Hideaway Wood Farm

26/09/2025

👀 we’re looking for local sponsors.

We’d like to make both our men’s and women’s groups free for all to attend who need to.

We know that there’s a barrier to people attending who just can’t afford to.

Spaces like this are so crucial and I’ve seen first hand the positive results of providing a safe, welcoming, non judgmental space to those who need it.

The NHS is stretched, therapy is unaffordable for many, and we seem to be becoming more and more isolated from community and each other.

Whilst this isn’t group therapy, it is therapeutic - to get outside, in nature, to sit around a fire, to speak if to wish, and to be heard.

Sadly the running costs of a space like this are high - insurance, feed, hay, staff costs, vets, professional services etc. The list goes on.

Maybe this could be a win / win for us, the community and a local business?

You’d get the benefit of getting your name out there and be associated with a meaningful and much needed community project and we’d get to continue doing good.

Do get in touch if you’d like more details 💚

24/09/2025

If you missed our newsletter this month (sign up via the website for the next one), then here’s a little update on our October farm events.

We’ve got something for everyone - knitting and felting with alpaca fleece, Halloween fun, men’s and women’s groups, autumnal yoga with the alpacas, alpaca walks + more!

Also, If you’re planning a unique Christmas gathering or similar, we’d love to host you! Do get in touch for a chat.

🦙

24/09/2025

This week I am visiting a very dear friend in beautiful Estonia 🇪🇪 (totally recommend a visit if you’ve never been)!

The forests and lakes are breathtakingly beautiful and it has given me some much needed time and space to pause, to reflect, to be.

You see farming is a 24/7 job - we feed the 🦙 and pick up 💩 on Christmas Day, on Boxing Day and on New Year’s Day. If an alpaca gets sick, we’re there in the middle of the night, just like we would be for our kids.

It’s home, a lifestyle and a job - and that is a blessing, but sometimes it gets too much and stepping away is necessary.

Thankfully I’m not doing it alone, I have a village of community support - you see I don’t think we are supposed to do things alone. We all need a village. I am surrounded by wonderful people who tell me when it’s time to take a break - both when they need a break (and when they think I need one too)! I’ve not worked anywhere like it before.

Yesterday I went hiking in the forest - it was so very peaceful. We didn’t see anyone else for hours! At one point we cranked up some music and had a little dance.

Learning to dance like nobody is watching has been life changing for me. Getting out of my busy head and moving. Closing my eyes and smiling. And doing all of this sober. It’s the best medicine!

If you’d like a bit of company and some dancing fun too, then this Friday we have our next dance here on the farm with .

You can book via the events tab of our website.

Some responses to FAQ

- you can come alone
- it’s normal to be nervous
- it’s a really friendly bunch (many friendships have been made here)
- you don’t need to be able to dance!
- if you don’t want to dance you can sit, listen, drink a tea etc!

💃

22/09/2025

On Sunday, Andy ran another men’s group here on the farm, outside, around a fire 🔥

A space for men to connect, to share what’s happening in their lives and to be heard.

Well done for showing up 👏 It’s not always easy, I know.

If you’d like to come along to our next men’s group, or if you know someone who might benefit, then you can now book via the events tab of the website.

Wednesday 15 October
6pm to 8pm
Hideaway Wood Farm

Thanks to .floatinghome for the lovely pics.

20/09/2025

Meet Carly Chandler-Morris.

This post is long overdue. Partly because many of you know her and will have read her posts here, but also partly because every time I try and write it I get the feels 😭😍

Carly and I met a few years ago. I slid into her DMs (🤣) asking if she’d consider running a retreat here. She came for a wander in the woods with Dolores her daughter and goodness me I am so glad she did!

Carly has dedicated her adult life to healing and to helping other women - she’s written books, courses, run retreats, women’s circles, all sorts.

Sadly she’s now too obsessed with alpacas to do a lot of that work 😆 (you
can find her beautiful writing on Substack), but I am hopeful she’ll come back to do more of this work someday! 😉

Little did I know that sliding into her DMs that day would lead us to where we.

It turns out she also loves animals. I am convinced she was a shepherdess in a past life!

After a stint of volunteering, she stepped in to support me as my wing woman here on the farm to navigate one of the most difficult transitions of my entire life - and my god I couldn’t have done it without her.

Not only is she Herd Manager (she also now knows significantly more about alpacas than I do 😆), but she’s also my dear friend - we work so closely together blending friendship and work, that it has at times, had its challenges. We often say it’s like navigating a romantic relationship / marriage. That in itself has been so rewarding though - we now know how each other are feeling, sometimes without saying anything, we know how to ask for reassurance, to provide support and how to give each other space. It has taught me so much! I can see why people say working with friends is hard, but my goodness it’s rewarding when you nail it.

She’s super clever, beautiful, kind, hilarious (with the most infectious laugh I can hear across the farm) and the best friend and surrogate parent to my kids too. She also loves the alpacas like they are her babies. Like so much!

The most wonderful person. If you want to meet Carly, or hear her share some alpaca facts, then come to yoga, a walk, or anything else alpaca related that we do!

Carly, I love you!

18/09/2025

This evening we hosted the lovely team from Daventry Community Larder.

The Community Larder is based at Southbrook Community Centre - a wonderful initiative to reduce food waste and tackle hardship.

The team came to the farm to meet the alpacas, enjoy a lovely meal cooked by Madame Seitan (with some ingredients from the larder) and spend some time around the fire.

These wonderful people give up so much of their time to help others, that we wanted to say thank you 🙏

It was so lovely to meet you 🔥 🦙

If you’re interested in a team outing, do get in touch.

17/09/2025

Never did I ever……

Think I’d be selling poo 💩🤣

But alas, not only do these wonderful alpacas produce the most magnificent fleece, make brilliant walking companions and therapy animals, but they also p**p out nuggets of gold! It’s too good to keep it all for ourselves! (also we can only use / grow so much and we’re scooping it up daily 😆)

We’ve had lots of lovely feedback from last seasons gardeners 🙏

So here begins the season of me shouting about 🦙 poo again.

You can read more about the benefits of alpaca manure and buy our bags here: https://www.hideawaywood.co.uk/buy-alpacamanure

You’ll also be helping cover our winter costs, which we’re very grateful for!

🦙

16/09/2025

🦙 🧘‍♂️

Discover the joy of alpaca yoga in Northamptonshire as I swap my mat for a meadow and find unexpected calm – and comedy – among curious, furry companions.