40 years of Beacon Hill Children’s Farm are many memories and stories – more than we can document. But this gallery give a little bit of an inside look.
Take a step back in history and remembering special animals and events together!
Gentle Giant: Big Bob
Do you remember Big Bob?
In April 1999, the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm hosted this massive 3,700 lb Chianina x Limousin bull for about three weeks. His appetite was as huge as he was. Big Bob could eat about 15 kilograms of grain each day, plus A LOT of hay at snacktime. Big Bob belonged to a vet on the mainland and was shown at the PNE in the summer. We’ll never forget his time at the farm. He made a enormous impression 😉
Great Little Lady: Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter lived at the farm for 24 years and during that time had a huge impact on many lives.
Peanut Butter was born on June 26th 1991 and when she came to live at the farm in 1998, she was just seven years old and expecting her first baby. She gave birth to a little colt named Jelly. A few years later, in 2001 she became a mom a second time, this time to a little filly called Honey. Her third pregnancy in 2007 was disrupted by a serious medical complication and unfortunately ended with a misscarriage. To our great relief Peanut Butter wasn’t hurt physically, but because we were worried about her health, we decided not to breed her again.
Nevertheless, Peanut Butter had so many more happy years ahead of her, she became very tightly bonded to both our donkeys, Opal and Taffy, the three of them are like family. And Peanut Butter also made a perfect auntie to the babies of her two donkey friends.
A disappearing with a sad ending: Archer
THE CHILDREN’S FARM
(Some thoughts for little Archer)
Here in beautiful Beacon Hill Park
We have our very own Noah’s Ark.
The Children’s Farm is its actual name.
Making people happy is its claim to fame.
The animals are friendly and the staff are too.
It’s much less formal than a big city zoo.
See finches in the aviary and ducks on the pond.
Call Spot, the white cat. He’s sure to respond.
There’s a horse and a donkey and alpacas – two!
And right next door Priscilla the zebu.
A peacock calls from roof or fence rail
Then flies down to display his magnificent tail.
Lambs chase chickens, pigs snuffle the ground,
All quite contented to have people around.
Enjoy the goat babies as they play in the sun.
They jump and butt heads and have lots of fun.
Goats like to be brushed and patted with care
But don’t pick them up, they might nibble your hair!
At the end of the day comes the greatest fun.
Watch the goats rush by – it’s the Roundup Run.
They race to the barn for a rest and some hay
And visitors leave after a happy day.
We are so lucky to have the Farm
With the animals and people and country charm.
Some days have been sad at the Farm in the Park.
The death of little Archer has left its mark.
His loss and return touched hearts far and wide
But too much damage was done and sadly he died.
We’ll not forget little Archer nor that painful time
He was stolen away. Such a pointless crime.
The farm teaches children to be thoughtful and kind
To all birds and animals whether wild or confined.
To treat with respect, to protect and not harm.
That is the joy of the Children’s Farm.
Julie Adamson
June 2003
Our Zebu lady: Priscilla
Our oldest goat: Sweetheart Peg
Peg’s life at the farm was special and she touch many of our visitors through her wise and gentle nature.
Peg’s legacy will forever live on in our memories of our times together and here at the farm through her offspring living in our goat herd.
Today the oldest member of our goat herd is Astra, born in 2012, and she is Great-grand-daughter and her kids and grandkids are part of our colourful herd – everyon eof them them carrying a little bit of Peg inside.
Farm Cat and Greeter: Spot
For 14 years farm cat Spot used to be the first animal that visitors to the farm met and her enjoyed his special role as greeter and ambassador including all the attention from visitors and staff.
Biggest delivery ever: Fresca and her sixtuplets
In all of 40 years this only happened ones: Momma goat Fresca gave birth to 6 babies (for comparison a average litter for a miniature goat is 2 or 3 babies). Due to the staff assisting with the delivery all 6 babies were alive at birth, but sadly the smallest girl “Aphrodite” was very small and not fully developed.
Here at the farm we fight for everyone and so the staff tired everything for this little girl, keeping her warm and feeding her around the clock with her with eyedropper. Unfortunately, Aphrodite wasn’t growing stronger – her body was just not ready for this world – and she passed away after two days.
Her siblings grew up to strong and healthy with mums care and some extra help from the staff.
