Gorgie City Farm

Calor Gas Chicken?

 An amazing sunny week, record breaking for March has seen us picnic-ing at Flotterstone, barbecuing in the garden and generally taking advantage of the amazing (for Scotland) weather by getting out and about.  As the forecasters warned this would be the last day of unseasonal sunshine, it seems too good to waste, hence Madeleine's first trip to Gorgie City Farm.  


Sandwiched between the the Medical Centre in Ardmillan  Road and Gorgie High Street, this tiny patch of land is the unlikely home to a menagerie of animals: a horse, goats, cows, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, pot bellied pigs, ducks, hens, a turkey and even a snake.  A fully working farm, the tiny scrap of land is jammed to the eyeballs with animals pens, vegetable plots, herb gardens, "interesting" sculpture and play equipment.  Your kids will love it.

The Real Deal!

Madeleine didn't quite know what to make of the Hen sculpture (above), and wouldn't be persuaded to pose  on the "gas cannister body" for a quick photo opportunity.  The real deal met with more instant approval.  I have to say, Madeleine does seem to have a thing about chickens, and will giggle and shriek with delight, particularly if they are penless and nipping at our feet!   Gorgie Farm caters for all tastes though - with a huge variety of different types of fowl - several different breeds of chicken, ducks and a turkey to boot.  (We took this photograph especially for you Granny Kat - we know you will think he is a Beauty!)


Next we went to visit the sheep and lambs.  I  know that in about 2 years time, Madeleine will require an extensive explanation of the artificial boobies for these newborn lambs.  "But why aren't they with their mummies?" "But why can't their mummy give them the boobie".  For now, we can just focus on how cute they are.  Gorgeous, aren't they!


Up in the meadow, there are cows, pigs and goats.  Bit whiffy today, I'm afraid.  Never-mind - I'm sure it was all being recycled down onto the veg patch.  Certainly the Produce Stall was bursting with good things to buy.  Hard to resist half a dozen very freshly laid eggs at only £1.50 a box.


The farm also includes a pet's corner manned by volunteers.  This seems to have changed since my last visit several years ago, so that you can no longer actually pet the animals - far preferable I think, as it is hard to imagine what educational purpose is served by frightening the be-jesus out of a handful of petrified rabbits and guinea pigs!  The tractor for the kids to climb on was still there though, and popular as ever.    Madeleine is too much of a cling-on, and probably just a little unstable for the traditional shot - so we decided to save that for our next visit.

And not a chip in sight!

Miss M is also just a little young to get much fun from the play park (slides and climbing frame that would probably please anyone even a little older), so we headed off  for lunch. There are plenty of picnic tables if you fancy bringing your own, but as we had been told the cafe was much improved, we decided to give it a try - this is actually M and I's first girls-only lunch out.   Anyway, happy to report the Cafe has our definite stamp of approval.  The last time I was there with Catherine it was pretty rank.  Chips with everything, seedy decor and an over-powering smell of stale deep fat frying.   

Yummy!  ALL GONE!

"What happened" I asked the cheerful lady behind the counter.  Apparently they got a grant and ditched the fryer.  Woo hooo!   Cheerful and bright, and not a chip in sight.  Nice salads, baked potatoes, home-made quiche and the like - we shared a puff pastry tomato and cheese tartlet.  It was delicious!  I did tell them that if it ain't good, Miss M won't eat it, but the highchair was cleaner than when we started!  For afters, we had a peanut butter flapjack - it tasted much nicer than it sounds.  Prices are reasonable - £4.50 for a baked spud - £2.10 for a latte - £3.50 for a child's lunch box..  but dear enough to leave you packing a lunch box if the pennies are tight.


Never mind, the farm itself is completely free (donations welcomed).  Definitely a pleasant way to pass a couple of hours.


Gorgie City  Farm is open most days 9.30am to 4pm.