Type: Wildlife
Breed: European Brown Hare
We love Hares. They are not to be confused with rabbits. Hares have longer legs, long floppy ears and can run like the wind.
The females are called 'Does' and the males are called 'Bucks'. A baby hare is called a 'leveret'.
They don't live in burrows like rabbits. Instead, they live in flattened patches of grass which are called a form. Because they are not 'hidden', all hares are born with their eyes open and fury, so they can fend for themselves as soon as they are born. Rabbits are born hairless and blind, which is why they need to live in a burrow for protection and be looked after by their mothers.
Hares are quick, and can run at speeds of up to 45 mph.
In the Spring, hares come out to play and find mates. Round here we see them everywhere, which is pretty tricky with whippets who were bred to course (chase) hares. They never catch them, but when there are baby hares (leverets) around, we keep them on the lead.
During the spring you can see hares 'boxing'. This is when they hit each other with their paws! It used to look like the boys were fighting, but it is actually the females putting in the punch to stop the males from mating!
Colour: Grey brown often with a black stripe
Thu 28th February 2013
Horse, Horsey - but not to eat!
It’s pony pony pony in the news these days, so it’s time us Equestrian folk fought back! This month I am not going to brow beat yet again about the need to buy British, and the importance of knowing where your meat comes from – Jamie's Chicken, Daylesford at Ocado, Laverstoke Park Farm - I WILL SAY NO MORE! This month is all about pony themed products.
I defy any young gal or guy in town or out, not to be a trifle pony mad. Of the 100,000 kids who are members of the Pony Club in the UK, 20% don’t even own a pony. My terrors, despite the fact we have 10 neddies on site at any given time, go nuts about anything horsey, so between us we have narrowed this down to the following horsey and pony themed gifts, ideas and adventures for making life neigh-tastic.
Clothing
Little Joules summer collection has a whole Horsing Around section which is great for the beach /park /everywhere. When the weather isn’t so sunny, we would team the Tilly girl's dress in pony print with some stripey leggings, and a long sleeved t-shirt for a great country look, which will work anywhere.
Accessorise with some (tasteful!) horsey themed jewellery, such as a horse head and stirrup silver bracelet by Gemma J at Horse Diva, and a cute Blossom blue shoulder bag from Horsey-gifts.com.
Party & Gifts
Pony parties are big news now, and if you can’t get the real thing, you can make do with the plates, napkins and cups covered in pony-ness. We like the sets from Party Pieces, which have everything you need from invitations to cute party boxes.
A great present which can be added to over time by family and friends, is Playmobile ponies. These start from around £10 for a pony, right up to £ 70 for a full ranch with horses, feed and tack. Buy an off-cut of fake grass, and you have some grazing, and use the netting bags from garlic and satsumas to make little haynets. Old lolly sticks make great post and rail fencing – stick the bottom of each post in blue tack to keep it stable.
On the other end of the scale, for a truly beautiful heirloom that all the family can play on, you cannot beat a proper Rocking Horse. There is only one placed to go for these, which is Stevenson Brothers in Kent. They have carved rocking horses for everyone and anyone, including the Queen, and have a quality and skill second to none. Each horse has a secret hiding place, and they can be customised to look like your own pony or horse. They even do a rocking zebra!
Home
I had two fab pony things when I was a girl; my Pippa Dolls and their ponies (what happened to them?) and my Thelwell Duvet cover, which even went with me to school but I think must have disintegrated shortly afterwards. I have spent a large amount of time trying to track down someone who still does Thelwell duvet covers, with no joy, so the next best thing I have found is the Tyrrell Katz Duvet and pillow case set, which is £45 on Horse Diva. You can team this with a really fun Thelwell ding-a-ling Alarm clock which actually neighs rather than rings, available for £11.00 from Equestrian superstore Robinsons.
When friends come to stay, or if you are lucky to go camping or sleep under the stars, do it with some pony style with a horse print sleeping bag, £59 from Anorak. Of course, no bed or bathtime would be complete without some pony themed toiletries, and we at Childs Farm have put together a natural range which not only looks great – featuring my kids and their ponies – but smells fruity fresh, is free from anything nasty, AND includes Argan oil. All our products so mild, they are eczema friendly too, so less of the itchy scratchies too.
Pony Outings
A wonderful treat over the Easter holidays for slightly older children would be a trip to see War Horse the play. Didn’t enjoy the Disney-styley film much, but the play is true to the very moving story by Michael Morpurgo. Breyer have a special edition of their version of the horse Joey from the film, and have coupled that with a copy of the book, which would be a nice momento before or after this trip.
If you are going into town to see the play, it is worth a visit to the stunning memorial to all the animals of war, which is on Brook Gate, Park Lane (the Marble Arch end). This large sculpture is a very moving tribute to the millions of animals who lost their lives during human conflicts, and children can find out more about what animals did for us in Jilly Cooper's book, Animals in War.
Finally, it’s all about riding… so, if you want to try it out, head over to Wellington Riding School, which is on the North Hampshire border just 45 minutes from London. They offer everything for every budding William Fox Pitt or Zara Philips, from weekly lessons to courses over the school holidays.
For those who have disabled children, or have spare time that they could use help disabled children, riding is the most wonderful way for them to experience freedom – as the Riding for the Disabled say, it is all about achievement. Have a look on their website for a group which is local to you – there are over 500 in the UK now, and find out how a little one you know could achieve something beyond their wildest expectations.
Fri 22nd February 2013
Childs Farm has had a host of great press coverage, online and in print, over the last few days and weeks!
A few weeks ago we were featured in You Magazine's blog post on Argan Oil - a real coup for a children's product!
We're a hot pick in The Richmond Resident this month too, we're on page 29.
On Wednesday this week we were picked as The Guardian Online's buy of the day! The Guardian.co.uk has on average 4.3million unique users a day so we're really rather excited by this!
We've also been featured by Essentials Magazine's blog 'Mum and Babe Beauty treatments' feature with our friends Little Bu.
Finally, we had a super write up by the fabulous website, Get the Gloss - written by an a-team of health and beauty experts, they know their stuff!
Hurrah for fabulous press we say!
Thu 21st February 2013
This wonderful cold snap is very welcome – sledging, snowmen and a perfect way to kill all all the bugs and nasties that have been flying around of late.
With all of us in various stages of decay over Christmas and New Year, I thought a helpful list of tried and tested remedies might be useful.
