Cute new arrivals hogging the limelight as farm goes digital

They may not have met the public in person yet, but these adorable new arrivals at Temple Newsam have still been having plenty of fun on the farm.

While Home Farm’s newborns get used to their surroundings, they’ve also been busy making some Facebook friends thanks to a brand new weekly video blog.

Despite the historic farm currently being closed to the public to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, staff have had their hands full over the past few weeks, welcoming a new springtime cohort of piglets, chicks, calves and lambs.

In a bid to keep followers updated, farmer Joe Green has started a weekly vlog where he will be introducing the latest arrivals, explaining how some of the daily farming duties are being carried out while observing social distancing and showing what happens at the different animals’ feeding times.

Already proving popular with followers, the first entries include newly hatched chicks and a walk round the estate to visit to the pig pen and give some of the farm's Tamworth pigs a scratch. A new vlog will be posted every Monday on the Temple Newsam Estate Facebook page.

Joe said: “Usually spring is one of our most popular times of the year and we love welcoming visitors to see some of the new arrivals. We really didn’t want them to miss out while the farm’s closed so we decided to keep all our followers updated every week and give them a chance to meet some of our newborns online instead.

“We’re coming to the end of lambing and calving now but we do still have a few to give birth. So far we’ve had nearly 100 lambs and goat kids born and 30 calves and we’ve also hatched some chicks and have two litters of piglets due within the next few weeks so it’s certainly been very busy.”

One of Europe’s largest working rare breeds farms, Home Farm has 400 sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry and goats.

One of only 16 sites nationally approved by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, breeds include Gloucester, Kerry, Irish Moiled, Red Poll, White Park, British White, Beef Shorthorn, Vaynol and Belted Galloway cattle; Kerry Hill, Whitefaced Woodland and Portland sheep, and Golden Guernsey goats.

Set in buildings dating from 1694 onwards, the site includes displays and exhibitions which interpret farming and the fascinating history of the farm and the surrounding estate.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and active lifestyles, said: “We know this is a really difficult time for everyone in Leeds and that many people will be missing paying our sites a visit so it’s great that our staff are coming up with such fun and engaging ways to keep everyone updated and entertained.

“It’s important that until it’s safe to welcome visitors back on site, we all do our part to help contain the spread of coronavirus so we can protect the NHS and each other.”

For more information about Temple Newsam, visit templenewsam.leeds.gov.uk

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