More than 1,100 visitors flocked to The Children’s Centre’s Community Farm for its first open weekend. The Farm, based at Wallberry Farm on the Carnane Estate off the Old Castletown Road in Douglas, opened to the public for the first time last Saturday and Sunday and families and children from across the Island enjoyed a range of fun activities on both days.
Visitors were also able to see animals currently at home on the farm, including three pigs, a donkey called Juan, two rabbits, two guinea pigs, plus the farm dog and farm cats. Other attractions included expert demonstrations of traditional Manx crafts, a chance to buy Manx produce from local suppliers, and to take part in a ‘Countryside Olympics’ featuring a welly-winging competition, egg and spoon and sack races, and a guess the weight of a sheep competition. Visitors needing to keep up their energy levels after taking part in all of these events tucked in to a hog roast and enjoyed a variety of other food and refreshments.
Chrissy Cannell, Farm Development Officer, said she was delighted with the response from the public and added that another open weekend was already being planned for the summer. She said:
“It was a marvellous weekend and we’re delighted not only with the number of visitors who came along but also with the overwhelmingly positive reaction from everyone who attended. The Community Farm open weekend provided a ideal days out for families and children and it was also educational as children learned about caring for animals, growing crops, and traditional crafts. We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who came along, all the volunteers who made the open weekend possible, staff from The Mailbox restaurant who very kindly gave up their free time to cook a hog roast and prepare food for all the visitors, and Capital International for paying for the food. We look forward to welcoming everyone again for another open weekend in the summer and will be publicising the date for this when it has been confirmed.”
In total the open weekend raised just over £1,400 with all funds going towards the future development of The Community Farm. Since it the project began in January 2011 staff and volunteers at The Community Farm have been creating an environment in which children and young people from across the Island can learn, from practical experience, the skills needed to care for animals and to grow crops. The farm also has workshops where children learn skills that will be put to good use in maintaining and repairing farm tools and machinery. For more information about The Community Farm go to http://www.thechildrenscentre.org.im/what-we-do/community-farm/ or contact Chrissy Cannell, Farm Development Officer, on 610540 or by emailing farm@thechildrenscentre.org.im