Our two favourites for a blocked up nose are Olbas Oil and Vicks. Both of these will clear your head, nose and sinuses. Put the requisite amount in a bowl full of hot water, pop a towel over your head, and ensure as much in-through-your-nose, out-through-your-mouth breathing as you can. I find wearing a pair of swimming goggles vital for this, as the steam will sting your eyes – the kids think this is pretty cool too! Vicks also do a steamvapourisor which you can leave in a room all night as it puffs out expectorant, which really helps with the snuffles in the middle of the night once the Calpol has worn off. You can also rub Vicks on chest and back before bed time.
Dot Olbas Oil around the pillow and on a hanky at bed time to keep noses clear. They also do a fantastic Olbas Oil bubble bath which is perfect before bedtime.
My mother used to hang garlic cloves around our beds when we were coldy. Hmmm. Not so sure about that one, BUT there are two garlicky soups that really, really help:
Butternut Squash sniffle soup
Peel and chop a whole squash, two onions (rough chop them) and a whole garlic (peel the cloves). Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a hot over for about thirty mins. Pop in a saucepan with some chicken stock – fresh or Kallo Organic Chicken cubes do the best in my mind – grab a Bamix whizzer or equivalent and Voila. Moorish and fabulously healthy, healing soup.
Mrs J’s Roast Chicken and DELICIOUS Chicken Soup.
You will need to buy one of Jamie's Chickens for this, because not only are they utterly delicious, but they come with all the giblets. Roast the chicken stuffed with garlic, onion and a lemon on a wire rack above a roasting pan. Put water and the giblets in the bottom of the pan, with a couple of Kallo Organic Chicken Cubes. After about 45 minutes, pour the juices from the pan into a saucepan, and add the giblets (bin the neck bone). Keep warm. Once the bird is done, take out the garlic and onion. Out with the Bamixagain, and whizz it all up. This is outstanding gravy which mine eat by the gallon, and what is left over gets mixed up with shredded chicken and some noodles for soup the next day.
Keeping your fluids up is vital for a cold – feed a cold, starve a fever and all that. I have just bought a bobble and the kids are mad for it! I’ve ordered the little ones for them, and these are a perfect way to monitor fluid intake. I am also sick of 1) being ripped off buying bottled water (it would be cheaper to drink diesel) and 2) watching the kids take one sip and then not touch it again.
Other firm Jensen faves include Cawston Press juices, because they are just yum, sugar free and the only added ingredient is Vitamin C. Try Apple and Rhubarb, known as Apple Crumble here, and Apple and Elderflower. The sparkling ones are a real treat for a poorly person, as is this rathermarvellous recipe for a more grown up way to drift to sleep when you are under the weather….
My mother does have other coldy tips which are not as random as the garlic thing, which include:
Take Zinc supplements in the winter months to boost your immune system.
Echinacea is great at the first sign of a cold, but don’t throw it down your throat all winter otherwise it won’t work. Try this combo.
Tissues not hankies.
Bin the tissues once you’ve used them or else you are carting the germs around with you. Keep a bag to put them once used is a good idea – use a paper one and you can burn it on the fire, or take them out and flush them next time you go to the loo.
Wash your hands after you’ve blown – those germs are all over them!
Mums – de-germ your steering wheel. Not a great fan of those antibac hand wash things, but this is where they come into their own.
Blow one nostril at a time so you don’t aggravate your sinuses. (we were brow beaten to do this – and it really does work)
Don’t sniff – sinuses again. And it’s incredibly irritating/ revolting.
You are at your most infectious for the first 48 hours so keep a low profile. Battling in to infect the rest of the work place is not heroic – it’s selfish. But I shall leave you to tell your own husbands this…
If you have a temperature - GO TO BED. Mother in law – are you listening?? DO NOT go out and infect EVERYONE with your FLU on Boxing Day just because you think that you should be there, even though you feel like death warmed up. WE WILL REMEMBER THIS FOR A VERY LONG TIME!!
Keep clear of the olds – they pick up everything, and it’s always much worse with age. Rearrange that visit to granny when you’re not coughing and spluttering, and she will be eternally grateful!
Wear slippers. Cold feet will not help you.
Fresh air – central heating will bung you up more, so make sure you have something to keep passages clear.
Good luck and may your sinuses be forever clear!
Tue 12th February 2013
Phew, what a few weeks we've had! Finally back at CF HQ for more than 48hours we're slightly at sea in our nice toasty office, we've got so used to trade shows!
Bubble and Spring Fair have been great, we've got some wonderful new stockists out of them as well as LOTS of interest and wonderful feedback - always nice!
We're just gathering our wits about us before we tootle off back up the M40 to Birmingham for BETA International this Saturday. If you happen to be there we'll be on stand A2.3 - come and see us!
Ben, Boy and the other ponies, as well as us humans at Childs Farm, have rather strong feelings about the ongoing horse-meat scandal - see what we say about that, and all sorts of other things, serious and silly over on our Twitter
Tue 22nd January 2013
A brilliant, chilly 24hours for Childs Farm - we've had ttwo more great reviews from two lovely blogs! They just keep pouring in, here's hoping it's a good omen for the year to come!
You can read them both here:- Chic Little Baby and Butwhymummywhy
In addition to celebrating our great feedback, we're getting really excited about our next trade show Bubble London. Bubble is held at the Business Design Centre Islington, and starts on Sunday - it's the hot spot for everything child related!
We'll be on stand G27 with all of our goodies, and looking forward to seeing lots of old friends and new faces. Pop round and come and see us!
Thu 17th January 2013
January is proving to be a great month so far for Childs Farm. We've had some great coverage from Tatler.com as well as the wonderful blog at Babyccino Kids.
In addition, we've had a wonderfully succesful first trade show at Top Drawer over the last few days! You will be delighted to find that we have another 30 stockists already for the products, bringing us up to about 280 in the UK.
Feedback was amazing, and people kept coming up to us and saying that they use the products and just love them! Feedback like that really makes everything worthwhile for us.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support us, buying our products and writing lovely things about us!
Thu 3rd January 2013
A rather belated Happy New Year to everyone!
Childs Farm has a super year lined up, kicking off with a whole host of trade shows!
We'll be exhibiting at Top Drawer 13 - 15 January, followed by Bubble London 27 - 28 January, Spring Fair zips up quickly 3 - 7 February, then it's BETA International 17 - 19 February.
Please come and have a chat with us if you'll be visiting or exhibiting at any of these!
We hope you all have a super, successful and shampoo filled 2013!
P.S. Ooh, and if you happen to be near Harrods - pop in and check out all of our Childs Farm goodies!
Sun 9th December 2012
Christmas is coming, and the hols are long and dark!
Oh, ho ho ho. It’s all just about to kick off and it’s time to plan the days of the endless holidays. Now we seem to be in Scandinavian darkness for much of the day, timing is, as they say, everything.
