Western Farm, Kingsdon; Including Ruffles Hen Hotels

Home
United Kingdom
Somerset
Western Farm, Kingsdon; Including Ruffles Hen Hotels

Call Website Contact the business

Free‑range, soya‑free eggs from hens raised with care, plus seasonal meat when available. Real farming, real care, real flavour.

Ruffles Hen Hotels provides holidays for visiting hens while their humans are on theirs.

30/10/2026

🐏❤️ MR BEAU DANGLES MEETS THE LADIES...

⚠️ VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED! 🙈🤣

Well, Mr Beau Dangles has officially been introduced to his very own little harem!

Four young ladies — Lavender and three girls who are still awaiting names.

We'd hoped for a nice, gentle introduction. A little getting acquainted, perhaps some polite sniffing, a chance for everyone to settle in...

Beau apparently had other ideas. 🤣

The girls had barely stepped out of the trailer before his introductory patter began.

🐏 BEAU: "Ooooooh... HELLOOOOO, ladies!"

*Sniff, sniff.*

🐏 BEAU: "Ooooooh, you smell a-MAZ-ing!"

*Further enthusiastic investigation.*

🐏 BEAU: "Don't mind if I do..."

Staff: "BEAU! Get in there fella!"

🐏 BEAU: "Oh, hang on... YOU'RE smelling pretty good too!"

*More sniffing.*

🐏 BEAU: "I'll have a bit of this as well, thank you very much!"

Staff: "BEAU!!! THEY'VE ONLY JUST ARRIVED! There's no rush!"

🐏 BEAU: "And what a WONDERFUL arrival it is!" 😍

🙈🙈🙈

Meanwhile, spare a thought for the innocent bystander.

You may remember that when Beau first arrived, we decided he needed a bit of company while he settled in.

So naturally, we provided him with the sheep equivalent of a chaperone.

Or a nanny.

Think Mrs Doubtfire, but with four legs, a woolly coat and an insatiable appetite. 🤣🐑

The successful applicant for this prestigious position was one of our three Fatty Ryeland Uncles, selected through a highly competitive recruitment process.

We waved a feed scoop.

Three Fatty Ryeland Uncles came running.

One got through the gate before we shut it.

Congratulations. You're hired. 😂

And we have FINALLY established which uncle won the job!

🐑 CLYDE.

Yes, F.R.U. is officially Clyde. We actually got around to reading his ear tag the other day.

And, as it happens, Clyde really IS the fattest of the three Fatty Ryeland Uncles. Which might explain how he won the race to the feed scoop in the first place. 🤣

🐑 CLYDE: "OI! That's FAT...IST!"

Staff: "Fatist?"

🐑 CLYDE: "YES! You know... like ageist... sexist... but... well... WHATEVER!"

Staff: "Clyde, you ARE one of the Fatty Ryeland Uncles."

🐑 CLYDE: "That's not the POINT! I have feelings, you know!"

Staff: "And you're actually the fattest of the lot."

🐑 CLYDE: "THAT IS NOT HELPING!"

Staff: "Just stating the facts, Clyde."

🐑 CLYDE: "RIGHT! That's it! I'm reporting you to the union!"

Staff: "Which union?"

🐑 CLYDE: "Dunno. Is there one for sheep?"

🐑 Barrenness Abi: "Don't look at me. I've got enough paperwork dealing with Rambo."

🐑 CLYDE: "Fine. I'll have a biscuit instead." 🙄🤣

Unfortunately, nobody appears to have explained to Clyde that his duties as Beau's chaperone would eventually involve supervising a rather enthusiastic young gentleman in the company of FOUR young ladies.

And, as it turned out, Clyde was about to discover that this particular assignment was considerably more Mrs Doubtfire than he'd bargained for... 🙈🤣

Having spent his time providing respectable companionship to the new boy, he suddenly found himself witnessing scenes of such shameless debauchery that he began seriously reconsidering his career choices.

