Milking Goats

The goats are milked twice a day every day, that’s 365 days a year! Morning milking starts at 4.30am, the goats start to wake up and once they hear the parlour machinery, they begin to walk to their pen gates. The goats are milked in separate groups and each group makes their way into the collecting pen and patiently wait their turn to come into the individual milking pens.
Each goat gets a treat whilst they are being milked and this encourages them to trot in nicely. The two milking units are placed onto the goat’s teats and the milking process begins, on average it takes 3 minutes to milk each goat.
Evening milking begins at 4pm; the optimum milking time between each session is twelve hours; each milking session takes about two and half to three hours including the wash down and parlour cleaning process.
The parlour is a computerised rapid exit milking parlour with 36 stations; the electronic ear tag on each goat triggers the individual computerised record for each and every goat.
Guests are most welcome to join us in the dairy parlour and try their hand at milking their own goat!

Pony Activities

Guests are most welcome to join Sharon and help with the care and management of the miniature Shetland ponies during their stay.
In the spring and summer ponies shed their winter coats and love to be groomed. Grooming has a massaging effect for ponies and they relax while you brush them. If you spend some time watching the ponies together, you will see they naturally groom one another.
The ponies love attention and they adore having their head collars on and being led around the farm and even down to the tents. They are sometime mischievous as they are all youngsters! The ponies are entered into ‘in hand’ shows during the main summer showing season. During the showing season, the ponies are regularly hand led, walked and trotted in readiness and practise for their shows.
Children are most welcome to help, and to choose a pony to groom and lead.

Looking After Hens & Collecting Eggs

The hens need watering and feeding every day; one or two families are generally nominated as the hen monitors; it is their responsibility to feed and water the hens daily. The most important part of caring for the hens is making sure that they are let out of the hen house in the morning, and at dusk to shut in the house for bedtime. The enjoyable part of looking after the hens is collecting their fresh eggs, it’s important to remove the eggs from the nesting boxes and of course to share them out amongst all the guests!

Joining a Farm Tour

John will take you on a guided tour of the working farm; you will hear all about the farm animals, learn more about the crops that are grown and the diet of the animals. You’ll also see the large farm machinery, tractors, tele-porters and automatic feed machines. During the hour long tour, you’ll have the opportunity to ask John any thing you have ever wanted to know about the countryside and farming.

Bread Oven Night

You are invited to join John, Sharon and all the guests in firing up the bread oven. John will tuck your dough into the oven for baking, it’ll disappear for 30 minutes or so, you’ll soon see the smoke escaping out of the chimney and smell the freshly baked aroma….

Exploring the Farm

One of the prettiest locations on the farm is Spinney Meadow; it’s a heavenly location, in the distance you’ll spot the spire of St Peter’s church at Market Bosworth, grandly soaring into the skies. Take a walk to the brook or venture into the small spinney, it’s worthwhile to take some time out to enjoy your surroundings and the countryside.

Exploring Further Afield

The farm is situated on the edge of The National Forest, just two miles along pretty countryside lanes lays the quintessentially English village of Market Bosworth, at the heart of the area lays the fascinating Bosworth Battlefield pivotal to England's rich and colourful past.
There are many walks to enjoy; Leicestershire is a county of surprisingly varied landscape. Charnwood Forest is a wild jumble of crags, rocky outcrops, open heath land and undulating ridges. The area provides dramatic walking amongst the ancient granite outcrops and remaining oak woods. There are fine views from the tops of Beacon Hill and Bardon Hill.
You may like a canal side walk; from the canal side village of Shackerstone you can take a train ride to the Bosworth Field battle site.
And then there is the National Forest on the doorstep; the National Forest really does have something for everyone. With more than 700 miles of paths to explore, the gentle undulating landscape is perfect for walking, cycling and horse-riding. And through the creation of new habitats, it is an ideal location for bird and wildlife watching.

Get on "Yer Bike" and Explore Leicestershire

There are many cycle trails to enjoy in the area; either bring your own bike or hire bikes from the farm.

Country Pursuits: Riding, Fishing and Diving(!)

Hinckley Equestrian

Markfield Equestrian Centre