So, with that in mind, I’ve had a think about what I’m going to do with my trouble makers and thought I would share that with you to give you some alternative ideas.
Our first trip is to Fortnum and Mason to go to a story telling by Dick Whittington. This is a bit of an extravagance, but being in such a beautiful store, decked out in its finest Christmassy gorgeousness, I thought it would fast track us all into realising Christmas is upon us. Being country mice, it also gives us a chance to eye-ball all the wonderful and crazy Christmas lights that bedeck London at this time of year.
In between, we will head to Winchester Cathedral for some ice skating and to check out the wonderful Christmas market. Inspired by the markets in Europe, this has little chalets full of all things Christmas related. Importantly, there is a mulled wine stall too. They have skating rinks, Somerset House, and the Natural History Museum this Christmas too, with the cute little penguins for little ones to steady themselves on.
Next, it’s our annual trip to Olympia for the Horse Show. This is fantastic fun with the most wonderful assortment of horse and animal performances. We are seeing dog agility, the Shetland Grand National, a display by the Mounted Police from Barcelona, and the magical Jean Francois Pignon and his beautiful ‘wild’ white horses. We also get to see international show jumpers in a cracking against the clock jumping round. This is a great show for all the family, and there is endless shopping for last minute gifts, topped off with an appearance by Father Christmas on a horse drawn sleigh at the end – perfection in an afternoon. Bring a packed lunch as the queues for food can be horrid, and it means you don’t have to miss any of the excitement.
The high point of our Christmas here in Hampshire is our annual Farm Nativity which we hold in our large threshing barn. This year it takes place on 22nd December at 5pm at our home, which is also the location of Childs Farm HQ. We have a cast of sheep and ponies, children dress up as angels and shepherds, the local choir and musicians come out to belt out Christmas carols, and the story of the birth of Christ is told in an engaging and fun way. There’s lots of mulled wine and food, with donations being taken for the Riding for the Disabled. All are welcome, so if you find yourself in Hampshire, do come along – tweet me for directions.
Christmas Eve is the children’s carol service in our local church. This is usually by candle light, and really focuses the mind as to what Christmas is all about. The kids hook up with all their friends, as do we, and we then come home to put out mince pies and biltong (don’t ask) for Father Christmas, and some carrots for his reindeer before heading off for the sleepless night of anticipation!
Between Christmas and New Year, it’s lots of Pony Club fun for us, with a number of rallies to go to. We’ll also be practising our cantering and jumping in anticipation of a days trail hunting. As my horse is totally unfit, fat and looks like a hair ball, I shall be on foot with Mr J, and will run/ stagger alongside our little ones as their ponies head off into lands unknown. Theorectially, that will get us over all the Christmas indulgences, but I have a sneaky feeling it might fast track us to an iron lung…
Our final treat is a trip to the Royal Opera House to see Wind in the Willows. Mimi, my 6 year old, has been learning all about river life this term at school, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Last year we went to The Nutcracker, Mimi’s first ballet, so we thought we’d do something different this year, and then take them both next year.
Throughout the holidays we will be doing all sorts of creative things too. Maggie & Rose have a great book out, which gives ideas for all sorts of Christmassy things to make together. All around our lanes and tracks, the hedgerows are full of old-mans beard and holly – berry less though so it looks like we have a hard winter ahead of us – so we will cut this to decorate the house with too.
We shall all be wearing our Sharky and George beanies to keep warm, and their delicious brushed cotton pyjamas means the kids can rip open their stockings on our bed on Christmas morning and still keep toasty. Any type of clothing from Sharky & George features on their must have list from Santa, as does any colour of LittleBu nail varnish – a brand we love, because it just washes off. The girls already have their stunning frocks from our friends atilovegorgeous so really, we’re ready to glam up and get down for some serious Christmas fun!
If you are stuck in town and want to get away for a couple of days, I’ve just been to the Four Seasons Hotel hear Odiham in Hampshire. Not only do they have a stables onsite for pony riding, they have a fantastic kids club which operates out of a cottage, more climbing frames and other outdoor fun I’ve seen in a long time, AND a super labrador called Oliver who is available for walks, cuddles and play. PLUS, I hear that Sharky and George will be entertaining the troops every day between Christmas and New Year. With a new restaurant, Fish, opening this week, and a cracking Spa, it would strike me as the ideal place to go so everyone can do something they love over the Christmas holidays. Infact, I’m going to book myself in right now!
I hope all your Christmas wishes come true this year, and Seasons Greetings from everyone here at Childs Farm HQ.
Thu 6th December 2012
Check out our super smart new video! Let us know what you think on Facebook or Twitter!
Customer Edit Version 7. 21 Nov 2012 from Gro Digital on Vimeo.
Tue 20th November 2012
In the last few weeks we've had TONS of fantastic press coverage. We've been featured in Sunday Times Style (did you spot us??), Horse and Hound, Baby Hampshire and Horse Magazine!
Not only that but we had a fantastic write up on the wonderful website 'From Britain With Love' which you can read here.
All very exciting in the run up to Christmas, we hope you'll all be stocking up on Childs Farm goodies!
Tue 20th November 2012
Little William, a home-bred gelding from Childs Farm, is a very grown up three years old - which means he has started his training to carry a rider - we call this 'backing' or 'breaking in'.
Tue 20th November 2012
A super trip up to the Science Museum was made even more exciting by some wonderful practical demonstrations.
Tue 6th November 2012
Lovely Nicky at the super site 'From Britain With Love' and her family came to our Harvest Hooley the other weekend. She's written a lovely piece about the day and included some fab pictures of the fun we had.
From Britain With Love is a great website promoting all that is great about Britain and our wonderful produce.
Mon 5th November 2012
It’s everywhere you go; people extoling their credentials of being British, local, different, better. But what does it mean?
Britain used to be a self-sufficient agricultural nation, with fruits and hops from Kent being ferried throughout the country, fish from Cornwall, Scotch Beef – we indulged in our own supplies. But we are a nation of explorers and we travelled and sent back new found wonders: potatoes, tea, coffee, chocolate (thank you God!), spices, wine - it flooded in, markets were made, and slowly we imported more and more. And so began the decline of the self-sufficient British food and agricultural industry.
There has been a lot of guff in the past about farmers being ‘custodians of the countryside’. No one is going to tidy hedges and plough fields to make the UK look like a Turner painting and not make any money from it. The only way the countryside will stay looking glorious is if it is farmed, and that farming has to be profitable.
