What’s going on?
What’s going on at the farm this week..
Catch up on all the week’s gossip and see what your favourite animals have been up to. We’ll also add any upcoming events to this page, so keep checking to find out what’s going on.
Whatever the season, whatever the weather, there is always something going on at Ferme du Bourdicou. Each season of the year brings different tasks and challenges. Most of the time it is a very busy, happy and noisy place. Occasionally though, there are some sad times too.
In February 2023, our wonderful Naz trotted over the rainbow bridge. He was one of three darling donkeys that came to us from an animal refuge about three hours away. Aged 40 years old, he was the sweetest, most loving donkey you could ever hope to meet – and also one of the most stubborn!
Like all our donkeys, Naz was extremely popular with farm visitors and volunteers alike. His passing has created a huge hole in our hearts. But he has also given us some extremely funny and wonderful memories, that will last us a lifetime.
R.I.P. Naz
DID YOU KNOW…
…that 1 year in a donkey’s life is equivalent to 3 years for a human? That means that at 40 years old, our grand old man was 120 years in human terms. That’s a very good innings for a donkey or a human!
Although some donkeys live to 45 years, in the wild they have an average lifespan of between 27 and 40 years. So if you are thinking about getting a donkey, just be aware that owning a donkey is definitely a long-term commitment.
Always Busy With Our Weekly Bakes
Whatever the weather we are always busy making sweet and savoury dishes to sell in the Farm Shop. From ginger brownies and coffee and walnut cake, sausage rolls and apple crumble cake.. always tasty and they go down a treat with our customers. They can’t get enough of them!
Our delicious, organic farm fresh produce can be ordered and paid for online and collected from the Farm Gate shop on Fridays, between 10am and 2pm.
Why bees are worth buzzing about
“While they may be small, bees’ special relationship with plants makes them hugely important to our planet. Bees are incredibly industrious, brilliant at building, super social, and – most importantly – responsible for a third of every mouthful of food you eat! But bees are in decline across the world. So it is important that we understand the world of bees, not only to help support them, but also because it is a fascinating example of our natural environment at work”.
From The Bee Book By Charlotte Milner
What is Pollination?
In simple terms, pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from one flower to another to help them breed. Up to 95% of all the flowering plants on earth need help with pollination. Pollen grains are transferred mainly by wind, water, insects and animals.
Pollinators – bees, bats, butterflies, wasps and lots of other creatures play a huge role in pollinating plants! But out of all of these, in natural ecosystems, honey bees are the single most important species of pollinator in the whole world!
Our New Hives!
We have two new, separate hives, one of wild bees that decided to make ferme du Bourdicou their permanent home. And another hive of bees of Italian origin. We’re so excited to have them here, helping to pollinate the plants.
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.” – Dr Jane Goodall
Create a Self-Watering System for Plants
Keeping your plants and the garden watered through the growing year can be challenging. And at planting time and the peak of summer it often needs to be done on a daily basis. There is also a lot of water wastage which is not good from a water conservation point of view. It takes a lot of time and effort – and can cost you money. Using this ancient gardening technique means moisture is slowly released to the plants roots without wasting precious water.