Introducing Ritchie Brand of the 5th generation of Brands at East Fortune Farm.

NAME: RITCHIE JOHN BRAND, AGED 8

My family live at East Fortune Farm. We have 2 types of sheep, hens, Saddleback pigs, 2 Kune Kune pet pigs I got as a christening present, fish my parents got when they were 21 and dogs at the farm. 

Daddy works for a company called FRM when he is not at the farm working.  Mummy is always in the office. Grandpa Brand works at Brownrigg which is a potato farm but helps Daddy with the feeding. Granny Brand does the milk for the lambs and walks the dogs, Collie, Star & Moss – all Border Collies and she cleans all the eggs every day. The hens lay about 45 eggs a day. Grandpa Donaldson does the water for the sheep and the halage and all the bins of the caravan site. My little brother Robert likes to help Daddy to do the feeding and he think’s the Saddleback piglets belong to him. I also do the hen eggs and help milk any lambs.  I also enjoy helping Daddy use his stock recorder machine that zaps the sheep’s ear tag and records DATA!

What is the best thing about living in East Lothian? 
The best thing about living in East Lothian is you don’t live near a bustling city such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and London. And you’re near the countryside with a Badger sets, Hares and Buzzards. My favourite wild bird is an Owl. We are very lucky to have Owls here and sometimes we see them fly across the farm.

What’s your favourite thing about living on a working farm?
You get to work with Animals and all that stuff. I like driving the gator.

Do you help Mum & Dad with the work? If so, what are your favourite jobs?
Yes I do collecting in the hen hut, pick up the dog poo, give cabbages to our pigs and doing the bird feeders. We have lots of wild birds and Daddy says it is important to feed them during the winter.

What is your favourite animal on the farm and why? 
My favourite Animal on the farm is the CHICKEN because they are so fluffy and ADORABLE and CUTE. Some sit down when you walk near them. They are also the closest relative to the TYRANNOSAURUS-REX!!!!!!!!

Do you enjoy it when the caravan park is busy with customers? What’s it like? Yes I do enjoy it because I meet new friends and FAMILY.  I like being on my bike and have a friend who like to visit because of the trains that pass the farm. We have seen the FLYING SCOTSMAN lots.

If you were a super hero for the day and had magic powers what would you use them to do?
I would be a super inventory and build a SHEEP-WASH  and make a CHICKEN EGG WASHER.