In fact, he very nearly loaded himself back into the trailer.

🐑 CLYDE: "Nope. Absolutely not. I did NOT sign up for this."

🐏 BEAU: "Ooooooh, HELLO again, gorgeous!"

🐑 CLYDE: "I'M LEAVING."

Staff: "Clyde, where are you going?"

🐑 CLYDE: "Anywhere. Somewhere respectable. Preferably with a strict code of conduct."

🐏 BEAU: "Oh, you're LOVELY too!"

🐑 CLYDE: "I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH."

🤣🤣🤣

Fortunately, before Clyde could arrange his own evacuation from this den of iniquity...

He spotted food.

And just like that, all thoughts of resignation, moral outrage and escaping in the trailer evaporated.

🐑 CLYDE: "Oh. Supper."

Staff: "Thought you were leaving?"

🐑 CLYDE: "I've reconsidered."

Because, as any experienced Fatty Ryeland Uncle will tell you...

FOOD IS THE CURE FOR ALL EVILS. 😂🐑❤️

So, there we have it.

🐏 Beau is delighted with his new arrangements.

🐑 The girls have received a rather enthusiastic welcome.

🐑 Clyde remains in employment, provided the catering arrangements are satisfactory.

And Staff are wondering whether we should have issued a parental guidance warning before taking photographs.

Honestly, between Rambo's international reputation and Beau's enthusiasm for his new job, we're beginning to wonder whether Western Farm needs an OnlyRams profile. 🙈🤣

P.S. Rambo would like it formally recorded that he was a professional STUD long before this young whippersnapper arrived.

P.P.S. Barrenness Abi is already requesting photographic evidence for her files.

P.P.P.S. Clyde would like another bucket of food, please. He's been through a lot. 😂❤️

30/10/2026

🐏📰 BREAKING NEWS: RAMBO MAKES THE BACK COVER! 🤣

Staff here.

Just when we thought the whole Rambo-in-a-pipe saga might finally be settling down...

Look what turned up in the November edition of Southwestfarmer!

Yes. Our ridiculous ram has made the agricultural press.

ON THE BACK COVER, NO LESS! 🤣

Naturally, Rambo has already issued a statement.

🐏 RAMBO: "I'd like to thank South West Farmer for recognising my considerable contribution to rural life, agricultural infrastructure inspection and international media relations."

Staff: You got stuck in a pipe.

🐏 RAMBO: "I was NOT STUCK. I was conducting a thorough inspection of an important agricultural drainage installation."

Staff: You needed TWO fire crews.

🐏 RAMBO: "An entirely unnecessary level of assistance, as I have explained repeatedly."

Staff: There's a photograph of you IN THE PIPE.

🐏 RAMBO: "Yes. Excellent photograph. Very flattering. Captures my rugged good looks."

🐑 BARRenness ABI: "It captures your face peering out of a concrete pipe while you wait for the fire brigade to rescue you."

🐏 RAMBO: "A distinguished portrait of a professional inspector at work, Abigail. Do try to appreciate the artistry."

🐑 ABI: "You were stuck."

🐏 RAMBO: "WYNN!!!"

🤣🤣🤣

Meanwhile, Rambo has apparently been studying his latest press coverage and is particularly pleased that the article acknowledges his demanding romantic schedule.

Nine ladies, you understand.

All competing for his undivided attention.

Apparently a gentleman occasionally needs a little peace and quiet.

Although choosing a concrete culvert as a romantic retreat was perhaps not his finest decision. 🙈

🐏 RAMBO: "It was a well-earned break from my duties."

🐑 ABI: "You were stuck."

🐏 RAMBO: "I WAS INSPECTING."

🐑 ABI: "And now you're on the back cover of a farming newspaper."

🐏 RAMBO: "Exactly. Prestigious placement. Excellent visibility. A discerning agricultural readership."

🐑 ABI: "You're next to an advert for a cooker."

