Beacon Hill Children’s Farm changes its routine for the winter

Maple the 11-year old pot-bellied pig is spending the winter at the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm for the first time in his life.

With all amenities of home, including a heat lamp, Maple, and his fellow animals at Beacon Hill Children’s Farm will spend the holidays at the farm.

“It’s the very first time in 37 years that everyone is here for Christmas,” farm manager, Claudia Laube said.

While the animals will be here this winter the public will not be allowed inside.

When it’s open, the farm is bursting with animals, and animal lovers and once the weather turns cold the animals are normally moved to a farm in Metchosin after Thanksgiving.

But this year, they’re staying.

“It’s like moving a small village to be honest,” Laube said. “We have roughly 100 animals on site if I would have to guess now. Moving everyone takes a couple of days.”

It’s less stressful on the animals, especially Ozzy the elderly alpaca, and the Shetland ponies who are feeling their age.

“I think they like it. Animals actually like routine, they like their normal things, they like their food the same time, they like the people they know. So this worked really well,” Laube said.

The apiaries are kept warm for the budgies, and finches who are happy inside.

And the goats, always a main attraction, seem to be enjoying themselves.

The farm runs on donations, and it’s hoping to generate contributions over the holidays through beaconhillchildrensfarm.ca.

READ MORE: Beacon Hill Children’s Farm mourns loss of long-term resident

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