‘Percy’s Tractor’ is one of the latest additions to the farm. This was once a genuine farm tractor, which has been renovated perfect for all family day out photo opportunities!

On 9.7.11, keepers were delighted to announce the news of yet another new arrival at the farm; a baby boy Alpaca (or Cria). Mother (Eloise) who is similar in colour to the Cria are doing magnificently well, however our little bundle of joy is yet to have a name! Again we are giving our Facebook friends the chance to come up with some great ideas. In return the winner who picks the best name will win a family day out. Winners will be announced in the next few weeks, so keep posted!

Old Macdonald has built a new duck pond at the farm, and it opened yesterday at exactly the same time as a slightly larger pond a few stops down the railway line in Stratford. Thought we would put a picture of one of these very similar pools of water to see if you can guess which one it is.

He also surprised me this morning as I thought he had taken up a new role as a TV critic because I was convinced he said that the next series of the popular programme The Only Way is Essex was going to be weak. Actually I misheard him as he actually said it would be weekly, and on every 7 days, so I got to thinking about how fortunate we are to be based in the superb county of Essex ourselves.

Essex is full of wonderful countryside and surprising buildings such as operating windmills. It also includes some fabulous places such as Colchester, Britain’s oldest town, Constable Country which is nothing to do with the police, plus Southend which is called by some, well me really, Britain’s Riviera and of course Clacton which is called, me again, sorry, Britain’s Southend.

Actually there are so many wonderful places to visit in Essex that it would be wrong to name any of them for two reasons. First that if I name some I will unfairly neglect others equally deserving and secondly because you might decide to visit them and not us and Old Macdonald would not like that! However after you have visited us you can check out the Visit Essex Website which you will not be amazed to learn is www.visitessex.com.

However we are in Brentwood, next best thing to London and home of TOWIE crew of Kirk Norcross, Amy Childs, Mark Wright, Jessica Wright, Lauren Goodger, Samantha Faiers, James Argent, Lydia Rose Bright, Harry Derbidge and their friends, family and acquaintances. No one who has watched that series or read about it in the press could doubt Brentwood’s claim to be the Cultural Capital of …… well Brentwood really. However whilst you may want to come and see Sugar Hut Night Club, there is lots more in this town than that. We have the Brentwood Community Theatre who organise a wide and varied range of shows and entertainments. Our friends at Hopefield Animal Sanctuary would welcome you to visit them and admire the fortunate creatures they have rescued over many years. They are just down the road from the theatre.

Just outside the town is Ingatestone Hall, a historic Tudor house owned by the 18th Baron Petre and his family over generations and full of priceless historic artefacts handed down over generations. Old Macdonald’s house is full of hysterical artefacts mainly picked up at Car Boot Sales which are priceless, or worth nothing, and he assures me that he paid for some of them.

There is the Secret Nuclear Bunker which would have saved the lives of the great and the good, including no doubt the odd Australian Media Magnate, his family and friends and from which you and I, dear reader, would have been banned should it have been needed. Well, space in there for the great then, not so sure about the good! Then there are two magnificent country parks plus the Cathedral, as well as the12th century ruin of Thomas Becket Chapel which was a popular stopping point for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. A famous Protestant Martyr William Hunter was burnt in Brentwood in 1555 and an infamous highwayman hung 200 years later. Law and Order rules here. There are lots of shops, cafes and restaurants awaiting visitors on the newly renovated High Street.

Brentwood was a meeting place for the Peasants who were revolting in the 14th Century and they, including their leaders Watt Tyler and Jack Straw who is still on TV quite a bit, gathered in local pubs and inns. Talking about revolting peasants leads nicely to Kirk Norcross, Amy Childs, Mark Wright etc etc (please see above for a full list). Plus Old Macdonald himself. Whilst TOWIE enjoy the night life, you can visit our wild life. However whilst you will not get a Brazilian if you visit Old Macdonald’s Farm we have lots of South Americans such as the Alpacas, the Rheas, the Llamas and the Guinea Pigs, and you will not get any unusual body adornments but can enjoy Punch and Judy as well as your farmyard friends plus the play, rides and slides around our farm.

Old Macdonald is particularly aware that in these tough times families need value for money and so has arranged lots of special offers, such as the on line discount and the family value tickets plus low rates for groups so look at the website page with prices for more details. Old Macdonald is careful to protect your pockets as he knows we are all cutting back, perhaps with the exception of Kirk, Amy, Mark (see above for full details once more.)