Christmas 2024 newsletter
Season's Greetings + Christmas Closure Dates
As you can see, May - one of our inimitable and much-loved farm cats - has been busy wrapping your presents, squirreled away in the corner of our office. Santa promised her a double helping of mackerel for Christmas dinner if she agreed to be one of his helpers.
We have loved welcoming all of you through the gates to your Farm throughout 2024, and hope you can make it for one more visit to stock up on gifts, brays and bleats, before we close for the holidays.
Our festive closure dates are:
Last day open - Thursday 19th December
First day back - Tuesday 7th January
(Full closure dates: Friday 20th December - Monday 6th January inclusive)
Read on for info on shop wares, how to make a Christmas gift donation to the farm, and a little bit of Farm history to wrap up the year.
Image Credit: Emma Harrison
Donate to our Amazon Wishlists for Christmas!
If you're feeling able this Christmas, do consider donating some farm supplies to one of our wish lists on Amazon. We would be really grateful - as would all the animals! These include items like: feed + pellets, hay, toys, or hoof spray on the Animal Wish List; ear defenders, propagation kits, nature books or wildlife kits on the Education Wish List; and shears, pruners, timber or paint on our Maintenance Wish List.
Alternatively, if you would like to make a standard donation, please click on this link, and pick either one-off or regular.
If you do donate, drop us an drop us an email to let us know so we can thank you properly!
CHRISTMAS FARM SHOP - get your gifts!
Our shop is FULL of Christmas gifting potential this year - and you only have a few days left to come grab some beautiful items. Come spend some winter hours with our beautiful animals while you're here.
Currently stocking our brand new and long-awaited farm merch line including a t-shirt (adult and junior sizes) and a tea-towel! The brilliant and funny drawings on the tea-towel were done by all our volunteers, visiting and local children, and staff. We also have merch from various national farming projects and initiatives; some gorgeous Poetry in Wood products; and a new pottery range by Shankly Boy Ceramics.
We are also selling eggs again thanks to our recent intake of new ex-commercial rescue hens, from the British Hen Welfare Trust. Meet one of our new girlies below!
Image Credit: Arms Shabir
Farm History - new BBC Archives YouTube video!
A few weeks ago we were sent a wonderful video that was recently uploaded to the BBC Archives YouTube channel, of life in the East End in the 80's. There is some incredible footage of the farm in its early days, including interviews with our co-founders, the brilliant Albert and Phyllis Barber.
Enjoy watching! Click here.
Lastly... Christmas Tree Recycling
If you have a real Christmas tree this year and would like to recycle it responsibly, click here for a helpful resource by London Recycles for tree recycling programmes listed by London borough.
Merry Christmas and see you for the next newsletter in 2025.
The Farm is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 4.00pm.
We look forward to welcoming you soon!