The Details

 

Accommodation & Facilities

You will be able to make your home near woods on the farm. Accommodation can be in Wood Cabins and/or Tents. Adults have their own separate tents, as will girls and boys.. Everyone will need a sleeping bag, pillow and blanket.

 

We use Wood Burning Stoves –for heating on those extra cold nights –a little stove that kicks out lots of heat -and they even have a hot plate! Lighting will be candle lanterns or wind-up torches.

 

Loos are eco friendly compost loos . Now, in addition to this your group may make a Mess Tent, Lounges or even Den’s in the woods. With ingenuity and innovation you will be warm, cosy and comfortable. On a dry night you can sleep under the stars…

Communal / Social Area / Cooking
You will need to set up a camp fire –from collecting the wood, lighting the fire, keeping it going and even cooking on it –there’s a job for everyone. There is a large Mess Tent, which will already be erected, with tables and chairs made from wood found on the farm –ideal for wet evenings, for eating or just being sociable.

Food / Beverages
The products that we provide for you are, where possible, from the farm itself and or the immediate locality. The range of products may not be as extensive as your local supermarket but should be sufficient to prepare hearty seasonal meals.

Activities - Programme

There will be a number of core activities each day, and in addition to this there will be activities that the group leader will select in advance –there will be a list to select from that can even be tailored to suit your particular group –i.e. conservation focussed, teamwork based, linked with the curriculum, or purely fun. The activities will vary depending on the time of year and the Farm requirements.

 

Farming
Feeding and caring for livestock
Students will experience a wide range of positive impacts from working with animals; some will enjoy the caring and nurturing aspect, others thrive in the physical activity, from helping to herd and handle sheep, to mucking out the pig sty.

 

Farm Cleaning/Maintenance
A good physical activity for the students to get involved with, that has a visible result and a real benefit to the farm.

 

Horticulture
Students are able to feel that they are contributing to the farmby helping out in the fields and gardens.

 

Cooking
Meal times are extremely important to build a sense of community. All students are expected to contribute in some way to the preparation of a meal, from picking the veg, preparation, cooking and clearing away afterwards. Everyone eats together around the camp fire, or in the Mess Tentif inclement weather, as one big happy family.

 

Video Diary
Each team will be given a video camera, which will be collected at the end of the stay. Teams decide amongst themselves how they wish to use it…………Maybe they’ll create a video diary, maybe they’ll create and video some entertainment for the rest of the group, or even an interview style piece. At the end of the stay, we’ll have a film show, and present some awards!! We’ll even post on YouTube for you to show your friends when you return.

 

Scarecrow Making
Farms always need scarecrows –create your own team’s “Aunt Sally”or “Worzel Gummage”–we’ll use it in the fields, and when we have enough, we’ll donate to other local farms. Visit again in the future and see how well your Scarecrow has been working!

 

Bat / Badger Watching
At dusk –badger watching
At night –bat watching

 

Trail clearing

Nature never sleeps –paths are constantly getting overgrown, and we need people likeyou to help us keep on top of it. Get stuck into weeding and clearing existing trails, and for those who like a challenge, try your hand at building brand new trails for everyone to enjoy.

 

Pond Dipping
Using nets, trays and observation pots, see how many species youcan identify in our ponds and learn about what their presence in any given habitat tells you about the condition of it. Look out for whirligig beetles, dragonflies, pond skaters and water scorpions. You might even find freshwater shrimp.

 

Habitat Surveys
Help run tests and keep records for our resident ecologist. Water testing kits will be provided for you to take samples of water from our ponds and check the nitrate levels, oxygen levels and other criteria. Your readings will be entered onto a central database to enable changes in theenvironment to be continually monitored.

 

Chopping Logs
Sawing and chopping wood – vent out those frustrations, get rid of that surplus energy… a great physical activity that can be rewarding and fun –a real job that needs doing – beneficial to all when the logs are transported to the tents for the wood burning stoves or camp fire. Very carefully supervised by an adult and done in a very safe, controlled environment. A big favourite with the boys; logging requires great skill, concentration and discipline.

 

Bat Boxes
Make cosy, draught-free roosts for the local bats. Using the plan provided, construct the ideal home for these fascinating little creatures, who are important pest controllersand pollinators. Site the boxes in trees, clearing away vegetation to encourage them to set up home.

 

Insect Houses
Ladybirds and lacewings control populations of greenfly and other aphids; using scrap wood, garden cane, cow parsley and anything else you find lying around, you can build homes for them.

 

Hedgehog Hotels
Hedgehogs are important for keeping slugs at bay, and they have a hard time finding somewhere warm and dry to spend the winter. A specially-constructed home stuffed with straw will be welcome and well-used.

 

Bird Cakes
This is a brilliant opportunity to make a mess! We will provide you with all the nuts, seeds, berries, mealworms and lard (yes, lard) you need to cook up a high energy treat for thelocal birds. The squeamish need not apply!

 

Wildlife Gardening
Plant seeds to create wildflower patches and hedgerows. These will provide habitats for many birds, insects, butterflies and small mammals –biodiversity is everything!

Activities - Nature Trails

Nothing is compulsory, but a highly encouraged element of the week is a Three Mile Walk. Initially not hugely popular but students grow used to and has huge benefits. The walk takes place every day before the evening meal –a great way to see a bit more of the countryside, to experiencethe beauty of their surroundings, a chance to contemplate, chat with piers and the adults, for more fresh air and even serves to wear them out before bedtime!

 

Each Team Leader will be given an Ordnance Survey Map, a pack of themed Nature Trail Fact Sheets and a map of the Farm (with suggested walks / starting points).

The Fact Sheets will have around 20 species to look out for, there will be some interesting information, facts and figures about each species and pictures. The simplest walk would be for students to “spot”the difference species.

 

For a more detailed and hands-on experience, there will be tasks along the way (i.e. collect feathers, berries, leaves, wood) –then another task to complete when they return to camp. E.G. Wood collected to make bat boxes.

 

Plants collected, then using a pestle and mortar, crushed and used for medicinal purposes. Berries picked, then cooked for supper.

Activities -Grow Your Own - Take it Home

Each student will get the opportunity of planting their own seed/seedling in a pot to take home. Depending on time of year, could be a tomato plant, a chilli plant or even herbs. These plants can be grown in any home / windowsill – so whether you have your own garden, or window box, or even a windowsill – you can nurture and watch it grow – the end result being something that can be eaten and enjoyed. Optional pot decorating available for those creative types!

Chickens
Each camp has a chicken coup to your camp, with sufficient food for you to feed the hens during your stay. This is a great opportunity to feed and take care of the chickens, which is both educational and fun. In return, the chickens will leave some eggs for you.