We are Nearly There!

It's Saturday night, and its just 2 days to go until our Open Day on Monday 29th August.

The Open days starts at 11 and finishes at 3, and there will be loads to do.

Today we have been washing chairs, benches and tables, and weeding the yard in all that rain.

All is going well, but the cup cake lady has let us down - she is ill - so asking mother-in-law to make a few extra cakes.

We are going to have places to sit, which should be welcome with all the activities going on - I wonder if "HAM" the pig, will have her piglets on Monday - it is her due date.

Raising Money for the Scouts' Mini Bus Appeal

We are raising money for the Scouts Mini Bus appeal in Market Drayton, so do come and support our open day on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th August 2011, between 11 and 3 pm.

There's No Admission Fee on Monday 29th Aug

Just to remind you that there is no admission fee on Monday 29th August, between 11 and 3pm, at our Open Day.

Bank Holiday Monday Fun Day - 29th August

Monday 29th August, seems very close now, and we are getting some tidying up done!

We are expecting a litter of piglets on the day, if the gilt called "HAM" gives birth exactly 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days after she met with HENRY our boar.

I have just typed the programme, and its great to see HERMES the heavy weight horse is back to give a demonstration of how she can pull logs and trees out of forests. This is very sustainable, and gives her owner an income, as he sells the wood.

Hope to see you on Monday between 11 and 3 pm.
Any queries, e-mail them to beef@parkhillfarm.co.uk

Open Day - Bank Holiday Monday 29th August

We are now getting ready for our FREE OF CHARGE, Family Fun Farm Day on Bank Holiday August 29th 2011.

Opening times 11 am - 3 pm.

Activities include pony rides, barbecue, tractor and trailer rides, see the animals, and THE CAVE which is a new activity to be held by the Scouts.

Press for Open Farm Sunday in the Mkt Drayton Advertiser

See us in this week's Market Drayton Advertiser advertising our Open Farm Sunday

Press Articles in the Evening Sentinel last Night for Open Farm Sunday

See us in the Evening Sentinel last night - Ref Banner Theft etc

Veggie options at Open Farm Sunday

Don't forget we can do Veggie food options, just go to the barbecue and ask.

Name a Calf Competition for Open Farm Sunday

One of our cows "Spotty" and her lovely heifer calf, will be on show tomorrow, so we need a name for her calf.

Spotty is from our "shapes and symbols" family, so her calf should have a name that is either a shape or a symbol - such as "Circle" or "Dash" - but if you can't think of a name, why not suggest a lovely name instead.

50p for 2 entries, all for charity on the day.

N

Have Finished Painting and Strimming for Open Farm Sunday

All the painting and strimming is done - so do come along at 11.30 tomorrow

Fishing Lessons at our Open Farm Sunday

Mrs Harrington has kindly offered to do some basic fishing lessons for children - they will learn how to "cast".

Thank you - this will be great for our Open Farm Sunday.

Still Strimming and Painting for Open Farm Sunday

We are still busy strimming and painting, getting ready for Open Farm Sunday, this Sunday, 12th June, from 11.30 - 3pm.

Farm is looking very nice, and it looks as though the weather is going to hold.

Market Drayton Advertiser to Print Story about Open Farm Sunday

After last week's disappointment in not having a mention about our Open Farm Sunday, 12th UJune, 11.30 am - 3pm, we have been contacted by Winston, and he is going to do a story about our free of charge family fun day. Thank you Winston.

Malicious Theft - Open Farm Sunday 12th June, 11.30 - 3pm

A banner advertising Park Hill Farm’s family fun day - Open Farm Sunday this coming Sunday between 11.30 am and 3pm, has been pinched off the A53 roadside. The banner including the posts driven in with a post knocker, was taken on Tuesday morning, and Patsy Pimlott of Park Hill Farm is devastated.

I've check with Staffordshire County Council and the Parish Council, and neither have taken in the banner, so we know it is a malicious theft. The roadside advertising would have boosted numbers, which in turn would have boosted donations for HELP THE HEROES. Some people are small minded, mischief makers, or perhaps even worse than that, hold grudges against a farm giving families a free day out in the countryside.

Barclays Bank PLC is doubling all the money raised on the day for the charity HELP THE HEROES, and we shall be holding a raffle, and taking donations after the trailer rides.

