Wheatacre Hall Barns Blog

Spring At Wheatacre

2008-04-18T19:10:00.002Z

As the months quickly roll by Spring is in the air at Wheatacre. Many of the ducks are now laying and sitting tight on their eggs so soon many duckings are expected to be seen on the pond. The weather on the other hand has not quite been as expected. At present we are having our share of April showers but luckily between the showers the sun has been shining. A very busy Easter period has now passed with many children now returning to school. Easter brought us snow. Plenty of snowmen suddenly sprung up on Easter morning around the yard. It was Easter not Christmas wasn't it??

The Games room which opened in October has become a firm favourite along with the Hot Tub which was used throughout the Winter months - a quick dash back to the warm interiors of the barns after a long lingering relax has been a popular activity.

A new service has just been launched at Wheatacre. A local caterer and friend has produced a menu to suit all tastes, meals produced locally from fresh local ingredients can await guests on their arrival or be ordered during their stay. No more worries for your first meal just relax and open a bottle of wine and your meal awaits. Country Cuisine menus are sent to guests before their arrival and meals can be ordered in advance.

On the farm many new calves continue to arrive and are soon moved up to the barns site where they enjoy their visits from guests. Milking still proves a popular afternoon activity, many children getting their first encounter up close with the cows!

On the land work has been very slow due to the excess rain we have had in the area over the past few weeks, once weather permits sugar beet drilling will be in full swing, fertilizing and spraying jobs are all mounting. Although everything always seems to get done in the end!

Bookings are very pleasing over the coming months and I look forward to meeting many new faces from all over the country in the weeks ahead. Lets hope for a sunny, warm and long lasting Summer!!

Games Room Opens

2007-10-27T09:36:00.001Z

At last I am pleased to report the Games Room at Wheatacre Hall barns is open. The half-term break at the barns has been very busy with the new games room proving to be a big hit with our younger and older guests!!

We have a pool table, table tennis and football table and to view a large projector screen. Many family tournaments have been played over the last week with mostly the younger guests getting the upper hand over their parents!! With only a few outside jobs to complete on our latest project it will be time to reflect before a new idea takes shape. Perhaps a pool...............or their are two more barns I wish to convert.........in time.

On the farm the weather has been very kind for a change and drilling is nearly complete most of the winter corns are now in the ground and sugar beet is starting to be lifted. As we are now calving our cows all the year round there is usally a calving during the week for our vistors to see, the new born calves are a joy for the younger guests.

As well reported in the press Blue Tongue has come to our area, all our cattle have been blood tested by DEFRA who are now just plotting the cases and no direct action is taken. With an insect bore disease and low laying marshes with wetlands I believe it is a disease that will be here to stay in the UK and we will learn to live with it in the future.

Christmas is rapidly coming and it is now time to plan for the festive period for our first Christmas at Wheatacre Barns bookings are very good and I look forward to meeting some new friends over this period.

Summer At Last

2007-08-04T15:50:00.000Z

As I am writing this on a Saturday the sun is at last shining, the weather for the last few days has become settled and hopefully we have seen the last of the heavy showers for a few days.

My guests at the barns are making the most of the improved weather and heading for the coast to enjoy the great beaches. Africa Alive and Fritton Lake are also proving very popular, and for the under 5's Pettitts is a must.

On the farm harvest has begun, the Oilseed Rape and Winter Barley has been harvested and now the Wheat is in full swing. The straw is being baled for forage and bedding for the winter months, we have to bring straw in from other farms also to enable us to have sufficient stocks for the winter. The grass silage was at last cut and placed in the large Ag-bags, another crop for the winter months for the cows.

Work on the games room has at last begun, a delay in obtaining the builders services was caused due to the wet weather. The walls have now been sand blasted and a new floor laid, hopefully work on the roof should commence next week. At present I am busy hunting down pool, football and table tennis tables for everyone's enjoyment. I am also looking at a large projector screen for films, music and sport.

August is proving to be a busy month at the barns almost fully booked for the whole month, for a new project very encouraging - the hot tub is proving to be a great hit and the grass area very good for outside games and a very large connect 4 and other garden size games great for the hot weather.

Hopefully next time I can report on the opening of the games room.................very soon.

