The All Day Big Breakfast at Bucklawren Farm was again a huge success. The locally produced breakfast was enjoyed by 210 people and there was great interest in the Shelterbox Tent erected on the front lawn. Robert and Jean Henly were delighted by the generosity of all those who attended, resulting in a magnificent total of £2600 raised of which St Martins Church, Looe will benefit by £1000, Rotary Shelterbox £1050 and Childrens Hospice South West £550.

Many thanks go to the band of hard working helpers from Cornish Farm Holidays and The Rotary Club of Looe Valley.

Get stuck in to the countryside on working farms in Yorkshire this Summer

Get your ‘hands dirty’ this summer by heading to the beautiful Yorkshire countryside for a nostalgic break with a difference.  Stay on a working farm and rub shoulders with the animals.  Get to grips with the countryside by gathering and eating the freshest produce and take part in a whole host of rural pursuits.

See exactly where your food comes from

Staying on one of our working farms gives you a great opportunity to see exactly where your food comes from just before it arrives in delicious abundance on your plate.  Humble Bee Farm and Rawcliffe House Farm allow you to work up an appetite for breakfast by gathering eggs still warm from the hens.

Cut down on food miles

Stay local – shop local. Leave the supermarket behind and indulge yourself with tasty treats straight from the farm by ordering a breakfast hamper from Layhead Farm Cottages.  Enjoy Caroline’s delicious home baked goods at the Grade II listed Cundall Lodge Farm. Tuck into bread made with home milled flour at Crakehall Watermill and enjoy homemade sausages at Pickersgill Manor Farm.

Relax

Get away from it all by relaxing in any one of our idyllic country settings.  Sample the great outdoors in style at Humble Bee Farm by opting for one of their ‘Glamping Packages’.  Little extras such as bunting, fairy lights, fire pit with toasted marshmallows, wine and chocolates are guaranteed help you start relaxing as soon as you arrive.

Pamper yourself at Cundall Lodges by booking one of their restful beauty treatments – no better way to relax at the end of a day’s walking. Or leave the hustle and bustle behind and enjoy life’s simple pleasures at Carr House Farm where you can step into the beautiful views, listen to the birds and smell the wild flowers all from their doorstep.

Learn a new skill

Visit Taste the Wild near Cundall Lodge Farm to learn how to forage for food or try a woodland craft.  Strap on your helmet and explore the beautiful countryside near Low Skibeden House on two wheels.  Or follow in the footsteps of smugglers by exploring the coastline near Smugglers Rock Country House. You can even join a shooting party at Newton Grange Farm.

De-stress

A visit to the countryside allows you to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and occupy yourself with some good old fashioned rural pursuits.  You can try pony trekking, golf and fishing near Swainstye Farm Holiday Cottages.  Or visit the British Horse Society Horse and Pony Trials near Newton Grange Farm.

Digital detox

Take advantage of the countryside by stepping into the ‘view’ and finding out what lies behind it.  Newton Grange Farm has the Pennine Way and Leeds to Liverpool Canal on their door step just waiting to be explored. Whilst Rawcliffe House Farm is set in a wildlife lover’s paradise with roe deer, badgers and many species of bird living nearby.  Walk straight past the television in the lounge at Pickersgill Manor Farm and have a go at rug making. Or try the games room at Lingholm Farm Cottages.

Meet the locals

Roll up your sleeves and get up close and personal with the farm animals at The Grainary.  Feed the chickens, pet the pigs and try out one of six wonderful nature walks designed by owners Lynda and John.  Or become best of friends with Rawcliffe House Farm’s three pet pygmy goats, Pan, Perseus and Phoebus.

Bring the ‘whole’ family with you

You don’t have to leave anyone behind!  Life Hill Farm wants you to holiday with your horse. They offer traditional stabling and a good sized paddock with views over wooded countryside.  They also offer a dog sitting service should owners want to visit local towns or country houses without them. You can also pamper your pooch at Humble Bee Farm with a mouth-watering canine hamper service.

