In addition to their many
duties on this popular fruit farm, owners Jim
and Hilda Law are committee members of the
nearby Kilwarlin Moravian Church and often
conduct tours of this historic church.
|
|
At the shop in the yard of Oatlands
Fruit Farm last Saturday morning are Jim Law (owner)
and fruit pickers (foreign students) - Paulius
Pocius (Lithuania) and Lydia Ilieva and Hristomir
Grigorov from Bulgaria.
|
Sidney and Eunice Murphy from Lisburn
enjoying tea, scones, cake, cream and freshly picked
raspberries at the Oatlands Tea Room last Saturday
morning. Serving the tea is Hilda Law and in the
background of the photo are some Lisburn visitors
busy picking raspberries.
|
During July, many people from across the province have enjoyed a
pleasant time picking strawberries, raspberries, currants,
gooseberries and rhubarb at Oatlands Fruit Farm near
Hillsborough. Jim and Hilda Law started their fruit business
about 23 years ago and, in addition to being able to pick your
own fruit, visitors to the farm can see chores being carried out
from cows being milked to calves being fed. With the assistance
of family members Stewart, Richard, Cathy and Suzanne, they have
gone to great lengths to ensure a trip to see the 10-acre fruit
farm can be a most enjoyable family occasion. With slide, seesaw
and swings to entertain children, parents were able to relax in
the Tea Room and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a selection of
scones, tray-bakes, cakes, cream and freshly picked fruit
prepared and served by Hilda assisted by family and friends.
The Tea Room closed on Tuesday 31st July and while the first
crop of strawberries is already picked, the next crops of
strawberries and raspberries will be ready about the second week
of September thus providing another opportunity for visitors to
enjoy picking their own fruit at this popular farm. An article
published recently in the Guardian, described Oatlands as 'a
very special PYO (pick your own) Fruit Farm with magnificent
views of the Lagan Valley'. As a result of reading the article
in the Guardian, Conflict Researcher Ulf Hansson (formerly from
Sweden) and Open University Tutor Janice Holmes (formerly from
Canada), decided to break from city life in Belfast last
Saturday morning and together with 2-year-old son Alexander,
they, like many visitors, had a great day out at the fruit farm.
Janice, who is also a keen historian, had combined the trip with
a visit to Kilwarlin Moravian Church. In addition to their many
duties on the farm, Jim and Hilda Law, who are members of the
church committee often conduct tours of this historic church,
set on a narrow country road in the picturesque rural area of
Kilwarlin, near to Oatlands Fruit Farm.
For more information on the Oatlands Fruit Farm visit
www.oatlandsfarm.co.uk
31/07/2007
|