May 2024 With Hannah, Little Alf & Friends

Finally! The lighter nights have appeared, and it feels like summer could be ahead of us, especially over the last few days.
 
Swinton Green has been busy lately. On May 1, we officially opened again for 2024. I’m looking forward to meeting lots of people again this year and connecting them with animals here at Swinton Green Animal Experiences.
 
When it comes to the animals, they keep me very busy. Little Alf turned 13 last month; his birthday was on April 1st. Little Alf has been living with me since he was 7 months old, so we have many happy memories together. All of the ponies are currently losing their winter coats, which some of the birds have been helping with. On more than one occasion, I have spotted birds sitting on the backs of ponies, plucking away their hair.
 
Arthur, my Sulcata tortoise, is back living outside, and today he is wandering around his paddock, eating dandelion leaves and fresh grass. It’s lovely to see him back outside after spending so long in the cabin. Even though I long for him to warm my feet as I work at my desk,
 
The donkeys Harold and Humphrey have been busy halter training ready for the summer months. They are both turning two this year, so they are still very cheeky, and both love lots of attention and fuss, which I’m sure they will get this year.
 
The alpacas Bean, Bear, and Blue got sheared today by the alpaca sheared Jonathan; they now look half the size, and although they don’t look as fluffy now, it’s a good job done for summer. We got a total of 8 bags of fleece from them, which I donated to local crafters.
 
The upcoming weeks will see the shearing of the sheep.
 
As for me, I've been looking after all the animals here and training for the Yorkshire Three Peaks, which I'll be doing this weekend with my four-legged best friend Winston. He is my flat coat retriever; you might have seen him online with me. This Saturday, I’ll be walking 24 miles in one day for Yorkshire Cancer Research. I’m excited to take on the challenge but also a little nervous. It’s for a great cause, and every step of the way, we will be making a difference. So far, we have raised over £2,000 for Yorkshire Cancer Research.
  
In the coming weeks, I hope to get back out in the garden and plant all of the pots for summer.