Largely thanks to telly chefs and foodies, there has been a great revival in all things British. Why? Quite simply, because if you don’t use it, you lose it. And some of the things us Brit have bred and made are too darn good to be missed. Local means you know where it has come from. It means that if you buy locally and British you are supporting a business which may be struggling as it tries to compete against cheaper and often poorer quality imports. It means it will be there when you want it next time. It means the local people have local employment, which is vital to keep rural communities together. And it means animal husbandry can support rare breeds are prevent their extinction. And this also means great tasting food as British farming embraces free range and organic produce.
If you really want to celebrate all things British and the wonderful and extraordinary food and drink available in these fair isles, go to either Daylesford in the Cotswold or Darts Farm near Exeter on the way to Cornwall. Both have made the successful integration of farming estates with modern farm shopping experiences. Diversification in the countryside is vital for local employment and the local economies, and both of these lovely companies have invested heavily not only in themselves, but in the surrounding countryside to ensure that their businesses remain sustainable and therefore they are growing employers in the area.
In terms of specifics, below are some real people who run real businesses that are reliable on you and I to support them. These are my favourites and I have no shame in sharing their details because not only is their produce excellent, but they are fab people too.
Locks Drove Farm, run by Jamie in our village, provides the tastiest chicken EVER. Roast this with the giblets in the bottom of the pan with water and a decent stock cube – outstanding gravy, and the basis of my very famous chicken noodle soup. The birds have wonderful lives, and I would never buy any other chicken as they are so full of flavour. Available to buy around Hampshire and Berkshire, and Moen & Son in Clapham.
Parsonage Farm, down the road from us, makes burgers from rare breed cows which the kids adore as they have no seasoning in them, and delicious bacon with rosemary. They also, every couple of months, have White Park beef from the Trinley Estate up the road. Once you have tried this very rare and ancient breed of beef, you will never eat anything else. Without the breeding programs estates like Trinley do, this breed would have died out. And if we all don’t buy it, they will stop breeding them. We have a well hung chunk of rib from these beautiful beasts every Christmas – the darker the meat, the longer it’s been hung and the more flavour there is in it. Contact Sarah to find out when next they have one in and they may even arrange delivery to Moen in Clapham. Serve with a decent Red, Béarnaise sauce, chips or potatoes dauphinoise . Heaven.
The Chesil Smokery in West Dorset is run by the wonderful Mark Firth, who smokes fish and game. Quite rightly he has won many Taste awards for his goods, and the smoked duck is fabulous. Everything is available to order, and you can even get a box delivered once a month, which is a very clever idea and ideal for the approaching Christmas festivities.
Now, onto eggs. Not everyone has the space for chickens. We wouldn’t do without our bantams for a very good reason; their eggs. If you have to buy, you won’t do any better than the eggs from Clarence Court. You want an orange yolk; that shows you the hens have eaten and drunk well, and have a good and healthy life. Pale yellow – bin it. It will be tasteless. The darker the yolk, the better the bird, so the tastier the egg.
Fruit and veg. ALWAYS buy seasonally. You will then get the best quality, deliciously fresh produce, which has the least amount of food miles attached to it. You will also experience wonderful veg you may not have before; kale and Kohlrabi have disappeared from supermarket shelves; but not from a delivery service. Riverford and Able and Cole do fantastic seasonal fruit & veg boxes, from farms local to where you live. You can also go to your local market to get some real deals on seasonal veg. Yes, Jerusalem artichoke (fartychoke) can get dull after a while, but the asparagus season is fully embraced in our household. And runner beans that are in abundance at this time: stir fry with garlic and some sliced almonds – delicious.
And, the best till last. Blackberries. These are FREE and make a great British adventure. Littering most of the footpaths and bridleways of our countryside, there is no excuse not to pick your fill. Our ride on Saturday afternoon was pretty useless; by the time the kids, me, the husband, the three dogs, the pony and my mare had realised how many bulging blackberries were hanging from the bushes, we didn’t make it very far. And the funniest thing ever is a horse eating a tart blackberry! Try Blackberry Vodka for a winter tipple. Blackberries, vodka, lots of sugar. Leave for as long as possible then try not to drink all in one sitting.
Support your local farmer and supplier and they will continue to support rare breeds and prevent their extinction. And you will be supporting your local economy too. And you will be eating jolly well.
New Zealand lamb – frozen and shipped 11,000 miles? Really? Buy British lamb: 50,000 foxes can’t be wrong!
JJ 1 October 2012
Mon 29th October 2012
Childs Farm has had a lot to celebrate in just one year of business - so we decided we ought to have a party! Our harvest hooley was co-hosted by the wonderful boys from Sharky and George. Their clothing line was a huge hit with absolutely everyone - super cool outfits for girls and boys alike!
In addition to this, we were lucky enough to have two seriously special guests. Childs Farm welcomed the lovely and totally inspirational, double gold paralympian, Natasha Baker spoke about her wonderfully golden summer, she was interviewed by everyone's favourite Clare Balding. She also read from her wonderful memoir 'My Animals and Other Family'.
We'd like to thank everyone who came down and made the day such a success.
Have a peek at the first lot of pictures here, there'll be more coming!
Fri 19th October 2012
Childs Farm is so proud to support the RDA, and it was so exciting to celebrate the Andover Group's 40th Anniversary yesterday. Not only did we get to watch some fabulous displays from the current riders and drivers, but we also had President of the RDA, HRH Princess Anne to support us!
Here she is pictured with her Childs Farm girls gift box for perfect tresses! Hurrah!
Wed 3rd October 2012
The leaves are turning and there's a nip in the air - autumn is definitely upon us. So, to celebrate our super summer, filled with Jubilee and Olympic celebrations galore we've made a film!
Wed 26th September 2012
We are a generation now obsessed about what we feed our kids - organic, free range, non-GM - we scrutinise & examine every pack to check for hidden nasties.
The skin our body's biggest organ, through which we absorb vitamins and minerals from the sun, and pollutants from the atmosphere, yet we don’t spend as much time scrutinising the lotions & potions we apply to young skin, from shampoos to bottom balms.
We can give unknown ingredients a Google, but there are too many ill-informed people discrediting what are natural ingredients simply because they have a number or letter in their INCI name (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) which is on the back of the packet.
For example, below are some ingredients – good or bad?
Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Tocopherol Cetearyl, Alcohol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Sucrose Laurate, Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol
Lots of long words, and infact there is a ‘sulfate’ word in there – surely these are really evil things?
Infact, all these ingredients are Soil Association permitted natural ingredients. And therein lies the confusion for the majority of us.
Shampoos need some man-made elements to make them work: no point having a great smelling product that you can’t even get a comb through. But there are products on the market that balance natural and organic ingredients which truly work, and stop the battle of bath time
So, unless you are prepared to do an Open University degree in Chemistry between the broken nights and the school run (or in a moment of madness decide to set up your own toiletries company like I did!), here are some top tips for what to look for when buying potions for the young:
Cheap means exactly that – expect to pay £ 4 + for a decent natural & organic product that works.
