Barleylands Farm Museum facts for kids
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Barleylands Farm Park and Craft Village is a fun place located in Billericay, Essex, England. It's a great spot for families to visit! You can meet many farm animals, enjoy indoor and outdoor play areas, and even go on tractor rides. Barleylands also has a special birds of prey center and a house for nocturnal and exotic animals. They are known for taking good care of their animals and for hosting popular events like Lambing Live and Easter celebrations.
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What to See and Do at Barleylands
Barleylands has lots of exciting things to explore!
Meet Amazing Animals
In the "Nocturnal and Exotic's house," you can see unique animals. These include fruit bats, skunks, snakes, and colorful tree frogs. Of course, you'll also find many friendly farm animals to meet and learn about.
Play Areas and Rides
There are fantastic indoor and outdoor play areas for kids to enjoy. You can race around on go-karts or take a relaxing tractor ride. There's also a big sandpit that's undercover, so you can play no matter the weather!
Explore Farming History
The farm's "Discovery Barn" is a cool place to visit. Inside, you'll find old-fashioned tractors and fun exhibits. These displays help you learn all about the history of farming and how it has changed over time.
Discover the Craft Village
The Craft Village at Barleylands opened in 2003. It's right next to the Farm Park. Here, you can find many small businesses that create amazing crafts. Sometimes, you can even join workshops to learn new skills yourself! Special events are held in the Craft Village throughout the year.
Exciting Events at Barleylands
Barleylands often hosts special events throughout the year. These events feature a variety of stalls where you can browse for food and crafts. They are usually held in The Village area and are free for visitors to enter.
The Barleylands showground is a large open space. It is used for many different activities. Local sports teams use it for training and matches. Sometimes, people even hire it for weddings! Local residents also enjoy regular boot sales and other community events held at the farm.
The Essex Country Show
For many years, Barleylands hosted a very popular event called the Essex Country Show. This big show took place every year on the second weekend in September. It ran from 1986 until 2016.
Celebrating Rural Life
The Essex Country Show was created in 1986 to celebrate farming history and country life. It was a huge event with lots to see and do! Over 50 crafters would show off their skills. You could watch people doing things like spinning wool, making hurdles (fences), and even blacksmiths working with metal. Some rare skills were also demonstrated, like making coracles (small boats) and clogs (wooden shoes).
Animals and Machines
Animal displays were a big part of the show. You could see powerful heavy horses, watch a sheep shearing show, and see amazing working dogs in action. There were also displays of smaller animals. For fans of machines, the show featured 50 working steam engines and 60 smaller model engines. You could also see vintage tractors, old cars, and motorcycles. Model boats sailed on the lake, and there was even a demonstration of threshing (separating grain from plants).
Food, Music, and Fun
The Essex Country Show also had a special food hall with delicious local products. There was live music, exciting events in the main arena, and big tents filled with crafts. Plus, visitors could enjoy funfair rides and many trade stands.
Why the Show Ended
Sadly, the Essex Country Show stopped in 2016. This was because the costs to run such a large event became too high.