🐏 RAMBO: "A PREMIUM cooker, Abigail. Know your audience."

🐑 ABI: "And you're STILL in the pipe."

🐏 RAMBO: "STAFF! MAKE HER STOP!"

😂😂😂

Anyway, a huge thank you to South West Farmer for giving our daft old boy another moment in the spotlight, and for including some of his rather questionable version of events!

And, of course, another enormous thank you to the crews from Somerton Fire Station and Bridgwater Fire Station's specialist animal rescue team, without whom this particular media career might have had a rather different ending. ❤️🚒
And, of course Rambo's Pipe Dream (https://www.justgiving.com/team/rambos-pipe-dream) came out of all this craziness, to help those who are always there to help those in need - Fire Fighters Charity & RABI

We'll leave you with the official sign-off from the celebrity himself...

🐏 RAMBO
Culvert Inspector (currently suspended from duties)
Local Casanova (although I prefer "Stud")
Actually Global Media Personality — 26 countries and counting
Now Featured in the Agricultural Press
Back Cover Star 🌟

P.S. Rambo would like to know whether the next edition might feature him on the FRONT cover.

P.P.S. Abi has suggested a headline:

"RAM STILL DENIES BEING STUCK DESPITE OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE."

P.P.P.S. Wynn's telephone is apparently ringing again. 🤣🐏❤️

30/10/2026

🌾 WINTER IS GOING TO BE A LONG ONE... 🙈

Not even November.

And roughly a THIRD of our winter forage has already gone.

That empty space in the barn should still contain a rather substantial amount of hay.

It doesn't.

A few days ago I shared the new Google satellite imagery showing just how brown our fields became during the summer. This is the other side of that picture.

When the grass stops growing, the animals don't stop eating.

So you start feeding the forage you've made or bought for winter...
..early.

And every bale fed then is one that isn't sitting here waiting for January.

Traditionally, Candlemas Day — 2nd February — is an important point in the farming calendar. There's an old saying that by Candlemas you should still have half your winter fodder remaining.

We're not even at November yet.

Candlemas is a VERY long way off. 😳

The rain has returned and the fields are green again, but that doesn't magically replace the forage already eaten, nor does grass suddenly grow at summer rates as we head into winter.

So this photograph is probably a better illustration of our challenging summer than any thermometer or rainfall figure could be.

An empty third of the hay barn.

Before winter has really begun.

We'll manage it. We always do.

But there may be a fair amount of counting bales, doing sums and muttering between now and spring. 🙈🌾

Farming really does make you think several seasons ahead.

Because sometimes the true cost of one season doesn't become apparent until you're trying to feed your way through the next one.

28/10/2026

Well... look what arrived safely this morning! 🥚📦❤️

48 eggs, three layers, one trip through the Royal Mail network — and our first proper postal trial is looking VERY promising!

I could tell you all about how they arrived... but I think I'll leave that bit to our willing guinea pig, Alex. 😂

Alex — over to you! How did our little travellers fare? 👇

27/10/2026

🚨 STAFF ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨

We appear to have a developing situation.

Staff briefly left the vehicle unattended.

This was apparently a mistake.

🐔 "Right. Where are the keys?"

Staff: EXCUSE ME?!

🐔 "I've got places to be."

Staff: YOU ARE A HEN.

🐔 "And?"

Staff: YOU CANNOT DRIVE.

🐔 "Have you actually seen any evidence to support that assertion?"

Staff: YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE HANDS.

🐔 "Discriminatory."

Meanwhile...

🐐 Flossie: "Are you planning to drive that thing?"

Staff: Don't encourage her.

🐐 Flossie: "Can you show me how to do it?"

Staff: NO.

🐔 "Certainly. First we need the keys."

🐐 Flossie: "Oh, I know about those."

Staff: YES, FLOSSIE. WE KNOW YOU KNOW ABOUT KEYS.

