Down on the Goodheart Farm.

Saturday saw me arriving at Goodheart Animal Rescue  a few miles west of Kidderminster. I have been supporting this charity ever since I read about a farmer who was to take his sheep to slaughter, he decided that he couldn't do it any longer. He contacted Goodheart who agreed to take them in. They still live there now. The farmer changed from keeping animals to growing vegetables and fruit.  

I visited them three years ago on the way home from a holiday in the South West. Although I arrived very late, they made me feel welcome. Read about it here. 

They put out a call for volunteers for their Open Day. Yep, I might do that. Should be fun, and so it was. 

The site was laid out so that the more confident and friendly animals were given prime positions to meet the visitors. These cows loved to be petted. Bags of food were for sale and the animals eagerly ate from those who held their hands out. 

These alpacas were so cute. 

The pigs have large spacious runs with shelters to bed down in. 

Leave me alone I am snoozing. 

There are four large runs which house rescued battery hens. The secure runs are inside a much larger outdoor area where they can peck around in the daytime. There are turkeys and geese which share the space. Goodheart is a collection point when egg farmers are getting rid of their older hens. People go to the sheds and collect all the unwanted hens and transport them to Goodheart. They are then divided up into small batches according to how many people want to adopt them. The Battery Hen Welfare Trust have lists of collection points and dates of when the next rehoming will be. 

The flock of sheep decided to have a bit of a runaround. And all without a collie dog to keep them in check. 😂

The goats were ever so excited when people approached their gate. They came rushing forward to greet their visitors, and nibble the food offered from outstretched hands.  

There are picnic benches for people to use if they had brought their own food. Two  vendors were doing a good trade with vegan food. 

The pot bellied pigs were loving their woodland foraging. There was a path marked out for people to walk through. 

I was assigned to supervise the pigs. I know my place. 😵

There is a short yoootooob video here. Not my video, lifted from the Goodheart web site. 

I finished my duties at 3.45pm and at the end of a very enjoyable day I made my way home. Back to Kidderminster, then north on the A449 through Wolverhampton towards Cannock, and pick up the A5, A38, and M1 north. A steady drive with a stop to have a bite to eat. I used to drive that way a long time a go, things have changed a lot. More roundabouts, different road layouts. Like going along memory lane. 

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon. Toodle pip.   ilona