Episode 41: Jimmy Doherty is with us! Owner of Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park, TV Presenter and President of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust

The Suffolk Pod Show

Jimmy Doherty talk to us about the latest news from Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park including the birth of Suffolk’s first-born Tapir – named Tobias.

Jimmy tells us about the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, founded by Adam Henson’s father, who played a major part in keeping the Gloucester Old Spot from becoming extinct. The trust was set up to protect Britain's native rare breeds – from chickens to horses. Jimmy talks more about protecting rare breeds and how important their genetic value is to protect the future of all livestock, as Jimmy says ‘to lose them is like losing a part of our food heritage’.

Jimmy also spends some time talking about Suffolk’s native horses – The Suffolk Punch, and the importance of preserving these beautiful animals. Jimmy has been president of the trust for 5 years and talks about a recent phone call with HRH Prince of Wales.

Jimmy talks about his lifelong fascination of the natural world and recounts several hilarious stories about his first job washing cars to save up to buy his first aquarium, as well as budgies escaping into trees and reptiles living in his father’s garage.

Jimmy, as he says himself, was obsessed with two things in his early years – the natural world and the military. After 5 years in the TA his draw to nature was too strong for him so he read Zoology and did a PhD in Entomology. He talks about a resolving moment in his life following Sept 11th and decided to live his dream, do what he’s always wanted to do – ‘get his hands back into the soil’ instead of spending life behind a microscope. Renting land was affordable in those days and Jimmy took to his first hands-on farming with pigs – ‘it suited me’ he says as they didn’t need prime grazing land. Jimmy talks about his first years in business, meeting his wife and taking her on her first date to the London Aquarium.

Jimmy tells us all about his new TV Show – ‘Builds on Wheels’ – available on Discovery Plus and Quest from 28 September. He talks about his co-presenter Jimmy De Ville and his engineering expertise and the extraordinary journey they both go on meeting eight couples around the UK who have built their own unique homes on wheels. Jimmy mentions his own recent build on wheels too – a Green Goddess Fire Engine conversion.

Back to the Wildlife Park now, and Jimmy talks with so much love about all his animals, from livestock to exotic. He talks about Basil the Anteater, as well as his rescue monkeys from Spain – and the antics these fabulous, and slightly naughty creatures get up to on the Farm. Jimmy also talks about butterflies and the stunning tropical butterfly house which will reopen on the Farm in Spring. He chats about being captivated by butterflies from an early age and butterflies, he points out, are an ‘indicator species’ – ‘if they are doing badly, then our environment is doing badly’.

Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park offer all sorts of events and special experiences – and don’t miss the opportunity of going to one of his infamous Big Beef Nights!

www.jimmysfarm.com
Pannington Hall Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 2AR.
Phone: [phone]