🙄🤣

For those unfamiliar with Flossie's previous automotive experience, she has already demonstrated rather too much interest in both vehicles AND their keys.

She does not require driving lessons from a hen.

Nobody requires driving lessons from a hen.

🐔 "Again, lots of negativity around here today."

B.U.S.Y. has subsequently issued a statement confirming that its members have long been unfairly excluded from agricultural transport duties and will be seeking appropriate training opportunities.

Flossie has apparently enrolled.

Staff has confiscated the keys.

🐔 "We'll be appealing."

🐐 Flossie: "Can I eat the paperwork?"

Staff: FOR GOODNESS' SAKE.

🤦‍♀️🤣

27/10/2026

🚨 CRIME WAVE CONTINUES AT WESTERN FARM 🚨

Honestly, these drive-by thefts are getting beyond a joke. 🙄🤣

There I was, minding my own business...

When I checked the mirror and realised I was being approached by two known offenders.

🐐🐐

Suspects have been identified as:

Flossie — previous form for attempted vehicle theft and eating the keys.

Poppy — accomplice, fashion icon, and apparently acting as lookout.

Their intentions remain unclear, although investigators believe the possibilities include:

• Theft of vehicle.
• Theft of keys.
• Theft of hay.
• Theft of anything remotely edible.
• Unauthorised entry into the cab.
• All of the above.

When challenged, both suspects adopted the traditional goat defence of:

"Who, us?"

Unfortunately for them...

THE WHOLE THING IS IN THE MIRROR. 🤣🤣

Flossie would like it formally recorded that she was merely inspecting the load.

Poppy maintains she wasn't even there.

📸 Evidence suggests otherwise.

The Double Agents strike again. 🐐🐐😂

P.S. No goats were permitted to drive the tractor.

This time.

26/10/2026

🥚📦 OPERATION: POST AN EGG — PACKING UPDATE

When you don't have any belly bands for your little egg boxes...

You improvise, farmer stylee. 🤣

Sisal baler twine.

Obviously.

And actually, we're rather pleased with ourselves because it's plastic-free AND this is its second use. ♻️😂
Although one thing DID surprise me...

One full length of sisal from a standard bale only does TWO of these little boxes! 😳

Apparently even baler twine isn't quite as infinite as it feels when you're pulling the stuff off bales. 🤣

Is it even possible to run a farm without eventually solving something with baler twine?

Another one for that as-yet-unpublished farming classic:

"1001 Uses for Baler Twine"
by I. M. A. Farmer. 😜🤣

Assuming they reach the other end.

Still egg-shaped.

And not requiring a frying pan. 🙈😂

Current status:

🥚 Eggs packed.
🪢 Second-hand sisal baler twine engineering complete.
♻️ Plastic-free improvisation achieved.
📦 Outer box packed and labelled.
🙋‍♂️ Alex & Melanie increasingly important to scientific progress.

Next stop: the postal system.

My nerves are absolutely fine.

FINE. 😬🤣

26/10/2026

🥚📦 OPERATION: POST AN EGG

Well... quite a few eggs, actually. 😂

This little lot are about to become guinea pigs.

Or rather, the eggs aren't the guinea pigs. That would be both strange and kinda clever 🤔🤣

Our friend Alex is.

Sorry, Alex. 🤣❤️

We've been looking at whether we could safely send our eggs through the post, and I posted about the new boxes we're trialling the other week... time now to put them through their paces.

So naturally there's only one sensible thing to do...

Pack some eggs.

Send them to somebody we know.

And ask them to report back on whether we've sent them a box of eggs...
..or the ingredients for a very large omelette. 🙈🤣

These little boxes hold four eggs each and are designed to protect them in transit. The plan is to pack them into the larger box with suitable protection around them and then entrust the whole lot to the postal system.

Gulp. 😬📦

Alex has gamely agreed to become our Official Posting Guinea Pig, so this batch will shortly be heading his way.