If anyone knows who has taken the banner, then please either let the police know, or ourselves – we would like to publically name and shame the person who deprives such a wonderful charity”.

Park Hill will be open between 11.30 am and 3pm, and further information is available from 01630 652178 .

Catch, name and shame the thief!

Small Minds

Can you believe it, someone, or some organisation, has pinched our Open Farm Sunday Banner off the main road.

Do you know who it is, then shame them, as they will be depriving Help the Heroes of money.

Open Farm Sunday is Raising Money for Help the Heroes

DONATIONS FOR HELP THE HEROES TO BE DOUBLED


BARCLAYS BANK PLC and PARK HILL FARM, have joined forces to raise money for HELP THE HEROES at Park Hill Farm’s OPEN FARM SUNDAY.
For every £1.00 raised during Park Hill’s Open Farm Sunday, Barclays Bank PLC will donate the same amount.

We were approached by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), the charity that organises Open Farm Sunday, to see if we were raising money for charity on the day. LEAF had been approached by Barclays Bank who wished to be involved with fund raising on Sunday 12th June, and staff from Barclays had picked our farm as one they would like to be involved with.

So we choose Help the Heroes because of the First Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment being stationed at Tern Hill.”

Helen Griffiths, Relationship Support Manager, Barclays Bank PLC North West, will be attending Open Farm Sunday and, amongst other fund raising activities, will be holding a raffle with ASDA vouchers as prizes. Help the Heroes will be a popular charity, and providing we can raise £100 on the day, Barclays Bank PLC will match fund to double the donation.

We are looking forward to reaching the £100 minimum we need to raise to get the matched funding from Barclays. So we hope as many people as possible will come along for a free trailer ride, try their hand at pond dipping, of just to see the animals, as well as the many other activities going on on the day.

Park Hill will be open between 11.30 am and 3pm, and further information is available from 01630 652178.

Change of Time for Open Farm Sunday

We were going to be open at 11, the same as last year, but this year it will be 11.30 to3 pm. Its still free of charge.
Pass on the good news, and any queries to 01630 652178

Newspaper lets us down

The Market Drayton Advertiser has, unusually, let us down in letting people know about our Open Farm Sunday, 12th June - 11.30 -3pm, so please spread the word. Its free of charge.

Jungle Law rules at Park Hill

A bird of prey has taken one of our baby piglets, so there is only 8 to see at Open Farm Sunday, 12th June.

Shrops. Launch of Children's University

Thursday will see the launch of the Shropshire Children's University. I am taking our baby chicks along.

Park Hill Farm is a validated destination, so if your children have CU passports, they can collect a stamp at Open Farm Sunday.

The baby chicks fell asleep during the Staffordshire launch of the CU yesterday, they are just so laid back!

See you all on June 12th, 11.30 - 3pm

Open Farm Sunday 12th June 2011

It suddenly seems very busy at the farm, trying to get ready for the big day. This year we will have the large party tent in the field with the stalls in, so everyone will be on view.

I'm getting very worried that we won't be ready - John is calm!

More Baby Chicks Expected

5 Baby chicks made it to Staffs University yesterday for the launch of the Staffordshire Children's University. See them on Open Farm Sunday - 12th June, 11.30 am - 3 pm.

Baby Piglets Arrive

9 Fantastic baby piglets have just arrived - in time for 80 children, and supporting adults to see last Thursday and Friday. 2 School visits and the cubs were shown the baby piglets who arrived at 8am on Thurday. Wow, what a great visit for the children, and our sow "Gammon" was as good as gold.

You can see them on Open Farm Sunday - June 12th, 11.30 - 3pm.

GETTING READY FOR OPEN FARM SUNDAY

Open Farm Sunday is on the 12th June 2011, from 11.30 am to 3 pm.

This is validated to receive one passport stamp from the Children's University, so bring your passports along if you have one.

Come and see:-

Baby piglets
Cows and calves
Baby chicks
Lambs

Have a trailer ride, go pond dipping, or try the cake bake and take stall.

Great barbecue, cups of tea and coffee, and home made cakes.

There will be a tour by our vets, and the Guide Dogs will be visiting us, and hopefully the Ashley Fire and Rescue.

Most popular activities will be the trailer rides and the pond dipping.

Full information coming shortly.

See you soon.