Popular cartoon characters are designed to sell, not to care for skin
The big no-no ingredients are:
SLS’, SLES’: Foaming agents that can irritate skin
Artifical colours, which can be irritants and are simply not necessary.
Parabens – A preservative that can irrtate skin (E214, E216, E218)
Mineral Oils – these are derived from crude-oil – need I go on?
Trusted UK companies that manufacture of child friendly products include:-
For Babies:
The Green People Company - Organic Babies Range (from £ 6)
Neals Yard Remedies (from £4.70)
Both make an excellent and comprehensive range for babies, should you need to use products on your little ones.
For kids:
Childs Farm, Caked in mud! Hair & body wash for dirty rascals (from £ 3.99). Organic sweet orange oil and all Childs Farm products are mild enough for eczema suffers.
Daniel Galvin Jnr for Kids (from £ 3.39). Great smells, good formula
Non- British favourites:
Earth Friendly Baby (from £ 4)
Gentle and kind to baby skin
Original Sprout (from £ 15)
VERY pricey, but if you have an unlimited budget, go for it!
Weleda Calendular weather protection cream (£ 4)
A fantastic product for babies and kids in cold & windy weather. Apply to exposed areas before venturing out to stop them drying. Works for skiing Mums too!
Mrs J - Sept 2012
Tue 25th September 2012
Gosh, we've been busy bees at Childs Farm! Although we've been a bit quiet on the blogging side of things (oops!) since Top Drawer, we've been super busy on the packing and dispatching front. See left for an illustration of Liva's work for the last week. Boxes and green stuffing galore!!
Wed 12th September 2012
Childs Farm is off up to London for Top Drawer this weekend.
Top Drawer is the UK's top event for design-led presents, lifestyle and fashion accessories, and we at Childs Farm HQ are very excited to have been featured in their super swish preview magazine!
On the left hand side you can see us in illustrious company in the magazine.
You can check out their website here, where you can see what Top Drawer is all about and who else will be there!
Tue 21st August 2012
We're very excited to announce that Childs Farm is a finalist in the Mumpreneur Awards, in the Best Online Business category!
It's such an honour to be recognised by Mumpreneur but to reach the finalists is extra special, as over 1200 people and businesses entered, and only a handful have been selected as finalists.
We've got all our fingers and toes crossed for the results next month...!
Mon 20th August 2012
Below you can see some of last week's entries for the fancy dress class at the Betty Skelton Memorial Show near Andover.
Childs Farm stormed into the class as fearsome danish invaders and came a very proud third.
Mon 13th August 2012
Windy and wonderful West Wittering
The Childs Farm crew had a wonderful outing to the brilliant East Head, just outside Chichester in West Sussex.
This natural evolving sand and shingle spit is simply beautiful – the sand is fine and white, with the warm waves of the solent lapping it’s shores. Being a spit, the wind has made wonderful sand dunes down the ridge of the area, which are covered in marram grass. It is beyond picturesque, and is the beach setting of your dreams.
The spit has been owned by the National Trust since the 1960s and they have done a wonderful job in making it an untouched haven for everyone.
There is a huge car park, with a café in the centre of it, offering ice creams and fish and chips. We brought a picnic, and there were many BBQs in the car park, which was a little odd as you can BBQ on the beach (but not in the dunes), which would seem a much better option.
There is plenty of beach for everyone, so don’t panic about being cheek by jowl with your neighbours, and the tide leaves lots of very sandcastle friendly sand to make vast mansions, with smooth stoned stones, shells and sea weed for decoration. The wind is a huge plus for kite flyers, and we saw some awesome displays from some very superior kites; there are smaller versions available to buy at the café.
There are plenty of other things to do in the area too, so if the weather turns, head over to Fishbourne Roman Palace to see the Roman mosaics, or the Weald & Downland Museum in Singleton, where they have recreated English country life from over 600 years ago.
We thought about going back later in the summer to stay for a few days, and found a great house called The Banyan which sleeps 8 and is right on the beach. There are plenty of local pubs and guest houses which also look eminently suitable.
We intended to pop into a pub in Emsworth on the way back, but missed the turning. When I was a child, my sister and I were there with our mother, who had parked in the waterside pub car park. She forgot that the car park was tidal, and the next thing she knew, her Fiat 500 was on the cusp of heading out to sea! Fortunately, 4 burly men picked it up and brought it back to shore!
Sun 12th August 2012
Childs Farm sponsored some of the prizes for the Pony Club polo Jorrocks championship at Hurtwood last week.
A great day out for everyone. there was some rather exciting polo to be seen too.
Big congratulations to all that took part!
Thu 9th August 2012
We've got some exciting news...
Wed 8th August 2012
Childs Farm has had a super mention from one of the loveliest websites out there, Dandelion Baby.
Dandelion Baby offers fantastic, intelligent health and beauty advice for women during pregnancy, for mothers and their children.
It's such an honour to get another fab review, especially from such wonderful site, thank you Dandelion Baby!
Fri 3rd August 2012
Don't forget to take your tack to Pony Club camp!
In this video you can see Mimi cleaning her saddle, it is very important to clean your tack properly to make sure that the leather is in good condition. You don't want anything to break whilst you're riding!
The first thing you should do is to wipe your tack down with a wet sponge to clean it. Remember not to get the leather too wet - too much water can make the leather break down. Next you need to rub in some saddle soap to condition the leather, then you're all done!
Cleaning your tack isn't just important for keeping the leather in good condition, it also makes it look super smart!
Tue 31st July 2012
Mimi explains everything you need to take to wear to Pony Club, including a trendy hairnet - don't forget your lunch either!
Mon 30th July 2012
Bronze Age barrows and butterflies
One of my greatest memories as a child was going to Old Winchester Hill in Hampshire. This is the site of a Iron Age Fort and is littered with Bronze Age burial mounds (barrows). The views are spectacular and on a clear day you can see the tall industrial chimneys at Calshot Spit near Southampton and even the Isle of Wight.
As children, we were lucky enough to be able to ride our ponies around the top of the fort; the paths were perilously narrow with the grass worn away, showing only white chalk lines of where we should go. At the time we thought this the most death-defying thing to do, as to one side was what seemed like a sheer drop. It was like going back in time, and we would pretend to be riding our trusty ponies into battle against the invading foe! This became even more exciting as the fort was a mortar practice range during World War II, so areas were, and still are, sealed off as they were never fully cleared.
