Tatton’s farm animals prepare to say thank you at Home Farm

Tatton’s Home Farm animals will be wriggling into their Sunday best for Harvest Festival weekend.

This annual festival, one of the Farm’s favourites, is a fantastic way to mark the end of summer and celebrate another successful season. The farm has many things to be thankful for so far this year including the birth of 25 piglets, 58 lambs and 8 calves. Their farming year has also seen the arrival of a new Large Black pig-Lola and Tabitha their beloved Shire Horse has just been scanned in foal so staff will see the patter of tiny hooves in 2017 not forgetting all the crops to be thankful for, a barn full of hay and a large crop of maize to help feed the animals through the coming winter months.

The Festival takes place on Saturday September 17 and Sunday September 18 when visitors will be invited to come along and join in. For those with pets it’s an opportunity to have them blessed at a special harvest blessing on Saturday and Sunday at 2pm, accompanied by the Preston Brook Brass Band. Local minister Sharon Meyer will give thanks for the season and bless the beloved farm animals.

A number of special activities take place during the weekend, including sheep racing with this year’s dynamic Roald Dahl themed racing team of Violet, Sophie, Matilda and George. The sheep have been delighting farm visitors with this daily event and it has certainly been a close run competition.

Throughout the weekend visitors will also be able to see traditional spinning displays and take part in a number of harvest related craft activities, including making corn dollies and scarecrows and Harvest story time with local story teller Elizabeth Morris.

The Cheshire Guild of Woodturners will also demonstrate traditional skills of pole lathing and wood-turning and the traction engine will be running and on display.

Farm manager Jayne Chapman said “Harvest is a very special event, a time to say thank you for all our new arrivals and celebrate all our hard work throughout the year. This years’ service will incorporate a final goodbye to Kippy the faithful Farm sheepdog. What time could be more fitting than the Harvest blessing to say farewell to this special lady and my best friend.”

Harvest Festival at the Farm
Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 from noon to 5pm (last entry 4pm). Normal farm admission and Park entry charges apply.

Home Farm opening times and prices
The farm is open for high season (until October 30, 2016) Tuesday to Sunday from noon-5pm (last entry 4pm). The remainder of the year the farm opens weekends 11am – 4pm (last entry 3pm).

Prices for single attraction entry: adult £6, child £4 (aged four to 15 years of age), family £16 (two adults and up to three children).

Totally Tatton Ticket (entry to three attractions: mansion, gardens and farm): Adult £11, child (aged 4 to 15) £5.50, family (two adults and up to three children) £27.50. National Trust members pay 50% entry to the farm. Park entry charge of £6 per car applies to all.

For further information about this release contact:

Vicky Wilby, Marketing Department Tel: 01625 374417 / Email: Vicky.wilby@cheshireeast.gov.uk       www.tattonpark.org.uk

Tatton Park is managed and financed by Cheshire East Council on behalf of the National Trust. This impressive historic estate receives in the region of 800,000 visitors every year all of whom come to enjoy its Georgian mansion, Tudor Old Hall, award- winning gardens and 1930s rare breeds farm. The 1,000-acre deer park is home to red and fallow deer and the estate also boasts speciality shops, adventure playground, restaurant, Gardener’s Cottage tea room and a year-round events programme.

The Tatton Park Vision
The `Tatton Park Vision’ is the park’s 5 year vision for its visitor activities and aims to substantially develop its visitor experience by increasing the attractions and activities on offer. In delivering the vision the aim is to fully realise Tatton Park’s potential and present the best possible experience for its current and new visitors in order to provide new and sustainable income to help manage and conserve the historic estate into the future. This will be done through a programme of investment by Cheshire East Council and the attraction of new business. For more information about the vision visit

www.tattonpark.org.uk/vision