There are lots of agricultural shows across Devon during the season, all great fun for the family.

Devon County show was last week. Many Devon Farms members were showing animals and running stalls.

Champion and Reserve rare and primitive sheep shown by Richard Barker

Phil Dallyn and others in the show ring

The show ring

A reluctant show sheep

Early on the first day

The summer holidays are fast approaching and as you can see there is plenty to do in Devon.  Not only do we have amazing attractions that suit the whole family, we also have the  natural beauty of the moors and  beaches. Devon has so much to offer and the friendliest of people.

Here are  a few great things to do now and there will be plenty to follow all through summer, in fact all year round.

Journeys Into Middle-Earth’ Exhibition at RHS Garden Rosemoor

There’s something for everyone at the Devon County Show! See the animals, enjoy the attractions plus fabulous local food and drink.
Devon County Showground, Exeter is the place to be, Thursday May 22nd – Saturday May 24th 2014, all the family will enjoy the show, with everything from the delicate blooms of the flower tent to magnificent showjumping and livestock displays!
Take time to enjoy the main ring events, buy beautiful, hand made crafts or try delicious country cooking, Devon County Show is a celebration of the Devon countryside.
Come and visit us on the Devon Farms stand, we are always happy to meet new friends as well as our ‘old ones!’
See you there!

Westpoint
Clyst St Mary
Exeter
Devon EX5 1DJ
Tel: 01392 446000 Read more ›

Here is Henrietta, our new mascot. She was in the Western morning news on Wednesday this week. She took a trip to Thorne Park, one of our members homes in North Devon where she helped to feed the lambs.

Perhaps you will join us for Easter and try your hand at feeding lambs too. Check out our Special offers page for Easter offers.

www.devonfarms.co.uk

After the deluges of such an extraordinary winter, it’s good to be able to say that our farms are well and truly open for business!

Whether you’re looking for a secluded Self-catering cottage or a lovely indulgent B&B – it’s here on one of our friendly farms in Devon.  Spring seems to have come early, there are masses of daffodils everywhere, the birds are singing like crazy, and there are lambs appearing all over the place.

Everyone talks about the dawn chorus, but have you ever listened to the “dusk chorus”?  I think that as many birds are singing just as it’s getting dark, as sing  in the mornings – stop and listen one evening, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

The primroses are just getting into their stride now, a flower that Devon is justly famed for, they literally drip out of the high hedges, soon followed by bluebells and white stitchwort.

It will soon be Mothering Sunday, that will be the weekend the clocks go forward, and a real foretaste of summer with the lighter evenings,, followed in a few weeks by Easter.  It’s quite late this year, with the prospect of good weather as we approach May, so book your holiday treat soon and don’t be disappointed!

Devon Farms recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary, which was held at Bicton Agricultural College – this was where it all started 25 years ago with the launch of our organisation.

We had a really brilliant day with beautiful warm and sunny weather.  About 125 people attended, there were demonstrations of flower arranging, and felting, using local wool, and several of our members had stalls to display their further diversifications.  Our members are an inventive lot, as shown by the diversity of items on offer.  Several of our members now offer Wedding venues, one takes people walking on Dartmoor with a packed lunch carried by Llamas!  Another works their whole farm with horses, and also uses the horses for cart rides, Weddings and even funerals.  Many of us were able to enjoy a ride round the grounds of Bicton on the cart, in the warm Spring sunshine.

We had an absolute feast of different foods for lunch, provided by the members – everyone pitching in and bringing some tasty home-made treats.

The Guest Speaker was David Kennard, famed for his films about his sheep-dog, Mist.  He gave a captivating and very amusing talk illustrated with slides to illustrate his working life with his dogs and sheep on the North Devon Coast.

Our Patron Anthony Gibson attended, as did Richard Haddock – I believe there is a photo of him cuddling Henrietta the hen, who will be photographed in many situations in the next few months to help promote our farm holiday accommodation.

It was great to get together with friends and colleagues old and new, many of the inaugural members attended, and there was a warm and friendly atmosphere as we all chatted and ate our way through the delicious lunch!

The Heart of Devon

Here in the Heart of Devon we have a fabulous small museum that is well worth a visit www.tivertonmuseum.org.uk – it is also doubling up as the centre for tourism information in the area. It’s a great place to find out about local history and explore all the interesting things that you can do in this part of the county.

We’re looking forward to joining up with other Devon Farms groups from across the Devonshire countryside to celebrate 25 years of this unique organisation. Our Open Day will be at Bicton College www.bicton.ac.uk  at East Budleigh on Wednesday 12 March where a range of members’ diversification projects will be on show. Between listening to David Kennard (of Mist the Sheepdog fame) and watching demonstrations, there will be local food prepared by members to be sampled and lots of good old fashioned networking to be done. i.e. chatting! We’d love to welcome potential new members to Devon Farms too.
Many Devon Farms members recently attended a Tourism Growth course in Exeter to guide us through the maze of social media and how to manage our on line reputation. Although we live and work in some of the most beautiful countryside we still have to stay on the button with up to the minute technology.

I’d like to say ‘Hello!’

The North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival kicks off in Ilfracombe and packs a lot in between April 26 and May 5. There are more than 41 guided walks to choose from as the festival progresses from the North Devon town after 2 days to visit Lynton, 2 days. Porlock, 3 days, and finally 3 days in Dunster over the May Day bank holiday. Each area kicks off with a welcome evening in a local pub to meet the guides. More than half of the walks are dog friendly and some of the walks include food in the booking fee. There is everything from town and village strolls to half a day of moor or coastal walking.

www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk                                 

Happy New Year to one and all and where better to spend your holiday this year than beautiful Devon. We have so much to offer, comfortable and affordable accommodation, numerous attractions that cater for every age, interest and ability and to top it all we have beaches, moorland and many other breathtaking locations.
Devon is all about rolling countryside, quaint villages and clotted cream! Of course there are bustling towns, busy markets and friendly people, so what are you waiting for? look us up and enjoy a farm holiday that you will always remember and want to experience again and again.
www.devonfarms.co.uk