New Stour & Avon, August 13, 2021
Farming & Environment
A Day at the Farm...
with Tiffany Fleming
Our new columnist Tiffany Fleming is a volunteer at High Mead Farm in Longham, Ferndown High Mead Farm is a working farm run to promote the benefits of engaging with animals, soil, and nature. They ‘create purposeful roles for our co-farmers, young people and adults alike, to help bring about a sense of well-being and self-worth that many have never experienced before’. Oh, my days. The last couple of weeks down at the farm have been the busiest ever (says she who has been volunteering for all of eight weeks). The launch of the muchanticipated farm shop took place on a super sunny Thursday afternoon. It was lovely to see so many of the farm’s friends and neighbours demonstrating their support. We enjoyed a delicious buffet donated by the Angel Inn and a chance to reflect on all that we’d achieved. Just prior to the launch we were visited by several residents of a local dementia care home; it was a blistering hot day and the parasols and sunshades kindly gifted to us earlier in the week were certainly put to good use.
AWESOME: Richie the expert goat herd and, right, celebrity goat Louise
If you are ever in any doubt as to whether you have anything to offer a local cause or charity, ask to see their wish list. It could be they need something as simple as an empty egg box or an item you have squirrelled away in your shed that you could happily live without but to them might make the world of difference. To those who, through the
WANTED
Yard for beef cattle. Autumn start. 120/150 head with feed + straw + labour On headage payment basis.
07811 381 159
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heatwave, donated shades or parasol bases – thank you – you were life savers! All our visitors love to meet the animals and, on this occasion, I felt the ideal welcome should involve our celebrity goat Louise. The problem with goats is that they are nosy and where one goes others like to follow. Instead of a gentle introduction to the star of the show, the assembled group were treated to a quite hilarious display by several (very many) of the farm’s staff and volunteers on how best to round up numerous horned beasties before they help themselves to a perfectly placed picnic. Thank goodness Richie, one of the farm’s longest serving volunteers, has a super speedy mobility scooter and the shepherding skills of an expert Collie. He is, quite frankly, awesome. Whilst this spectacle was playing out, I kept a low profile and focused very
much on weeding between the onions – after all, no one wants to see a weedy onion patch. I am pleased to say that, thanks to Richie and team, no harm was done in the making of this entertainment. I wish the same could be said for my pride. It wouldn’t have been too bad had Richie not been well aware of how and why the cloven coven had escaped, or the fact that several members of the team spent the afternoon humming the tune of the Baha Men’s one hit wonder ‘Who Let The Dogs Out?!’. n highmeadfarm.org.uk n Farm Fact: Goats can be taught their name and to come when called, are very picky eaters, and are extremely intelligent and curious and are very often not given credit for being the smart and loving creatures they are. Postscript: I strongly refute these facts.
