Have you ever wondered what it is like working on a farm?

As the autumn and winter months role in, the team at Rutland Farm Park are getting ready for colder weather and shorter days, and have shared their insight into running a rural farm for the Oakham Nub News readers.

Nestled in the picturesque countryside of Oakham, Rutland Farm Park stands as an 18-acre beacon of rural charm and family-friendly entertainment.

The working farm and family attraction, headed up by hands-on owners Julie and Clive and their daughter Amy, brags a range of attractions and features, including a café, play park, animal petting and feeding sessions. It also serves a selection of home and handmade and allergy-friendly goodies available at Daphne's tea room, hosts holiday activities and has a collection of rare breed animals. 

Visitors to Rutland Farm Park can get back in touch with nature. Image credit: Nub News.

At their regular fun days, and as a part of everyday life on the farm, visitors can enjoy the opportunity to get up close and personal with a menagerie of farm animals, from sheep, goats, donkeys and cattle, to a Clydesdale and a shire horse, alpacas, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs and much more.

This, and their regular summer fun days, is what keeps the attraction busy in the summer.

As the autumn rolls in, the team are getting ready for darker mornings, chillier weather and shorter opening hours. This has been made even tougher for the team as farmer Amy is out of action while she recovers from surgery following a fall in September that resulted in her breaking her ankle.

While she has been on bed rest though, farmer Amy has taken the chance to chat to us about winter on the farm.

She said: "The shorter days and less light definitely makes the job harder for all of us. Especially when the weather is bad and when the animals have to come in, which means more mucking out, more feeding and everyone needs hay. With me being off work, it’s definitely going to put an impact on my two current workers who work alongside me."

To combat Amy's absence, the team have put a call out for volunteers to assist with the day to day work on the Uppingham Road farm. Can you help?

Amy continued: "If we have a dry cold winter it’s not too bad, but if we get rain, it makes the farm very wet and muddy which makes the farm work a lot harder. It’s incredibly hard to work in the dark as well, so when things go wrong or for example we get snow and ice, we sometimes spent a lot of time just trying to get the water going which puts us behind our general farm duties.

As well as the days being harder, the number of visitors to the farm dips in the winter, but the team have encouraged you not to be put off by the colder, damper days. Visitors can enjoy hot food and drinks in Daphne's Tea Room, and the team will be preparing some festive goodies as Christmas draws nearer too.

Daphne's Tea Room has indoor seating and serves hot and cold food. You can visit Daphne's without paying to go into the farm, so why not pop down for a hot chocolate this autumn? Image credit: Nub News.

However, it certainly isn't all bad, as the team say goodbye to summer soirees and welcome in a host of Halloween and half-term events, as well as festive fun days on the run up to Christmas.

Things will kick off with half-term fun and games on the farm all week, from 16 - 29 October, when you can enjoy getting up close with the animals, learning about the local attraction with the team and join in with a host of activities taking place across the farm.

The team will also be hosting a Halloween party on Thursday 26 October, which promises to be a spooktacular event!

To round off the Halloween-themed events, there will be a creepy crawly event on Sunday 29 October to get you in the spooky spirit.

You can visit and feed the goats. Image credit: Nub News.

Heading into Christmas, the team will also be holding a huge range of Christmas events suitable for adults and children.

As well as advent and wreath making workshops, they are introducing their brand new Afternoon Tea with Santa event this year.

Check out their schedule below for the full list of events taking place:

Rutland Farm Park is hosting a range of events heading into 2024. Image credit: Rutland Farm Park.

Parking at the farm is free, and you can purchase extras like animal feed on the day – just be sure not to feed the horses. 

Visitors to the attraction can turn up on the day or book tickets online, where you can also find the reduced winter opening times.

Find the farm at:

Uppingham Road

Oakham

LE15 6JD 

Around the festive events, there will still be regular opprtunities to meet Bruno and his furry friends. Image credit: Rutland Farm Park.

Check out our What's On page to find out more about the events taking place at the farm and across Rutland. 

Alternatively, get in touch to share your own events and news by emailing [email protected].

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Pick up some local goodies in the tea rooms! Image credit: Nub News.