And we're not just interested in whether the shells survive.

We want to see what condition the packaging arrives in, whether the eggs have moved around, whether any particular position in the parcel fares better or worse, and generally whether this is something we could confidently offer in future.

Because there's quite a difference between:

"They SHOULD survive the post."

and...

"We've actually posted them and KNOW they can."

So...

🥚 Eggs ready.

📦 New packaging ready.

🙋‍♂️ Guinea pig secured.

📮 Postal service about to be entrusted with the precious cargo.

What could possibly go wrong? 😳🤣

We'll report back when Operation Post An Egg reaches its destination.

Preferably still egg-shaped. 🥚😂

26/10/2026

☀️ A CHALLENGING SUMMER — SEEN FROM ABOVE 🙈

Google Maps appears to have updated its satellite imagery around us...

And wow.

Sometimes you don't quite appreciate something until you see it from a completely different perspective.

This is our main field at Western Farm during this summer.

Yes, that really is supposed to be grass. 😳

The little collection of houses and runs towards the middle is where some of our hens live — surrounded by what, from above, looks remarkably similar to the harvested arable fields around it.

There should be a rather more obvious distinction!

We knew it was dry.

We watched the grass disappear. We watched it burn up.

We watched fields stop growing.

We moved livestock, managed what grazing we had and watched the skies hoping for rain that repeatedly seemed to miss us.

We lived it every day.

But seeing the whole field from above somehow brings home just how extreme it actually became. The land became like a desert!

For most people, a long spell of hot, dry weather means lovely summer days. And when I wasn't farming I'm the first to admit I love hot dry summers... as long as I'm not working in them!

For farming, those same weeks can mean grass that isn't growing, grazing that isn't recovering and winter feed being eaten months before winter has even arrived.

And, of course, eventually the weather changes...

We've gone from staring hopefully at the sky wishing it would rain to standing in howling wind and rain trying to stop hen runs from dismantling themselves. 🙈🤣

Farming really is one long conversation with the weather.

You just don't get much say in the conversation.

Google Maps: "Here's your farm."

Us: "Where's the grass?"

Google Maps: "Exactly." 🙈

25/10/2026

🐏 MAKING FRIENDS WITH MR BEAU DANGLES ❤️

A little bit of bribery goes a long way... 😂

We're spending a bit of time getting Beau used to us before his girls join him.

A tiny hand-feed isn't about spoiling him — it's about teaching him that we're nice people to have around, rather than something he needs to be wary of.

The more confident and relaxed he becomes with us now, the easier life should be for everyone whenever we need to handle him in the future.

And there's a fairly immediate reason for wanting him to trust us...

Before his girls go in, we'll be putting some raddle on his chest.

We don't use a raddle harness. Instead, we apply raddle paint directly to the ram's chest. When he serves a ewe, some of that colour transfers onto her back, giving us a useful visual indication of who's been mated and when.

It's simple, it works really well for us, and it also means there's no harness for an enterprising sheep to catch on a bramble, fence, branch or anything else they can possibly find to get themselves tangled up in.

Because if there's one thing we've learned about sheep...
..if there is something they CAN get caught up in, sooner or later one of them probably will. 🙈🤣

So hopefully, by the time we need to put the raddle on, Beau will be happy enough with us that we can do it quietly and without turning it into a stressful wrestling match for anybody.

For now, though, we're starting small.

A few treats.

A quiet fuss.

And one young ram gradually learning that the strange woman in the turquoise bobble hat is actually quite nice to know. 😂❤️🐏

Mr Beau Dangles: 1
Strange woman with food: apparently acceptable.

Address

Western Farm, Kingsdon, Somerton
Somerset
TA117

Telephone

+447396703729

Website

https://westernfarmkingsdon.co.uk/, https://ruffleshenporium.co.uk/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Western Farm, Kingsdon; Including Ruffles Hen Hotels posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.