Old Winchester hill is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve so you can no longer ride on the paths due to erosion, and some of where we used to roam freely has been marked off, but this still leaves a breathtaking place for a magical day out for the whole family.
The down land is managed by free-roaming sheep, who, incidentally wander everywhere clearly ignorant of remaining ordinance, in the fenced off areas, and there are some great wooded areas for dens and sword fighting.
Being chalk down land, the diversity of wildlife is extraordinary, particularly the butterflies. The National Trust used to make Butterfly spotter’s books, where you would tick off which Butterflies you had seen, the date and where you were. In these modern times, I have found a very easy – and free – way to do this.
Wildlife Watch, which is the website for The Wildlife Trust, has spotter sheets for all manner of wildlife; from sea to sky, and is fantastic way to make any family day out or picnic a little bit more educational and competitive. You simply download the sheets from the website, and off you go. Alternatively, Usborne Books have a great 50-pack card set to identify butterflies for £ 5.99.
On any day, you should be able to spot Chalkhill Blue, Adonis Blue, Meadow brown and Small Heath butterflies. There are also Buzzards and Red Kites (hence the ban on kite flying), and there are many species of orchid on the hill.
Bring a picnic and a jersey just in case – it is very high so there is normally some wind on top of the hill. And pack plenty of imagination – this is the land of battles and Kings, where invaders came, were sent packing or stayed and became our ancestors. Put away your Blackberry and become Ibba the Dane for day, and fight for the right to the first sausage roll!
MRS J - JULY 2012
KEY INFORMATION
Old Winchester Hill, GRID REF: SU 643205
Approximately 6 miles West of Petersfield; come off the A32 at Warnford and follow the signs for approx. 2 miles
Open access all year round.
Large car park with disabled parking
Information boards on entrance to the site
Designated picnic site
Dogs welcome, but must be on leads on the nature walks, they can come off leads in the picnic areas.
Mon 30th July 2012
Mimi is off to Pony Club camp tomorrow. In this video, a follow on from her grooming series, she shows you what to put in your grooming kit.
(Olympic mascot is optional!)
Thu 26th July 2012
This time Mimi shows us how to use a body brush on old man Ben.
A body brush is usually used after a dandy brush or a rubber curry comb, once the worst of the mud and dirt has been brushed off. A body brush is used to remove dust and scurf from your pony's coat. The body brush has short, soft bristles so you can even use it gently on your pony's face, as Mimi demonstrates.
You can also use a metal curry comb to clean the bristles of your body brush, to do this you pull the body brush through the spikes of the metal curry comb - so the dust and dirt flies off. You should never use a spiky metal curry comb on your pony's coat.
Thu 26th July 2012
You've seen Mimi demonstrate the essentials of grooming, but do you know why we groom our ponies?
Grooming isn't just about keeping your pony looking super smart, it is also very important for keeping a pony's skin and coat healthy. Grooming helps to keep him in tip top condition by boosting his muscle tone, helping his circulation and his lymphatic system.
It is important, too, to pick out your pony's feet regularly to remove mud and stones. Picking out your pony's feet also gives you a sneaky opportunity to check his legs and feet for any injuries.
But, it worth remembering that If your pony lives out for most of his time you shouldn't groom him too much - especially in the winter time - he needs the natural grease in his coat to protect him from bad weather.
Wed 25th July 2012
In the second part of our grooming series Mimi shows you how to use a dandy brush (not a dandelion!). Sadly we filmed this last week, before this beautiful summery weather arrived, so Ben was quite muddy and needed a good grooming!
A dandy brush has long stiff bristles to remove dried mud and dirt from your pony's coat. You should only really use it on ponies with a thick coat as the bristles can hurt if they have a short summer coat or thin skin. It goes without saying that you shouldn't use it on your pony's face.
Wed 25th July 2012
Chica (smart name IMF Rock Chick) is a home bred 2 year old filly from Childs Farm. She was competing at the New Forest Show yesterday in the Anglo and Part Bred Arab In Hand youngstock class.
It was Chica's first ever outing and as you can see she behaved beautifully, ending up in 3rd place - we're so proud!
Below you can see her in the ring strutting her stuff with Eva. Doesn't she look super smart?!
Tue 24th July 2012
This is the first of a small series of vidoes, in which Mimi (our resident grooming expert) shows us how to groom our ponies.
Here we can see Mimi demonstrating how to apply hoof oil on the wonderful, sleepy, model Ben.
Hoof oil is used to keep the pony's hoof in tip top condition, and to maintain healthy growth. Mostly, though, we use it to make their hooves look shiny and smart - perfect for getting tidied up to go off to Pony Club!
Mon 23rd July 2012
This week, in the run up to Pony Club Camp, we'll have some handy tips from Mimi (Childs Farm's resident pony expert) to help you get ready!
Watch this space!
Fri 13th July 2012
A wonderful day out yesterday (in the POURING rain!) - Pat Burgess, equestrian legend and selfless RDA supporter, carried the Olympic torch through Winterbourne Whitechurch in Dorset.
It is no exaggeration to say Pat is a legend, she has trained some of eventing's finest riders for decades as well as being an instructor for the Wilton group of the RDA for more than thirty years!
Tue 10th July 2012
Pucket is undoutedly Childs Farm HQ's favourite game!
Mimi and Bella are absolute demons on the Pucket board. It's quite something to behold!
Pucket - World's No.1 Elasticated Table Game from Pucket Enterprises on Vimeo.
Mon 9th July 2012
Childs Farm has got some very sweet new chicks! Aren't they just enchanting? This video was taken when they were less than a day old.
Mrs J would love some suggestions for their names!
Wed 4th July 2012
Bella takes the wheel of a rather zingy yellow tractor at Finkley Down Farm not far from Childs Farm.
Finkley Down Farm is a great place for a day out - even if the weather is as miserable as it is today. They've lots and lots of sweet animals to see and learn about. Hooray!
Tue 3rd July 2012
Here's a video of Mimi and Xa performing some really wild stunts at Childs Farm!
Mimi and Xa are very lucky that their ponies are so very well behaved and calm - you wouldn't be able to do this on just any pony.
You can see Ben the lovely old man nearly falling asleep!
Mon 2nd July 2012
Thank you to the lovely people at The Equestrian magazine for featuring Childs Farm in their July issue!
Turn to page 30, either online or on paper, and you can see Boy looking very handsome with some of our lovely Childs Farm smellies.
There are lots of great tips to help you get ready for camp in the Pony Club section, check it out here!
Mon 2nd July 2012
In the video below we can see Nicola Wilson riding Opposition Buzz at Barbury horse trials this weekend. After this cracking round they came 7th.
Nicola and Opposition Buzz have had a super season and have been selected as the first reserves for the British Olympic eventing team.
