Jacob sheep and Sunset

Autumn; Thinking about unique Christmas gifts already?

Autumn leaves (Autumn walks in North Devon)

Autumn leaves (Autumn walks in North Devon)

Autumn has officially arrived; the day light hours are getting shorter, the sunsets are stunning and the leaves are changing colour – It’s time to put on the boots and get ouside for some wonderful walks and enjoy natures beautiful autumn colours.

On the days that are too cold & wet, it’s great to snuggle up next to the crackling log fire with a good book or pick up the knitting needles to create a unique gift for yourself or someone; such as these adorable, hand knitted elephants with removable clothing, using Huxtable Farm’s Jacob wool. The pattern is in knitting book ‘Au Bout d Pre’ 

Hand Knitted elephants with removable clothing £19 each

Hand Knitted elephants with removable clothing, hand knitted with Huxtable Farm Jacob wool £19 each

If you’ve started to think about Christmas, please do have a look at our unique Christmas gifts made from our Jacob sheep wool, including Jacob wool throws & cushions, knitting kits, hand knitted hats etc. All made with love! Do send an e-mail to jackie@huxtablefarm.co.uk if you are interested in purchasing something.

Unique Christmas gifts from Huxtable Farm

Huxtable Farm Jacob wool throw

Huxtable Farm Jacob wool throws and cushions

Jacob cowl knitting Kit

Jacob wool cowl knitting Kit

Printnineteen Christmas Cards

Printnineteen Christmas Cards

Our daughter, Natalie, has her own small business, (love supporting small businesses) called ‘Print Nineteen’,  Natalie produces some beautiful unique cards and prints (including personalised), many produced from foliage from around the farm. Do have a look at her beautiful new Christmas cards and gift wrap paper.

 

We look forward to welcoming you back to Huxtable Farm‘s; two B&B bedrooms (a family bedroom and twin bedroom) and three camping pitches, each with thier own bathroom, from April 2023. To avoid disappiont it may be advisable to book early. In the meantime, we are busy maintaining the farm and selling logs for winter fuel.

B&B availability

Camping availability

Here’s some ideas of what to do & see on your visit to North Devon & Exmoor.

If you wish to have a car free day there are so many free things you can do at Huxtable Farm

Enjoy walks from Huxtable Farm, through wooded valleys (Coombes) and enjoy the glorious golden, autumnal colours of the tree canopy.

Visit the fabulous Beaches of North Devon , take a scenic walk (Walking in North Devon) or here is a link to some ideas for days out for the family.

There are so many beautiful Gardens to visit in North Devon;  Castle Hill gardens 2 miles from Huxtable Farm B&B, Marwood Hill Gardens, Tapely Park Instow, not forgetting RHS Rosemoor near Torrington, you will be spoilt for choice.

In the meantime, happy christmas shopping and I look forward to hearing from you; jackie@huxtablefarm.co.uk

Huxtable Farm Jacob wool knitting kits

Huxtable Farm Jacob wool knitting kits

Raw Jacob fleeces available to purchase, to spin, weave or felt

Raw Jacob fleeces available to purchase, to spin, weave or felt

RHS Rosemoor Rose Festival

June & July – Gardens to visit, fruit to pick & wool to sort!

During June, the sheep get shorn and we start to pick fruit & make homemade jam.

Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam

Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam

Elderflower & Gooseberry jam is first, followed by redcurrant jelly, blackcurrant, loganberry and raspberry jams. Not all the fruit is made into jam, to have on your warm buttered toast or croissant, some is served fresh and/or as a compote to add to yogurt, at breakfast time.

June and July are great months to visit the beautiful gardens of North Devon to see what they do with their fruit or enjoy their summer plants; Castle Hill Gardens are only 2 miles from Huxtable Farm B&B, Marwood Hill gardens just the other side of Barnstaple, Tapeley Park at Instow, National Trust Arlington Court 12 miles away and RHS Rosemoor to the south at Torrington with its Festival of Roses 18th June to 17th July

Shearing Jacob

Shearing Jacob

During June, the sheep are shorn and the fleeces are sold to spinners & weavers but I always keep one to spin my own wool too. Please do look at what else is available to purchase made from the wool of our Jacob sheep. In addition to Jacob wool items; throws, cushions, knitted hats and toys, we also have some prints and cards of my water colour paintings available to purchase too, please do have a look at some of them here – Gifts from Huxtable Farm.

