We felt if we were going to open a hobby farm to visitors that it needed to be hands on. In so many places, zoos and the like, you can't touch anything. We think it's wrong to have everything locked up behind bars so we set out to make what we call a 'Touch and Feel' shed, which is a bit like an animal nursery. In here we have perhaps half a dozen breeds of bantams which we simply catch, and give to the children to hold and cuddle all they want.

We have three other pens which will usually have baby lambs, and sometimes baby kids and piglets as well, although this will depend to a large extent on the season. Here too, you can hold a baby chicken or duckling, a baby rabbit or guinea pig, and if you're game enough a mouse too!

We have three different breeds of mice and there are usually lots of babies around. In the near future we hope to add some other birds including budgerigars and you will be able to see them in the nest, from when they are first born.

All of the animals in the nursery (apart from the fish of course!) are there to be held, although the mice might like to nibble you fingers if you've eaten a cheese sandwich, so be careful!

The lambs, etc are there to be fed. So the 'Touch and Feel' nursery is really there for you to get up close and personal with the animals. That's what it's all about!

You can also visit the cattery, and see just born kittens and get to hold the older ones, still with their mums. We have a couple of oriental cats, who are real ambassadors and will greet you as soon as you enter the cattery! They purr the whole time you're there! We'll be checking pockets on the way out! >> next