Fancy's Family Farm

Fancy's Family Farm.

Fancy's Family Farm is a community farm and tourist attraction on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England.[1] The farm is situated at the ex-Portland ROTOR Radar Station, in the Verne area, close to the Verne Citadel. The farm sits near the cliff edge, overlooking East Weares. The community farm acts as a children's farm and educational facility.[2] It is a community interest company and has no admission charge, relying entirely on donations.[3]

History and features

The Verne area with Fancy's Family Farm seen in the distance.
Portland Sheep at Fancy's Family Farm.

The farm was originally located in the village of Southwell. Owned by Su and Jon Illsley, the couple pursued the farm as a hobby to look after rare breed Portland Sheep, and the farm grew into a popular community farm. However, in early 2011, the owners faced eviction by landowners Albion Stone.[4] The farm moved to a new site during June 2011 - at the old Portland Rotor Radar Station.[5] For some years after the Ministry of Defence left Portland, the site had been used as horse stables.[6]

The grassland site was tidied, and the former USAF building began refurbishment between 2011-2012 and became the farm's main centre of operations. By March 2012, the entire site was completed and ready to open on 1 April.[7] Wessex FM visited the farm on its open day as part of their Summer Tour with Howleys Toymaster. The farm is home to the only flock of Portland Sheep on the island, while other animals on the farm range from wallabies, goats, alpacas, ducks, chickens, geese, pigs and donkeys. As the farm is on SSSI land, the area features many rare and endangered plants and animals.[8][9]

On 25 May 2013, an event was set up to allow Sub Brit members to enter the underground bunker of the radar station, with all proceeds going to the farm.[10] The farm's owners are in process of preserving what is left on the bunker and are working with English Heritage in order to make the site open to the public in the future.[11]

In his 2011 book Countryfile: Adam's Farm: My Life on the Land, English farmer and television presenter Adam Henson had spoke of the farm when it was located at Southwell. He stated "We've heard some fantastic news from Su Illsley. Fancy's Family Farm has been blessed with 14 new Portland lambs and a couple more are on their way. They're the first Portland lambs to be born on the island for around eight years. You have to admire Su. She's so dedicated to helping promote the Portland breed that she's launched a publicity campaign for the new arrivals."[12]

References

  1. ↑ Opening. "Fancys Family Farm - Farm in Portland, Weymouth and Portland - Dorset". Visit-dorset.com. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  2. ↑ "Portlandbill.co.uk". Portlandbill.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  3. ↑ http://www.fancysfarm.co.uk/ On the "Prices" page
  4. ↑ "Show of support for Fancy's Farm, Portland (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 2011-02-28. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  5. ↑ "New Ground and Tillycoombe, Portland, Dorset". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  6. ↑ Adam Montague. "Portland ROTOR Bunker, Dorset - Urban Exploring". theurbanexplorer.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.fancysfarm.co.uk/ On the "News" page
  8. ↑ http://www.fancysfarm.co.uk/ On the "Home" page
  9. ↑ http://www.fancysfarm.co.uk/ On the "Flowers" page
  10. ↑ "Subterranea Britannica: Sites:". Subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  11. ↑ "Portland ROTOR Bunker, Dorset - Urban Exploring". Theurbanexplorer.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-06-17.
  12. ↑ Countryfile: Adam's Farm: My Life on the Land - Adam Henson - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-06-17.

External links

Coordinates: 50°33′32″N 2°25′50″W / 50.5590°N 2.4306°W / 50.5590; -2.4306

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, September 26, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.