Most excitingly for us though is that Opposition Buzz has the same daddy as our boy Percy, Percival's Opposition! We hope that Percy has inherited the same star quality as his half-brother and that we'll see him zooming round a CIC*** in the future too!
Thu 28th June 2012
A brand new foal has been born down the road at Lucinda Sims' yard. This foal is a colt (a boy) and we can see him here away from his mummy, lying in the buttercups. How sweet!
Perhaps when he's a bit more grown up he can be friends with Ben, Boy and Snap at Childs Farm!
Wed 27th June 2012
Wow, even more excitement at Childs Farm - we've been shortlisted for another award! Our Groomed to Perfection shampoo and Caked in Mud hair and body wash have been nominated for best bathtime products at Practical Parenting & Pregnancy.
Fingers crossed they love our stuff as much we all do!
Wed 27th June 2012
Childs Farm had a fun day out yesterday at Lincoln's JumpCross Eventer's Challenge at Grange Farm, Stamford.
We were guests of equestrian supplier and distributor Lincoln. Lots and lots of horsey fun at this event, with some big names from the eventing world. Childs Farm were very proud to supply some goodies as prizes for the Pony Club young rider's event earlier in the day.
In the video below you can see one of the competitors speeding round the course, and if you listen carefully you can hear Clayton Frederick's commentary too!
We had a fab day - thank you everyone at Lincoln and well done to all the competitors!
Mon 25th June 2012
We've had lots of orders and interest in Childs Farm after our fun weekend at Bubble London. The lovely folks at Babyology have given us the thumbs up on their blog!
(You can see the post here)
Thank you Babyology, we love your site!
Mon 25th June 2012
Wowee! Childs Farm have got some FANTASTIC reviews by Equine Compare. Specifically reviewed by pony mad, outdoorsy parents and children - Childs Farm was amazingly well recieved. Can you believe we got a whopping 49/50?!
You can see the Equine Compare verdict on their blog here and their review page here. (You can even add your own review of Childs Farm products!)
Thanks so much to the reviewers at Equine Compare for loving the products as much as we do! We think your site is brilliant, and so helpful for the very horsey like us!
Fri 15th June 2012
Our friends in wellies give Childs Farm the THUMBS UP reminding their on line readers that Farm Crisis Network (FCN) benefit from part of our profits.
Don't forget to visit the FCN or Agricultural Benevolent Fund stands at the next show you go to this summer; they do fantastic work to support farm workers who struggle through bad times, terrible weather and bad harvest. These men and woment of the earth give us fantastic and delicious produce this country is rightly proud of. Hurrah for farmers! says Mrs J
http://www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/rural-life/2012/06/getting-farm-kids-in-a-lather.html
Tue 12th June 2012
We are very excited to have been awarded the Silver Award for Best Innovative Bath Product by Loved by Parents!
We're all mega excited to have done so well in a competition with so many fab brands and products. So an ENORMOUS Childs Farm thank you to everyone who voted for us!
Mon 21st May 2012
Sadly we didn't win, but are delighted to have been shortlisted and in the company of such illustrious brands! Next year...!
Mon 23rd April 2012
As most of us know, riding can mean accidents. Mrs J has broken her collar bone THREE times from riding accidents (too fast and too badly she says!) but it's one of the things we all learn to live with.
Hear at CF HQ we heard that Lady Louise Windsor had had a tumble over the Easter holidays, so the ponies insisted in sending her a message and some products - which she loved!
And always remember - to be a good rider you have to fall off at least 100 times. We learn from our mistakes, and ponies are unpredictable and, in the majoroty of cases, we're fine.
Thu 22nd March 2012
Percy, our 5 year old event promise, had his first show jumping lesson today with Pat Burgess. Pat is a marvel and has taught all the great names and great Olympic teams over the years, and is a Goddess of knowledge and just an allround judge of horsemanship and skill. Ridden by event rider Antoinette McKeowen, Percy showed that he had what it takes. He has the same father as Olympic hopeful Opposition Buzz, the great Stallion Fleetwater Opposition. Mum was also an Advanced Eventer, and was by Catherston Dazzler, and Laurel.
Fri 2nd March 2012
Dandelion Baby is one of the most lovely blogs around. Run by Beauty PR Amber Mackintosh, the site is full of delcious products and lovely ideas. www.dandelionbaby.co.uk/
Amber also works as a contributer to Stylenest - a luxury on-line mag for Mums run by former beauty ed Hannah and stylista fashionista Astrid. To get such a WONDERFUL review from such fab folk is awesome - thank you!
Thu 1st March 2012
Juno magazine is a wonderful publication quarterly publication for parents who share their ethos of conscious parenting, sustainability, social justice, non-violence and a commitment to personal growth and spiritual awareness. In this Springs quarterly, GYFW features in an article on natural skin care for children. This is a really facinating read, with a really good classified section, and fun recipes for all the family to share. Go to www.junomagazine.com to subsribe.
Thu 1st March 2012
Issue 12 has some fab fab fab pictures for your walls of lovely horses and ponies, and some top tips about riding. It also features a competition to win Childs Farm products on the back page!
We are giving away 6 gift bags, so if you want to have a really good pony read and also try to win some goodies, get down to your newsagent NOW!
http://www.ponymag.com/shop/magazine-store/magazines/ponypals-issue-1.html
Thu 16th February 2012
Another Stella review from another magazine...Preview magazines have regional editions in the South of England, and we have a wonderful review in the Cotswold edition. Thank you so much!
Sun 12th February 2012
Congratulations to Lily Venables from Kent who has won a hamper of Childs Farm goodies in the Pony Prep competition!
Thu 2nd February 2012
Thank you to Country Child for the most wonderful review: there is nothing more complimentrary than the positive view of a parent.
Have a look at their amazing on line magazine which is a joy to read and packed full of ideas for you and your children.
Wed 1st February 2012
What a wonderful piece of Editorial we have in our favourite Country Mag this week. Thank you Alice and Emma!
Mon 23rd January 2012
Our thanks for Daisy Bridgewater for the wonderful write up in Saturday's Telegraph Magazine. She is the godess of all that is great for kids, and we are delighted that our products hit the spot!
Fri 6th January 2012
Calling everyone who would like to win some Childs Farm products: The Pony Club is running a competition this month to win a whole hamper of goodies from Childs Farm. Go to the NEW area of their website called Pony Prep, where you can learn how to get ready for camp and raliies amongst other things. Follow this link and sign up and see how you can be a winner!
Thu 5th January 2012
Another fantastic feature this month, in the February edition of Practical Parenting and Pregnancy. There blue month features the wonderful bubble bath, Get your feet wet!
