Farm Experience & Colchester Zoo with Oli & Netty

 Farm Experience & Colchester Zoo

Our first bit of animal magic was at Jimmy's Farm in Suffolk where we got up close and personal to a variety of animals from farm to exotic rescued wildlife.

A walk through the woods took us up to the rare breeds area to meet some very special animals. Jimmy’s first foray into farming was with a passion for rare pig breeds so it was good to see him still sticking to his roots.

Next on our animal escapades was at Colchester Zoo, established over 60 years ago; it has since expanded greatly and is now home to over 155 different species. It was time for our special treat we had all been waiting for, our giraffe feeding experience! Soon the gates opened, and we were able to walk into a safe part of the enclosure. We had buckets of leaves and twigs that the giraffes like to eat, and we slowly approached the fence with the giant giraffes looming overhead! We carefully fed the giraffes who gently took the leaves from our hands with their incredibly long tongues! What a magical experience that I am sure we will never forget.

We loved wandering around the African area spotting Rhinos, Leopards and the king of the jungle the Lion. Walking through the underwater tunnel was brilliant as seals, fish and turtles swam above our heads. 

We visited our favourite farm, Boydells. Soon enough we were ready to meet the animals and were welcomed by the friendly farmer and his helpers. We got stuck straight in with meeting some poultry including chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks. Getting to hold the baby chicks was amazing! They were so cute and fluffy!

   The piglets were noisy as they waited to be fed and there were a few tiny ones running around all over the place. Lastly, we got to hold the guinea pigs and rabbits before watching the sheep getting milked. The farmer then let us have a go at milking a lovely jersey cow and we also met her beautiful baby calf.

Next, we said hello to the sheep and greedy goats who were very pleased to see us. We then got to cuddle the new born lambs and goats and we all had a go at bottle feeding them.

We explored the farm further meeting and feeding the donkeys, alpacas, llamas and horses where we got the chance to groom the friendly Shetland ponies and take them out to pasture where they spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the fresh air.

A brilliant morning was spent at  Tiptree Jam Factory. Wilkins & Sons Tiptree jam is famous worldwide and was a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II. We first explored the museum; it was very interesting to learn about the history of jam making in the area and amazing to hear that Tiptree Jam has been going since 1885! There were lots of pieces of fruit farming machinery to look at outside before we headed into the gift shop and bought some local produce to take home. Of course we had to taste them, so we got a table in the café and used lunch as an opportunity to sample the delicious jams and chutneys made on site. 

It was another lovely day, so we parked up and took a lovely walk through Colchester Castle Park winding our way through the trees and flower beds. At the top of the park, we caught our first glimpse of the stunning Norman keep of the castle. We crossed the drawbridge over the moat and made our way in. Exploring the various exhibits inside was fascinating, we learned all about the history from its Saxon roots and Roman occupation right through to the modern day. It was also great fun trying on some of the Roman costumes and having a go at some of the interactive activities.