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Coombe Mill Blog
"Tales from the farmers wife" shares the funny and interesting happenings on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Nick and our 6 children. A behind the scenes look on balancing family, farming, the holiday business and cooking for all.
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There is something quite special about a day at a country fair. From the Grand Royal Cornwall Show to the little town events, they all have something to offer for a family day out. We have been to the Launceston Steam Rally before and the triplets had fond memories of falling off climbing ropes and trying to ride backward facing bikes. After a quite check on their website, it didn’t take much persuasion to return once more on a beautiful sunny day.
If I’m honest Farmer Nick is the leading force behind our visit. He loves to see the old tractors and admire the vintage cars and as the boys have grown up they have come to share in his appreciation. I must say I’m not much of a car enthusiast, but I do find some of the old American cars quite fun.
New for 2016 was a tractor pulling challenge. To me is was plumes of smoke and dust and plenty of engine noise, but Nick and the boys spent ages watching each display of strength.
I prefer the vintage model steam fair where there are some wonderful fairground displays full of character from years gone by.
Clio had her friend with her and while the boys studied machinery and I watched the model fairground they perused the craft and food tents. The lure of pretty jewellery and delicious fudge and chocolate samples kept them quite happy.
For the children, the only real disappointment was discovering that their favourite fun stalls from last year had not returned. Undeterred they made their own entertainment investing in a bubble blowing set.
We enjoyed lunch in the sun from one of the many hot food tents and took our time to soak up the sun and enjoy some quality time together.
Throughout the day the main arena had events going on. Most were just watching the various vintage steam attractions parade round, but the one that really had the kids paying attention was the trial bike team races. The kids placed bets on who they thought would win each race shouting on their favourites.
Thank you Launceston Steam Rally for a lovely day, I’m sure we will be back again next year.
New Runner ducks were a hit with the children here at Coombe Mill this week.
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
I have been running this linky for over 4 years and would love you to join in. The objectives today are the same as they have always been:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the #30DaysWild challenge and National Trust 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Guidelines for Joining in:
Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
Large unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
Comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
Link posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
I am delighted to announce that Rockfish have joined with Coombe Mill to sponsor the Country Kids link up. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish Wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way.
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here
Post from last week in with a chance of the June Rockfish Wellies:
My most commented post from Glimmer of Hope about meeting an idol not far from home.
Herne Hill Mum enjoyed an unusual day out exploring Nunhead Cemetery
With Father’s day almost upon us Father’s day crafts felt like an obvious choice for a theme to our Activity hour this week. The children were all quite young so I wanted to keep things as simple as I could whilst still creating something worthwhile and fun to make.
Father’s Day Crafts
We began by making cards. Each child chose from my lovely stash of colours paper and then glued on their choice of Father’s Day Messages. From here it was into the paints for a spot of colour play and creative designs.
What Daddy doesn’t appreciate a Number I Dad Medal? The children set to work painting and colouring our pre cut circular medals. I had a plan for these but we needed to allow the paint to dry first.
While our medals and cards were drying we set off on a nature hunt through the fairy gardens. Farmer Nick had just finished trimming back the overgrown branches and mulching them for the fairy garden pathways. It was looking very green and spacious in there. The children were able to easily pick out some fallen purple Rhododendrons and their choice of leaves for the next Father’s day crafts.
We worked our way along the river bank picking daises, red campions and buttercups. The children compared their favourites and held up the buttercups under chins to see who liked butter!
When we reached the Mud kitchen we set to work making Father’s Day pies with some of our collected treasures.
With pies safely cooking in the oven for the Daddies the children took the opportunity for a little free play. Clambering aboard the tractor, they re-enacted the feed run each claiming they were Farmer Nick. They would jump off, telling us which animal they were feeding next, have a little play and hop back aboard the tractor again. This was all quite spontaneous and not in my plan, but I was happy to go with the flow and watch their game develop.
Finally the last imaginary animals were fed and we continued with our remaining nature treasures back to the craft table. Here we made nature ties with pretty flower designs.
While the children finished their ties I laminated the Medals and threaded wool through. They each finished up with a fine set of gifts from our Father’s Day Crafts and enjoyed their afternoon out in the fresh air making them.
A bit of a wet week here on the farm but it didn’t stop our little helpers enjoying themselves.
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
I have been running this linky for over 4 years and would love you to join in. The objectives today are the same as they have always been:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the #30DaysWild challenge and National Trust 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for fun outside.
Guidelines for Joining in:
Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
Large unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
Comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
Link posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
I am delighted to announce that Rockfish have joined with Coombe Mill to sponsor the Country Kids link up. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish Wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way.
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here
Post from last week in with a chance of the June Rockfish Wellies:
My most commented post from Glimmer of Hope about an adventurous boy
A dolls house transformed into a bug hotel from Wild about Here
We have a reoccurring problem each summer with crows. They seem to multiply with the warmer weather and as we have been basking in glorious sunshine this summer so their numbers have swelled. It would appear we are quite unwittingly providing a nutritious diet for them courtesy of our lovely farm eggs. Each day we go searching for eggs for breakfast with the holiday guests, only to find many have already been devoured by crows with the shells scattered over the farm. Last year we addressed the problem with a lovely big scarecrow, which helped for a while until the crows wised up. It was time to get our own back once again on the thieving crows.
Scaring off the crows with beer cans and sticks
Half term brings a mix of younger and older children to the farm and I was keen to find something that everyone could join in with. Fending off the crows felt like a perfect mission. I had been waiting to make my beer can flowers with a group of older children and this was my chance. Apparently crows are scared off by intimidating eyes. By making tin cans to look like a pair of eyes we could win the war of the eggs.
Each of the children worked on an eye each and the idea was that we would plant them in twos on long sticks in the chicken field to look like eyes. For the younger children we made stick scarecrows with colourful tunics as I didn’t want them cutting themselves on the cans. The children wasted no time scouring the fairy gardens for sticks and beginning their challenge.
A last visit to chicken world was seen as a bonus and they proudly strode off waving their tin can eyes.
Despite having a hammer with us, the ground was very firm after weeks of no rain and we had to raid Farmer Nick’s shed for a metal pole to bash a hole into the ground for our eye sticks and scarecrows. However the finished effect was suitably scary.
While we were there we gave Queenie, Jack and Jill their evening bottles and the children took the opportunity of a last egg hunt and chance to cuddle a chicken.
Something pretty to keep
Back at base we made the remaining half of the can into tea light holders for the children to take home. I helped the younger children to fold theirs into shape as they are quite tricky to get right. for a tutorial on how to make these see my Trash 2 Treasure post.
After working so hard we made good work medals. It was lovely to see the designs and wording they came up with teamed with their choice of wool necklace.
It had been a wonderful sunny week on the farm and some great friendships had been formed. Thankfully with most rebooking, these childhood bonds will have a chance to mature again next year. I have explained to the parents that returning is conditional on bringing the sunshine again!
“Tales from the farmers wife” shares life on our lovely holiday farm with Farmer Emma and our children. Step into our beautiful 30 acres and experience nature close up with farming and educational crafts in stunning North Cornwall. Family, fun and adventure start here.
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