March 2024 Diary
BORDERS ART FAIR – SNOW ON CRIFFEL – EASTER ON THE FARM
March has been a busy month at Whitecroft Farm, welcoming both new and returning guests to Myrtle Cottage and Rose Cottage. It’s so wonderful to meet new people, as well as to see familiar faces, and sharing this glorious part of the world and life here on the Farm. Mark has been busy with his artwork, exhibiting, and with successful sales, at the Borders Art Fair, Kelso for 4 days. Some pieces of Mark’s work are now also hung in the cottages for guests to enjoy, and on request, as was the case this month, Mark has happily opened up his studio to guests to view his work, chat about the process, or to purchase and take home.
March has seen some spectacular weather here, from one end of the spectrum to the other. A chilly walk up to the top of Criffel in early March, saw our Border Collie (May), playing in the snow, and even though the sun shone at Myrtle and Rose Cottages, the snowy vista on the hills made a lovely backdrop.
The Spring sunshine also arrived much needed for more Spring flowers and for our animals enjoyment, (Gibeag and Glaistig love a lie down in the Sun, when it’s not too hot!).
On a sunny Sunday, we took a walk around the edges of our Farm fields, repairing a few of the stone dykes damaged near Bennel Wood. Albeit rather muddy in places at the moment, this is a part of the Farm that guests rarely see, and one we’re keen to share more in the future as there are some spectacular views of Whitecroft Farm, the surrounding hills, and the Lakeland Fells over the Solway Firth in the background.
We are delighted that the pair of Barn Owls now appear to have settled and made their home in the nest box in our big barn. Although they have to share the barn with 4 Valais Blacknose Sheep, (Indigo, Indiana, Kimchi and Jayne), Drambuie our coloured Ryeland Lamb, and our horses, Annie and Dotty, they seem to be very much at home and it’s a thrill to see them in there and flying in the evening!
The end of March saw a fantastically sunny Easter Egg hunt with Myrtle Cottage’s regular returning guests.
Much family fun was had around the farm, finding an array of chocolate eggs the local ‘Mad March Hares’ seem to have hidden, taking the sheep for walks, feeding Gibeag and Glaistig, the Highland Coos, eating colourful eggs from our hens, and going out and about in the area. Other than our Farm fun, their highlights included trips to some local Farm Parks, (Mabie, Dalscone and Ernespie), going swimming and jumping on the pool’s Pirate ship, visits to the beach, and dressing up and catching ‘Tinkerbell’ at Moat Brae in Dumfries (‘Birthplace’ of Peter Pan).
We can’t wait to see them back again, hopefully in the Autumn, as well as welcoming other new and returning guests to Myrtle Cottage and Rose Cottage over the coming months, and sharing the joys of Whitecroft Farm and this amazing area.
