2021 Autumn Holiday Part Five - Who wants to see pictures of cute farm animals?

Just a quick note from me to say a massive thankyou to everyone who visits and reads my blog. I woke up this morning to discover that I had hit 20,000 visits since I started the blog in 2012. It's amazing to be able to share what I do and see with you all, and even better to know that people keep coming back to read more! I know that the blog is still very far behind, but I am continuing to write and queue the posts so there is a new one every Wednesday & Sunday for you. At some point I will be fully caught up, but until then, I hope you continue to enjoy the posts. Anyway, thankyou again for all your support!

As October is typically the time it starts getting colder, more colds seem to circulate, and the day after Scarborough James woke up with a steaming cold. We did a covid test which was thankfully negative, but he did need the day in bed. I did a little walk around the site, there wasn't much to do, and then walked into Easingwold for wander about. I got some tasty pastries from a little bakery, grabbed myself a lunch in a cafe, then headed back, armed with cold and flu remedies for James. I spent the rest of the day laid down, chilling in the hot tub, reading and just generally relaxing, which was quite nice to do. 

James was feeling better the next day, and we decided to do an outing, but we ready to come back if he started feeling worse again. We headed towards Temple Newsam & the Leeds home farm. Looking at cute animals can cure a cold, can't it? 

The Leeds Home Farm, is billed as one of the largest farms in the world specialising in preserving rare breeds, and it is a large site. There is plenty to see and do, with many buildings left open for you to wander in and see how farming standards have changed over time. It also shows you how technology has helped to increase yields and productivity, but also how we need to look after and cherish these once popular breeds, who have been replaced by species bred to provide more & more.

We started off in the tea room so James could get a cup of tea to carry around with him to keep him warm, I went for a carton of juice that had this brilliant barcode, something I only noticed as I went to put it in the bin. 


Such little adorable babies! They were very shy, but made sure we were paying attention them with the occasional bleating! 

We also spotted some feathered friends sat around the pond, although they weren't interested in us. Posh & snobby ducks! 
Inside one of the barns, where these cheeky & inquisitive goats were staying, who came and sniffed us, I think hoping for something to eat!
Just follow the path marked with pigs heads and butts! 
These were the glorious Tamworth pigs, snuffling about looking for tasty morsels. They are just the most beautiful colour I have ever seen on a pig, the pictures don't do them justice, they just seemed to glow in the sunlight. 
One of the cows, also looking for a tasty morsel in the bottom of the trough!

You can get tickets for both the house and garden, but the house can only be done as a guided tour, and there was no tickets left for the day which was a shame. But I've had a look online, and the inside of the house looks to be so so special, I've left a marker on Google Maps, so we can try and visit again in the future when we are nearby. A combi ticket for the house and farm is £13.50, or if you want them separately, it's £10 for the house, and just a fiver for the farm. For the farm, that is very good value, and we spent a couple of hours there.
James was starting to feel the effects of the cold by now, and was in need of some time to rest, so we had a quick wander outside the house, it's a beautiful Tudor style mansion, full of little details, like this curious entrance that really sticks out.
The gardens were originally designed by Capability Brown, but open mining during the second world war destroyed most of it, although there has been some attempt to recover the landscape. Definitely one to spend more time at in the future at a better time. There's also a couple of little shops there too, with a wide variety of bits and bobs available for purchase. Next time I'm there, I'll do a proper review of the house and gardens. But until then, it's back to the glorified static caravan to allow James some time to rest, and for me to eat a tub of Ben & Jerry's while in the hot tub. Can't get better than that! 

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