Browse through our blog posts to find out what life is like at Hoe Grange Holidays along with some great ideas for days out in the Peak District.
Farming always has its ups and downs but this year has been particularly challenging. The winter snows were severe with the Beast from the East which meant a late spring, followed on by the current heatwave which is causing havoc with the harvests. Sunshine and heat is wonderful for our holiday guests staying in our log cabins and glamping pods, but not so great for the farm animals. June 2018 has been the driest on record. I can't recall when I last saw the farm fields so brown and the grass is so dry it scrunches underneath your feet. ...
A few days ago our herd of suckler cows underwent its annual routine TB (Bovine Tuberculosis) test. This is an anxious time for any livestock farmer, as it can have devastating consequenses. The TB test involved shaving two small sites on the cows neck, then measuring and recording the skin thickness at both sites.The vet then injects tiny amounts of deactivated TB virus of 2 types, 1 is bovine TB and the other is Avian TB. The cows are then left for 72 hours and the skin in the 2 sites is measured again. If there is a thickening of the s...
Trit trot, trit trot… look who’s arrived at Hoe Grange Holidays now! Back in January we introduced you to our friendly Pygmy goats, Dora and Luna. Recently our little goat herd has expanded somewhat as these two lovely ladies have both had kids. Meet Luna's adorable twins, Nutmeg and Saffron, and Dora's cute kid Looby Lou. Here at Hoe Grange we are used to the arrival of lambs, but the kid goats were so much smaller when they were born that we were truly amazed and smitten - these cuddly kids have definitely stolen the "cute factor" ...
If you have a family who are mad about animals then why not take a walk on the wild side at Peak Wildlife Park near Leek? We had an interesting and very enjoyable day out getting up close and personal with a wide range of wild animals. Peak Wildlife Park is situated just over the Staffordshire border, high on the moorlands and is only half an hours drive from Hoe Grange. What's fabulous about Peak Wildlife Park is that the keepers are not just passionate about the animals, but dedicated to conservation, especially of endangered species. It's...