Photo's

2007-06-29T20:26:00.001Z

Hot Tub

Exterior Mallard

Photo's

2007-06-29T20:24:00.000Z

Exterior Woodcock and Snipe

Photo's of Woodcock and Snipe

2007-06-29T20:07:00.001Z

Interior Woodcock/Snipe

Twin room in Woodcock/Snipe

Double king-size bedroom Woodcock/Snipe

Snipe & Woodcock Open

2007-06-23T15:40:00.000Z

At last the site at Wheatacre is builder free!! The last few weeks have been very hectic and therefore no blog additions, Snipe and Woodcock(pictures very soon) are now completed and up and running, our first guests in these two properties seemed very impressed. Although smaller than the other holiday barns, Snipe and Woodcock do not lack any character, a careful restoration from the old granary ensured our 'smiley' barn stayed very much the same from the exterior.
The opening of Snipe and Woodcock coincided with the start of the show season for our cows, the first show being the Suffolk Show. A very busy week of travelling up and down the A12 enabled the barn to be fully kitted out and I was able to help with the show preparation of the cows. Not much sleep but a surprisingly successful show, the 'girls' excelled their selves beyond or hopes as this year as most of the herd is calving later and therefore not able to go to the shows - a reserve team headed to Ipswich and gained Champion British Friesian, Reserve Champion Holstein and Reserve Interbreed Champion. Last week we headed off to the East of England Show at Peterborough, a lull in bookings meant I could stay at the show all weekend phew! saving the travelling. Dairy numbers are significantly down at this show but the organisers are trying to encourage the dairy industry back - we had a few successes and a few surprises with our calves a good sign for the future! Next week we head off to our local show the Royal Norfolk at Norwich. The Royal Norfolk seems to hold numbers in competitors quite steady and competition is always hot! Although the beef breeds have risen sharply over the years - this is a certain sign of the times with decreasing numbers of dairy herds in the county. Hopefully the 'girls' will strut their stuff! All of the family are now home from University so its all hands on deck for the show.
On the farm rain has delayed the spraying programme but our vining Peas for Birds Eye were harvested between heavy showers. Before we know it harvest will be upon us, lets hope for a sunny few weeks for us to get in the harvest and my new visitors to enjoy our Farm in the sunshine.

FIVE STARS

2007-04-20T17:06:00.000Z

Following are visit on Thursday, 19th April from the Quality in Tourism officer we are pleased to announce that Wheatacre Hall Barns has obtained a 5 Star grading.

We believe there is only a few 5 Star self-catering accommodation in the area, and are very proud of our achievement.

EASTER OPENING

2007-04-09T11:08:00.000Z

Snaps of TEAL BARN

Just some home snaps of new holiday lets, professional pictures for the web site will follow soon.

2007-04-09T11:02:00.000Z

COOT BARN

2007-04-09T10:54:00.000Z

WIDGEON BARN

EASTER OPENING

2007-04-09T10:41:00.000Z

Some snaps of MALLARD BARN

Easter at Wheatacre

2007-04-07T17:01:00.000Z

At last the building work and finished and our first guests have moved in. After many hectic weeks and therefore no time for blog entries Mallard, Coot, Widgeon and Teal have been completed. Long days and nights in the past few weeks have produced four luxury barns for holiday lets. The new arriving guests were all very complimentary which has made all the hard work fade into the distance.

Work now begins in earnest on barns 5 & 6, Woodcock and Snipe for completion in late May.

Photographs will soon be available, for everyone to see.

Meanwhile work continues on the farm, the past few days of wonderful weather has at last bought the drill out of the shed and sugar beet drilling has commenced. There is always spraying to catch up on and my husband is taking advantage of the fine weather clearing the backlog of spraying. A very busy Easter weekend is in store.

The cows are milking well and I am sure looking forward to getting out to pasture, although the nights are still very cool. Milking has proved to be a big attraction for our guests who are looking forward to seeing and showing the children where milk comes from.

Monday, 26th February 2007

2007-02-26T22:21:00.000Z

Work continues on barn conversions. Mallard and Coot are now nearing completion, decorating, kitchen fitting , bathroom fitting all in full swing. Teal and Widgeon following close behind. Woodcock and Snipe have at present be delayed for a few days due to the constant rainfall we seem to have at present, ground works are being hampered but perhaps we can hope for blue skies soon.

The rain also continues to upset the land work on the farm. Our vining peas for Birds Eye are due to be drilled on the 1st March, lets hope for a fine day. Ploughing has had to come to an abrupt stop at present.

Our cows are milking well, if only a decent price could be obtained from our excellent quality milk produced. The supermarkets at present are not helping the dairy farmer with average prices of 16p - 18p per litre being paid to the farmer. I am sure that the consumer is aware to buy milk is considerably more expensive. This fact is having a dramatic effect on the counties dairy farmers, milking cow herds being sold almost on a daily basis. The farmers request is only a fair price for a quality product.

As Spring approaches are animals are looking forward to the warmer days, to be able to be out on the picturesque pastures enjoying the lush new grass - as the rain falls that at present seems a long time away!!

2007-02-16T18:55:00.000Z

Finally Woodcock and Snipe which will be completed during Spring.

2007-02-16T18:50:00.000Z

Further pictures

this to this, ready for Easter bookings

2007-02-16T18:30:00.000Z

The conversions continue and good progress has been made in the last fortnight. Internal workings in Mallard, Coot, Widgeon and Teal are now developing rapidly Plumbing, heating, electrics are all now nearly installed. Plastering continues as walls permit, decorating not far behind. I include pictures to show the development.

from this to this

Welcome

2007-02-15T22:30:00.000Z

Welcome everyone to my new website and new blog.

It is hoped to record over the next few weeks the concluding part to the new build to convert two barns into six self-catering holiday units. Also to give an incite into the working of our farm.

The conversions started in late September, and units 1-4 named Mallard, Coot, Widgeon and Teal will be completed ready for Easter 2007. The remaining two units Woodcock and Snipe will follow late May early June.

On the farm the weather is beginning to take its toll, the wet has prevented most land work to cease. Once a dry spell is here land preparations for spring drilled crops will begin. Livestock on the farm continue to demand attention. All of the dairy herd is housed during the winter months inside, so not to spoil fresh spring pasture. Calves are still being born at regular intervals.