Animals

Caring for our animals is again a key part of the farm’s activities. Feeding, cleaning and bedding down the animals is the first task the Team Members complete each morning. We keep a small herd of Hereford cross cattle, they are grazing the grassland in the summer and housed in the winter. We have one suckler cow which has a calf each year, other cattle are bought in as calves. We normally keep two pigs for a few months in the winter, they are kept on the ‘Flower Field’ to turn it over and fertilize it. Chickens and ducks are kept for egg production, but also for interest. Young chicks are always a nice sight in the spring. We have a goat, a tortoise, cockatiels, budgies, rabbits and guinea pigs as well. Many of the animals have names that the Team Members have chosen.

There are many activities associated with keeping animals and managing land that the Team Members get involved with, cutting hedges, cleaning ditches, splitting logs etc. Fences have to be maintained and new animal pens built as well.

Oak Tree Farm’s animals are not freely available to visitors as we are not a petting farm. Visitors are reminded to wash their hands with soap and water if they do come into contact with animals.