Timbertop Farm

When the village community decided to document our life in Mellowdene, one aspect was to highlight the people and businesses that support the families living here.

This first report concentrates upon the family of one of our elder residents and the work they do to provide us with much of our food. I'm speaking, of course, of Gustav Timbertop and his farm. I went to speak to Gus and his wife Fern, but also had the opportunity to chat with other members of his dynasty...

Recording the memories of Gus and Fern Timbertop

The History of Timbertop Farm

When the recently married Gus and Fern Timbertop came to Mellowdene years ago, they didn't expect their future life to develop quite the way that it has. They came to work on a failing small holding that was owned by a distant relative - Bertram Grizzlethorpe - and the work was hard. Nevertheless, they had no complaints as Bertram treated them well, and in turn they helped turn the business around. Gus was made farm manager, and by employing temporary workers at busy times of the year the farm grew in strength,

When Fern became pregnant, Gus and Bertram took on her tasks but the farm work became progressively difficult as Bertram was getting quite old. Gus wrote to his old friends - Smokey Wildwood and Winston Cottontail - to see if they could come to Mellowdene to provide some temporary assistance. They did, and to Gus's surprise along came Mack Periwinkle and Bernard Snow-Warren too. This group of friends had shared various pastimes throughout their childhood and early adulthood, and now they were back together they continued their comradeship on the farm. Neither Mack nor Bernard were particularly suited to farm work, but their help was appreciated nonetheless.

Mack had a new bride Mabel, and she was a great help to Fern during the birth of her first son Taylor.

Over the next four years, Bertram became too infirm to work on the farm, and his involvement was  primarily confined to paperwork. He included Fern with this, saying that she needed something to occupy her now that Taylor was at school. Unbeknown to the Timbertops he had other plans in mind, which became clear when poor Bertram died. He had bequeathed the farm to Gus and Fern, and so Timbertop Farm came into being.

Many years passed. His rabbit friends had taken on other jobs within Mellowdene. Bernard Snow-Warren had found a bride fairly soon after his arrival in the village, but now Winston and Smokey were married too. Fern had a daughter Peony, and another son Tyler, and once their schooling had finished all three young Timbertops began to work on the farm.

Timbertop Farm today

Now, Gus and Fern have taken a back seat, and Taylor - married to Rose - has taken over management of the farm. Tyler enjoys the physical work, and Peony - now married to Zebediah Cody (of the Kodiak Codys) - is in charge of egg-production.

Zeb and Peony, Rose and Taylor, and Tyler in the farm yard

The next generation of Timbertops are already on their way to continue the legacy of Gus and Fern. Taylor and Rose's eldest boy Birch is a great help in the fields and their eldest daughter Ivy is showing an interest in the paperwork. The two youngest - Bud and Daisy - enjoy the outdoor life and Bud is often found watching his dad working.

Ivy, Daisy, Gus, Fern, Bud and Birch in the farm yard

Timbertop Farm is now the primary source of vegetables and eggs for Mellowdene. However, this hardworking bear family provide other services to the village.

The wheat fields supply the village mill with the raw material for their flour, and straw for Wildwood's brickworks.

Taylor harvests the straw whilst Bud daydreams. Zeb is on the tractor.

Peony Cody is solely in charge of the farm's free range hens,and although young Daisy would like to be more involved, her school work must take priority.

Peony gathers eggs. Zeb photo-bombs.

Zeb is quite technical and he ensures that the tractor, muck-spreader and other farm machinery are well maintained. Although he can and does drive the farm vehicles from time to time, he is happy to let Tyler do most of this - which suits Tyler since he was the one who convinced the family to become more mechanised. He even named the tractor "Chuggles".

Tyler prepares to fertlilize the fields, whilst Birch, Gus and Fern look on.

Although they produce a lot of vegetables, Timbertop Farm do not have a complete monopoly. Salad vegetables and domestic fruit are the concern of the Blackberry rabbits who maintain orchards and greenhouses.

Many thanks to the Timbertop family for providing this information. And their wonderful carrots! [JB]