About 130 visitors joined us for farm tours, scarecrow making, wheat grinding, looking at the farm animals and learning about farming and the countryside. We served home produced Sunday lunch, cakes and refreshments throughout the day. Everyone we spoke to had enjoyed the day and we look forward to the next Open Day.

Our classroom and toilets were finished at the beginning of March, just in time for the first visits booked this year. We have been cooking and making sausages, burgers and pizza ever since with school groups and cubs, scouts and brownies. It is great to be able to have a ‘Field to Fork’ link so that children can understand more about how food is produced.

We have applied to for planning permission to erect a timber clad classroom and 2 composting toilets on the farm to improve facilities and enhance farm visits.  Last year we welcomed over 450 children and 120 adults onto the farm for a variety of different group activities.  We hope that our visits will be broadened further with additional facilities that will open up new areas of the farm to visitors.  If you would like to support our proposals through the planning stages just contact me and I can give you the details you need. If you would like to bring a group along for a visit see the pages on our website or contact me for more information. Remember visits are FREE (funded by Natural England).

We will have fresh beef, ready for collection from 12 December 08.  Please let us have your orders as soon as possible, so that we are able to ensure that you will not be disappointed. The beef will be well hung and full of flavour, so a real treat for your family & friends.

Fresh beef will also be available at the following Farmers’ Markets, ready for Christmas:

Saturday 13 December: STAFFORD  9.00 – 4.00

Sunday 14 December: LICHFIELD Christmas Market 10.00 – 4.00

Saturday 20 December: UTTOXETER 9.00 – 3.00 Please note change to date from last Saturday in month

Please ring to check availability of Venison. I  am taking orders on a ‘First Come, First Served’ basis. 

We would like to thank you for your custom and -

We Wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Another busy month ahead. We shall have fresh beef available and will be at the following events and hope to see you there:

Thursday 3 July – Lichfield Farmers Market in the market square from 9.00 – 2.00

Saturday 5 July – Lichfield Medieval Market selling Rare Breed beefburgers and sausages and Venison burgers in the Cathedral Close from 10.00 – 4.00 (hot food only)

Saturday 12 July – Stafford Farmers Market by the Guildhall from 9.00 – 4.00

Saturday 19 July – Leek Farmers Market from 9.00 – 2.00 and also:

Saturday 19 July  - Staffordshire Wildlife Green Festival, The Wolseley Centre, Wolseley  Bridge, Rugeley (hot food only here)

Saturday 26 July – Uttoxeter Farmers Market 9.00 – 3.00 in the market square. At this market there will be a cherry spitting competition – see the press for more details!

Following our Open Day on 1 June we have had a really busy month. We now have 5 new calves who are all now out in the field with their mothers.  Farm visits have been underway and we have welcomed over 200 children onto the farm to learn about food and farming.  We have also attended 6 farmers markets with our produce and have provided hot burgers at 2 local events.

Thanks to all who sent in entries for the name the calf competition.  The most popular name suggested was Flora and so that is what she has been called.  I have tried to upload her picture onto this page but failed – sorry.  Those of you who were able to come to our Open Day on June 1 were able to see her and we hope that you enjoyed you day.

The first of this year’s calves was born on Saturday 3 May and we are looking for a name beginning with F for her.  The calf will be given the most popular name.  Any child who suggests a name will be invited to come with their family to a farm open day (probably in early June).  We will show you round and tell you about what we do on the farm. I will try to put a photo of her on the website very soon.

Please send your suggestions to:

Mary Cope, Beaudesert Park Farm, Horsey Lane, Upper Longdon, Rugeley, Staffs. WS15 4LN   

Or – email mary@beaudesertparkfarm.co.uk

Closing date for entries is Saturday 17 May 08

Remember the name must begin with F – I will tell you why when you come to see us!

Fresh beef is available now.  It has been hung for 4 weeks and is beautiful. Please contact us to find out how to get your hands on some before we sell out!

Markets & Events coming up where you can find us

Saturday 12 April - Stafford Farmers’ Market

Saturday 26 April – Uttoxeter Farmers’ Market with St Georges Day celebrations

Thursday 1 May – Lichfield Farmers’ Market

Saturday 3 May – Monday 5 May – Providing refreshments at the Staffordshire Wildlife Gardening Weekend at the Wolsley Centre, Rugeley, just off the A51 (10.00 – 5.00)

Saturday 10 May – Providing refreshments at the Canine Fun Day, Birches Valley Forestry Centre, Rugeley  (11.00 – 4.00)

Saturday 17 May - Leek Fine Food Festival

Wednesday 28 -Thursday 29 May – Staffordshire County Show – Find us in the Heart of England Fine Foods Hall

Saturday 31 May – Uttoxeter Farmers Market with JCB garden machinery display

We are very pleased to see the launch of our new Website and hope that you will find it both interesting and easy to use.  Many thanks to Tim at Rapidweb for his work.

We will be updating this page with news every month and hope that you will visit the page again to see what we are doing.

Dates for Farmers Markets in March and April :

Saturday 1st March  -  Stone (cancelled due to extreme wind, marquees could not be erected. Sorry to anyone who missed us)

Thursday 6 March  – Lichfield

Saturday 8 March  – Stafford

Friday 21 March (Good Friday) – Cannock – now located in the shopping centre

Saturday 29 March  – Uttoxeter

Thursday 3 April  -  Lichfield

Saturday 5 April  - Stone

Saturday 12 April  – Stafford

Friday 18 April – Cannock (cancelled)

Saturday 26 April – Uttoxeter