Animal Farm II - the return (From Stroud News and Journal)

Animal Farm II - the return

A POPULAR open farm that closed six years ago has once more opened its gates to the public with big plans for the future.

Robert Jewell, 63, and his wife Elaine, 55 had been welcoming the public onto their farm in Arlingham for ten years before having to close for personal reasons in 1998.

But now, nearly seven years later, they are now back, bigger and better than before.

St Augustine's farm, attracts visitors from all over the country as a popular destination with families looking to spend a day out.

It is also a favourite on the curriculum for schools on educational excursions.

There's a myriad of farmyard animals there from pigs, goats, ponies, ducks, hens and rabbits.

Rob said: "A lot of the children that come here have never even seen a real cow up close.

"Lots of them have seen cows on TV and when they see the calves they think that they are fully grown and are shocked at how big a real cow is.

"These days farming has declined and because of problems such as foot and mouth farms have become a lot more closed and less accessible so it's good for people to come and see what life is like on a working farm."

Guests can currently watch the cows being milked, practise hand-milking a wooden cow, feed the poultry and cuddle the guinea pigs as well as visit the goats, shetland ponies, ducks and wildlife area.

Since they were last open the couple have built a visitors centre with a shop and cafe that can be hired out for children's parties and a conservation area.

But the couple, with the help of their 15 year-old daughter, Felicity are planning to develop the attraction further with a farm trail, trailer rides and pigs and they eventually hope get some llamas to add to their collection.

The farm has been in Rob's family for more than 200 years so the couple have collected a number of farming artefacts including a handwound sheep-shearing tool and an early milk bottling machine which they plan to use to develop an on-site farming museum.

Rob says that because the farm is a fully operational dairy-farm, visitors can learn what rural life is really like.

"Our unique-selling point is that this is a proper working farm so people can join in everyday life on the farm," he said.

The decison to open up their farm to the public came about by accident.

"In the early 80s we had a campsite here and the campers used to love coming onto the farm and we thought the public might like to as well so it just grew out of that," said Elaine.

When the couple announced that they were planning to re-open they were inundated with support.

Rob said: "I thought people would have forgotten about us because it's been nearly six years since we closed but people were really keen to see us re-open.

"We have been surprised and pleased by the kind messages we have received."

The farm is open from 11am to 5pm every week from Tuesday to Sunday as well as Bank Holidays.

For more information contact Elaine and Rob Jewell on 01452 740277 or email staugustines@btconnect.com.