Tue 20th December 2011
Another glowing review, thank you Savette Gazette. This website is run by Wendy, mother of 4 children, of which 3 are autistic. This is a fantastic site for any parent experiencing Autism. Wendy is an inspirational lady, and we at Childs Farm salute you!
http://www.savette.com/reviews/making-bathtime-fun-with-childs-farm/
Sat 17th December 2011
Another wonderful nativity at Childs Farm this year, which saw about 200 people gather in the rather chilly barn, dressed as angels, camels, shepherds and other characters from the nativity. The starring roles of course went to the animals: Ben played his part as Mary's donkey with perfection as usual, and new to the full limelight, Harold the ram was in the barn this year, providing the appropriate stable noises. Most importantly, he got all the cuddles he could hope for, as everyone gave him a big hug and a tickle. AND to top it all, we raised £ 300 for the Andover RDA Group which is just wonderful. Hurrah!
Thu 15th December 2011
Thank you Time Out for the lovely feature in this weeks edition of THE London magazine. See page 30: 'The Style Agenda'. Just goes to show that Childs Farm isn't just for the Country set - we're pretty town savvy too! COME ON SUPERMAKETS - GET US ON YOUR SHELVES! We're more fun than Disney, Grannies, Mums, Dads and kids love us AND we tell all about real life on the farm. 8 million Country File watchers can't be wrong!!
Thu 15th December 2011
We've cracked it! The request for personal Christmas trees has been solved, and now everyone has one in their bedrooms here at CF HQ. How to do it:
You will need: Large piece of dark green card, A4 piece of brown card, assorted glitter card, glitter glue or glue and glitter, scissors, blu tack.
1. Draw on a Christmas Tree shape and then cut it out
2. Draw a pot shape on the brown card, and lots of bauble circles on the glitter card
3. Stick the baubles onto the green tree, and glue and sprinkly glitter as needed
4. With blue tack, stick up the tree and stick up the pot underneath on a wall in your bedroom
Wed 14th December 2011
Our wonderful friends at Maggie and Rose have produced a great book on ideas for kids at Christmas. Using one of these, we made our own napkin rings today out of loo rolls. And, using our own skill and initiative, we made personalised names for them too!
Really easy to do. You will need: Old loo roll tubes, ribbons or wrapping paper, glue, letter beads, string
Cut each loo roll tubes into 3, and then glue the inside and outside of the cardboard. Wrap ribbons and wrapping paper around the tube, and then leave to stick.
To make the personalised names: tie a knot in the end of the string, thread on the letter beads and any other fab things, and then tie another know at the end. Leave enough string to tie around the napkin ring later.
Mon 12th December 2011
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/telegraphchristmasappeal/8933653/Telegraph-Christmas-Appeal-thanks-for-the-ride.html
There are many great articles in the Telegraph at the moment about the RDA: here is just one of them.
Fri 9th December 2011
Thank you to all the lovely folk at Country Life who have included us in their stocking filler page this week.
Thu 8th December 2011
Thu 8th December 2011
We've been out picking up pine cones for putting around the house. They look lovely when you spray them with metallic paint - try gold or silver - and you can put them in the branches of the Christmas tree...we got ours yesterday and it's 8 feet tall and looks fab! It has to take it's place in the Barn for our LIVE nativity here on 17th December, but after that it comes into the house.
Tue 6th December 2011
From their website: http://londonmumsmagazine.com/2011/christmas-gift-guide-2011-2
'Childs Farm - A new range of gorgeous toiletry products made for children by Childs Farm, a lovely farm in Hampshire. They have the best smells of all cosmetics we have come across ie. bubblegum, lemonade, and fanta type smells. Toddlers and London mums love them.'
Thank you London Mums! Childs Farm kinda digs you guys too!
Tue 6th December 2011
http://chopsybaby.com/magazine/?p=15485
Editor Jen Smith tells her readers: ' The most distinctive feature of Childs Farm toiletry products is the strong, fresh, fruity smell each bottle releases. The fragrances are strong, but not chemically so or overpowering, instead reminding you of the delicious waft from an orange or strawberry cream Quality Street when you bite into it.....Jen says: "I used Chidls Farm products with my own children, an 18 month old and a four year old. Both the bubble baths with their respective orangey tangs were amazing. The scent really made this. The strawberry and organic mint Tame that Mane conditioner is perfect for long tresses that tangle easily and cuts down on the combing. My older child has ECZEMA and my younger the sensitive skin of a babt, but neither had any reaction to the ingredients in the products. The packaging design will grab the eye of young bathers, and as a nice aside story, the characters featured on the packaging are real animals living in the Hampshire countryside.'
Mon 5th December 2011
From Sue Bailey at Country Child Magazine @countrychildmag www.countrychild.co.uk
'Beautifully packaged and fun! I've just ordered 3 more sets..Good luck to you, you've got a great product!'
Thank you everyone at Country Child - delighted you love everything!
Fri 2nd December 2011
Dear Amy,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the lovely products you sent us recently. They are utterly gorgeous and my children can't quite believe how nice bathtime is now - makes such a change from Matey bubbles!
Your packaging is fantasic and the products smell lovely. They also look great in the bathroom!
Please pass my thanks to all the team - I now have 4 exceptionally sweet smelling children!
Best wishes
Sophie, Editor Country Child Magazine
Fri 2nd December 2011
For everyone who has Internet Explorer.
Alas, so happy were they that had done wonderous things to the web site this week, they launched it all and, it being Friday, pootled to the pub...having missed out some testing. If you have tried to utilise the shop and failed, rest assured the cuprits are now sitting on the naughty step. Please accept our profuse apologies and try again. For any orders received this weekend, you will get a free bottle of Childs Farm as compensation. Mrs J.
Wed 16th November 2011
Thank you so much IPC Media: 2 magazines in one week! H&H feature us in their 10 Nov issue on page 82 as part of their magnificent twelve pages of Christmas goodies to buy. And Horse Magazine's December issue loves us as a recommended gift for Kids on page 64. Bless you all!
Wed 9th November 2011
Despite piglets and naughty ponies trying to put the kibosh on our launch, we are full steam ahead and Childs Farm is live and kicking! The website is still being tweaked and finalised, but we're pleased as punch with what we have, so thank you to all the boys at Alliants web design for working day and night to get this done.
Please come and have a look, explore the sight, tell us what you think - we would love to have your feed back.
To launch we are having a competition. Send us your Christmas drawings featuring your favourite animal, and the best three will be displayed on our website this Christmas. Age Groups are Under 5, 5-7 and 8-10. A hamper of goodies to each of the drawings that appears on our site!
