Country diary: These little piggies came for the pumpkins | Andrea Meanwell

Tebay, Cumbria: A surprise surplus of Halloween veg on the farm means we've got new arrivalsDuring the autumn half-term week, my son and his girlfriend held a "Pumpkin Patch" day on the farm. As well as pumpkins for sale, we had goats, sheep, hens, cows and ponies for children to see. We set up a walk around the farm for children to do, spotting wildlife along the way, with tree-planting at the end of the walk. Each tree had a name tag tied on to it, and the children will be able to come back next year and see how their tree has grown.The wildlife on the farm was very obliging for the open day. Everybody seemed to see the two red deer that are living in a fen near the River Lune, and the herons put on a display, soaring high and fishing on the riverbank. The fell ponies who can be haughty and aloof seemed intrigued to see so many people walking through the farm and came down to the fence, tossing their manes and inviting people to stroke them. Continue reading...