Some of our members have already bounced into Spring and the first lambs are already causing mischief – farms including Elmsted Court and Scaife Hall; check out our facebook page for some pictures.

Other than lambs, this week we’re busy searching for a farm to host The Times magazine and have members registering to have a beacon for Her Majesty the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations so if you want to stay on a farm with a Jubilee Beacon, sign up to our newsletter and we’ll keep you updated.

Andy

Foxtwood Cottages in the glorious Staffordshire Moorlands – 7 stunning self catering cottages in 30 acres with a lakeside setting, environmentally friendly and peace and quiet.

Old Kennels Farm near Ledbury, Herefordshire – 6 delightful cottages on a small family run working farm

Hicks Farm near Presteigne – 2 secluded cottages on bordering Powys, Shropshire and Herefordshire complete with an indoor swimming pool.

As the days get longer and Easter isn’t far away, take a look and see what’s on offer.  You might even find a bargain on the Special Offers page

Ms W – Alconbury, Cambridgeshire; Mrs B – Sandhurst, Surrey; Ms P – South Cerney, Gloucestershire;

Miss L – Halesowen, West Midlands; Mr P – Grantham, Lincolnshire

The Gift Vouchers are on their way to you in the post and can be used at any of our Self Catering or B&B Farm Stay properties throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and are valid for two years from date of issue.  If you would like our 2012 brochure to help you choose where to stay you can order one here.

Our next outing at a Show is due to be Countrytastic at the Malvern Showground on 12 April – do come and say hello.

Shake up your wake up with Farmhouse Breakfast Week 22nd-28th January 2012.

Farm Stay have teamed up with Shake up Your Wake Up in an attempt to highlight the importance of breakfast.

We have all been guilty of skipping breakfast at some point, so why not get involved with Farmhouse Breakfast Week 2012?

A few interesting breakfast facts courtesy of HGCA:

One in four adults skip breakfast at some stage during the week

One in six adults never eat breakfast4

11% of women aged 25-39 say they’d like to eat breakfast but don’t have time

19% of people who work full-time say they don’t really have time to eat a proper breakfast on a weekday

40% of us miss breakfast at least once in a working week due to oversleeping

For more information on how you can get involved with Farmhouse Breakfast Week 2012, see shakeupyourwakeup.com or farmstay.co.uk/shakeupyourwakeup

Farm Stay members Lionel Green and Alison Barnes from Crakehall Watermill featured on BBC’s The Big Bread Experiment.

The BBC2 Series is a social experiment to bring back a sense of community among a group of women in Yorkshire.

You can catch up with The Big Bread Experiement on Iplayer

In the run up to Christmas, don’t forget to add Farm Stay gift tokens to your wish list. They make a great gift for a friend or family member who enjoys a countryside holiday.

Our gift tokens are valid for two years from the date of purchase, and can be redeemed at any of our member properties.

Available in denominations of £10, £20, £25, £50 and £100.

For more information see our Gift Tokens page on the website.

Lincoln Christmas market, Image courtesy of LCC

Come along to the famous Lincoln Christmas Market located around the Cathedral and Castle.

The Market is held from 1st-4th December 2011.

Whilst visiting the popular markets, why not extend your stay in Lincolnshire and stay on a farm.

See www.farmstay.co.uk/lincolnshire for details.

The Farm Stay AGM and Conference kicked off at Slaley Hall in Northumbria on Sunday afternoon.

Our members enjoyed a Quiz Night and buffet on Sunday evening, then a guided tour of either Hadrian’s Wall or the museums and galleries in Durham the following day. A champagne reception, three-course meal and ceilidh dancing was thoroughly enjoyed at the Gala Dinner on Monday evening.

Gala Dinner

An early start for everyone the next day as the AGM and conference commenced for most members, while some headed for a guided tour of  Kielder Water.

L-R Guest speaker Ken Robinson, Farm Stay Chairman Barbara Sleep, Farm Stay Chief Executive Andy Woodward

Former Chairman of the Tourism Alliance Ken Robinson was a guest speaker. Other guests included representatives from Podcats, Mullin Design and Positive PR.