To celebrate Huxtable Farmhouse being 500 years old we are giving everyone who stays at Huxtable Farm a free copy of our book ‘Huxtable The Story of a Devon Farm’. Do check availability for when you can stay either in the B&B rooms or camping on one of our three secluded pitches, each with thier own wash room;-

B&B availability

Camping availability

Set of 5 cards of your choice £10

Painting of West Buckland School

Painting of West Buckland School

Cards & prints of West Buckland School

painted by Jackie – May 2020

A4 Prints and cards are available to purchase;

Card of West Buckland School

Card of West Buckland School

 

Cards £2.50 each (include an envelope).

Mounted A4 prints £20 each.

Contact jackie@huxtablefarm.co.uk

 

 

Progress photographs of the painting 🙂

West Buckland School painting 1

West Buckland School painting 1

West Buckland School painting 2

West Buckland School painting 2

West Buckland School painting 3

West Buckland School painting 3

Covid-19 Update

We hope you are keeping well and staying safe as we enter our nineth week in lockdown.

Antony & I have been staying at the farm, looking after our stock, carrying on with the upkeep and maintenance of Huxtable Farm’s accommodation, gardens and farmland so that we are ready to welcome you back when the time comes.

We are monitoring government advice and bearing in mind the welfare of everyone who visits Huxtable Farm B&B, we are now closed until the 4th July 2020. However, we will continue to monitor the situation closely,  take advice from the appropriate authorities and we will only reopen when it is confirmed that we have the ‘all clear’ to do so. If this means that we have to extend the temporary closer further, we will keep you updated.

Rebook for a future date; We very much look forward to the day when we can welcome you to Huxtable Farm B&B again. With this in mind, if you already have a booking with us we very much hope that you will postpone your booking and rearrange for a later date. Please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail at jackie@huxtablefarm.co.uk

Please have a look at the fantastic variety of events due to take place in North Devon during 2020 by looking at Huxtable Farm B&B’s local Events/Farm Calendar so that you can plan your next stay to coincide with an event that interests you. Click or the button below to Check available dates at Huxtable Farm B&B.

Availability

Right now, it’s essential that we all continue to follow government advice, stay at home and support our dedicated front line service personnel. We would like to thank them all for the incredible work they are doing keeping this country going. We would also like to thank you for your patience, understanding and support during this extraordinary time.

We hope you enjoy this month photographs of the sheep getting shorn  and guinea fowl chicks at Huxtable Farm B&B. For more videos & photographs please do not hesitate to connect with us via our social media channels; Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Blog (News) on our website.

We look forward to welcoming you back to Huxtable Farm B&B just as soon as we are able to do so.

In the meantime, please take care, keep well and stay safe.

Guinea Fowl Chicks

Guinea Fowl Chicks

Newly hatch Guinea fowl chick

Newly hatch Guinea fowl chick

Jacobs before shearing

Jacobs before shearing

Shorn Jacobs in May

Shorn Jacobs in May

Shearing Jacob

Shearing Jacob

Shearing Woolly

Shearing Woolly

RHS Rosemoor Rose Festival June - July

June – Roses, elderflowers, gooseberries and shearing!

Shearing the Jacob sheep in June

Shearing the Jacob sheep in June

June is such a busy time on the farm, so much so that I’ve only just round to writing this blog on the longest day of the year when we’re due to see a strawberry moon!
The rhubarb, gooseberries & elderflowers are lovely this year so there’s plenty of fresh produce for the breakfast table; honeyed rhubarb and homemade gooseberry & elderflower jam which is a favourite with everyone.
– The Jacob sheep seem pleased in this warm weather to have been shorn at the beginning of June and we now have lots of beautifully soft Jacob & Jacob cross Texel fleeces for spinners & felters to purchase.
– The birds are busy feeding their young and the Swallows and House Martins are soaring over the roofs & making their muddy nests in the eaves of the farm buildings.

Beautiful roses - RHS Rosemoor

Beautiful roses – RHS Rosemoor

 

– The Lupins and Roses are full of colour, which reminds me to visit RHS Rosemoor soon to see their beautiful rose gardens during their Rose Festival June 6 – 10th July.

June is a great time to visit the beautiful gardens, National Trust properties, historic houses, harbours and market towns of North Devon & Exmoor or enjoy a stroll away from it all on Exmoor along the side of a river (We’ll share with you some special places to visit!).

Devon Cream Tea welcome

Devon Cream Tea welcome

With National Cream Tea Day on the 24th June, in Devon we like to put the cream on the scone and the jam on top of the cream. You can enjoy a Cream Tea welcome any time of year at Huxtable Farm B&B

With Wimbledon & July approaching fast here’s a few things that are taking place over the next few weeks: –
What’s on at RHS Rosemoor – Rose Festival June 6 – 10th July
National Trust Arlington Court – Art displays during July
Getting active during your stay in North Devon
Beaches of North Devon