The orchards are home to a lot of creatu
res; our six wildlife ponds provide habitat for Frogs, Toads, all three types of Newts included the rare Great Crested, Dragonfly larvae, pond skaters, Water-boatmen, numerous forms of Beetles, Leeches and Water fleas.
B
ack on dry land, the usual residents of Badgers, Foxes and Birds are often joined by the rarer creatures such as Dormice, Bank voles, Stag beetles and Pygmy Shrews.
We also have our own hives for the famed Heathfield Honey.
T
he occasional Deer is seen in the adjacent fields.
To us, the most important creatures are our four legged lawnmowers. Ben and Harry are Herdwick sheep who have been saved from slaughter. Not only do they do their job are keeping a lot of the grass at a reasonable level but they are one of the main attractions for the hundreds of school children who come during the summer months on school visits.
Don’t feed the animals
Please don’t offer any food to our sheep and other animals. The wrong items could cause illness or even death. Also our sheep might be on a special diet for veterinary reasons so even a seemingly innocent offering like an apple could cause problems.