Paul's to visit St Werburghs City farm. This quirky little farm was our destination for lunch. They have an absolutely amazing cafe where we all tucked into bangers and mash and burgers.

Next, Abby showed us around the animals. Everyone fell in love with the Kune Kune pigs. They sit on command when offered apples and have some very attractive facial expressions. We also bottle fed the baby goats and met Honey's mother. After a short walk to visit the first carbon neutral housing development in the UK, we got back on the bus, having thoroughly enjoyed the day. Everyone had gained new ideas such as improving signage and getting new breeds of animals. Now we just need to implement them!!

Animal Update

The past few months have been very wet and muddy for all our animals especially the pigs who make their pens mushy very quickly. Maggie the Tamworth pig who had hurt her leg is now well on the way to recovery. We hope to get them in their new paddock by March so they can have piglets on flat ground

All of the lambs have now gone for meat or re-homing (apart from Bart and Lisa, the tame ones). Everyone who had some of the lamb could not believe how tasty and juicy the meat was and at such a reasonable price. As I write, next years lambs are in the process of being made with Zippy the ram getting frisky with his flock.

We also have a new visitor over the Winter months, with Kish the English Billy goat coming to meet Ashley and Honey, our Nanny goats. Crossed fingers we will have some goat kids in the Spring too.

We have applied for funding through the Princes trust and have received a £200 donation from the Westhall Inn to run an incubation project with young people who help out the farm. If successful with the funding we hope to have incubated and reared our own chicks in time for the May Bank Holiday Flower Show

As you may be aware all these animals cost a lot with all the food and vets bills, so any donation you can make will be greatly appreciated.

Why not join Bath City farm's Adopt-an-animal scheme, great for presents or just a gift to the Farm from the animal lovers out there.

Farming out schools

Despite the gloomy Winter weather, school students from Bath have been coming to the farm for a breath of fresh air, and to learn about good farming practise and how it can benefit everyone.

Last term Twerton Infants School came down to see us, to meet the animals and do seasonal arts and crafts. For many local children, this was their first visit to the farm

As well as the Link School, we have had students from Three Ways Special School coming regularly to the farm to enjoy a bit of informal outdoor learning on Friday Mornings. Every session has a different activity, and recently we have made bird feeders, conducted a taste test comparing intensively-reared and free-range eggs and bacon, and clearing out the hen house.

We have also been working with students with behavioural difficulties from the Landsdown Tuition Center. Shiva has been running exciting educational outdoor activities with them on Thursday mornings, such as making rope swings, orienteering and green woodworking.

All of these sessions provide a change of pace and scenery for the students, and are increasingly popular since the Governments "Education outside the classroom" manifesto.

If your school has not already received one, we have a teachers CD available. We are available for group bookings and assemblies. Please ring Abby if you would like to visit, or for us to come to you with a special animal guest.

Play Ranger @ Bath City farm

With the nights drawing in it has made the play rangers after school sessions at the farm a little more difficult, confining play to inside the building or exciting night walks. The year ended with a fun trip to the Egg Theatre to see the Pied Piper, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The Play Rangers run regular Winter sessions which include arts and crafts activities, cooking, night time walk around the farm with walkie-talkies, campfires and plenty of fun and games. Please see the Play Ranger page for times.

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Up coming events

Spring Litter Pick

Sunday February 18th (half term)
Come and join us for a grand litter pick of the farm, to get it ready for all of the new spring growth and baby animals we will be expecting. Money raised will go towards building new pig pens for when they have babies. Ask us for a sponsorship form now!

Spring half term and Easter activities

There will be activities going on at the farm throughout the half term and Easter holidays. They will run Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11am-2pm. Activities will include looking after the animals, arts and crafts, gardening and forest skills. Please look out in the local paper and for posters nearer the time.

Healthy living week

Healthy living week runs from Thursday 29th March till Thursday 5th April. Activities will be held throughout the South West of Bath to promote healthy living. Bath City farm will host the end of week celebration "Get Fit @ The Farm" on Thursday 5th April from 10am - 2pm. There will be many fun and healthy activities on offer such as Wacky Races, Nature Walk, Treasure Trails and a free healthy eating BBQ. Volunteers are needed to help run activities. Please get in touch if you can help.

Roots and Shoots Re-launch

Due to various reasons we have postponed the launch of "Roots and Shoots", our new under fives and parents group. It will now be launched on Tuesday 20th February during half term. The sessions will run from 10am-12pm every tuesday and you are welcome to stay till 1pm to eat your packed lunch. If you are a parent, bring your tots or just yourselves to the first meeting of the year, when we will meet the animals, have a cuppa then do some light gardening.

Big Spring Fundraiser

Spring flower Show

A Big Thank You

Recently we have gained the support of several organisations that have chosen the farm as a charity they want to help

We would like to thank Chaya Bamber and Co. who held the 16th Bath International Evening "Our farms, Our futures" on November 11th. The evening had a milticultural food and music theme, and entertained over 250 people. A cheque for £200 was presented to the farm and the money will be used for educational materials for school visits.

Thank you to the New Westhall pub on the Upper Bristol Road who gave the farm a donation of £200 after raising money on their annual Christmas night quiz. The money will be used to set up an incubation project with local young people.

Thank you to the Royal Oak pub on he Lower Bristol Road, who have chosen our farm to raise money for at next years "Folk @ The Oak" mini festival.

Thanks also to B&NES Council Small Charities for electing us as one of twelve small charities they are going to raise money for, by holding two charity fundraising events next year: "Elegance in the afternoon" fashion show in the guildhall on Saturday 24th February, and a Showcase concert in the forum on Saturday 5th May (www.bathshowcase.org)

Lastly, thanks to Mike and Damien Sawyer and Co. from Interface for supporting the farms print and distribution need, not least our fabulous colour newsletter.

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