Introducing Turra Lodge Farm

Turra Lodge Farm is the madhouse I call home. The humble abode of the Kelly Family.

We have been able to open the farm to the public on occasion for various charity fundraisers, but on the regular we are a private farm.

Turra Lodge Farm is home to a lot more than just us humans. It’s home to the Pygmy Goats, American Miniature Horses, Kunekune Pigs and many more species of entertaining creatures.

The farm began way back when in 2003, before we had even moved into Turra Lodge. With a couple of Bantam Hens and three Pygmy Goats, we considered ourselves a small-holding.

After moving into Turra Lodge the animal collection expanded with the addition of Saralda, a 14-hand high Pony whom all five of us learned to ride. She then had a foal Ruari, a boisterous colt-foal who often ended up on the wrong side of the fence. From there, my brother sparked an interest in birds and various ducks and hens and Turra Lodge became a bit of a menagerie.

In 2004 Pixie joined the crew, our first Miniature Horse. After Pixie came Bella, then Cheyenne, then Stanley, then Twinken, then Hustler… it snowballed from here into the farm we have today!

We now run a successful American Miniature Horse Breeding Programme and are home to ten mares and three boys, many of which have competed internationally.

Turra Lodge is also home to a herd of 13 playful Pygmy Goats whom breed all year round so they keep us entertained with the kids bopping around and causing havoc. Sometimes a kid will need to be hand reared and so its not unusual to find a goat in the kitchen eating toast or one that thinks he's a dog, chasing a ball around the garden with the rest of the gang.

Dorothy and Luna are our two donkeys. They joined the farm in 2006 and have been living the life ever since. They refuse to leave one anothers side, even when its manicure time with the farrier, they get the couples spa appointment. A herd of 10 Soay Sheep keep the two ladies company in the shared field.

Oscar and Peppa are the two pigs that live on the banked field surrounding the house. They’re in love, and their son Oliver (the runt of his litter whom we hand reared) now roams the gardens but can regularly be found in the kitchen raiding the bread press!

​Oliver is joined (in the gardens, not the house) by 9 Bantam Hens, and 15 pigeons which he battles with for their grain.

17 Call Ducks occupy the lake. You’ll often find ‘The Boys’ (the two Newfoundland’s) taking a dip there too.

Dad has a love for birds, so in addition to those listed above, he also has over 30 other pigeons and a Snowy Owl named Hootie.

The list of animals may seem extensive and the most common question I am asked is “Who does all the work?”

The answer is “Nobody”

We all have our own animals and so look after what we own. This means getting up before college or work and togging out to feed and water them and then repeating the process when we get home in the evenings.

The larger jobs like mucking out or relocating the herds are done at the weekends as a team effort.

“All hands on deck”

All in all, having the farm may seem like a lot more work than reality. When you have 7 people living on the farm the workload is not as daunting and so becomes an enjoyable task.