This weekend the Thimble Cottage heritage site at the O’Brien Family Farm was open for visitors as they held an event to raise money for the restoration of the farm. We decided to head up there to hang out with some famous Newfoundlanders, and take a stroll around the surrounding woods.
O'Brien Family Farm.
The O’Brien Family Farm is a 150 year old farm that is nestled in amongst the trees up on Mt. Scio, near Oxen Pond. The event on Saturday was part of an ongoing effort to raise money to preserve the farm and turn it into a public attraction. As well as being allowed to explore the inside of the cottage, which will eventually be turned into an education centre, we were free to explore the grounds and surrounding woodland, making friends with some sheep and ponies along the way.
Huddling together for warmth.
The farm is one of the city’s oldest farming properties, dating back to 1815. Irish immigrant John O’Brien set up the original dairy farm on the land and built Thimble Cottage around 1850. The farm stayed with the O’Briens until the death of Aly O’Brien in 2008. Famous Newfoundlanders such as former Premier Danny Williams and comedian Mark Critch were out in force to show their support for the preservation project, which will see the farm transformed into a kind of community centre for bee keeping, farming, skiing, and celebration of Irish farming and farming in Newfoundland.
Inside Thimble Cottage.
After exploring the cottage and saying ‘hi’ to the sheep, we went for a walk up Mt. Scio to take in a different view of St. John’s... We’ll definitely miss this place when we move to Toronto on Friday; we have had such a great time living here!
Looking out over St. John's.
On that note, we'll be keeping up our Something Saturdays in Toronto, so follow along for some big city mainland adventures!
If you're curious, this is what we were doing this time
last year: traipsing through the woods of Butterpot Park as part of an Orienteering Trick or Treat meet.
the year before: dressing up for St. John's classic Halloween celebration - George St Mardi Gras
If you're curious, this is what we were doing this time
last year: traipsing through the woods of Butterpot Park as part of an Orienteering Trick or Treat meet.
the year before: dressing up for St. John's classic Halloween celebration - George St Mardi Gras
