This month has seen the Bath farm welcome young people from Kensington Aldridge Academy (KAA), Chelsea Academy and Bishopshalt School.
The group from KAA displayed a huge amount of kindness towards the ewes lambing and brought so much fun to the farm, most notably through a hilarious game of charades during a fantastic Wednesday celebrating Eid, the Islamic festival. Seeing young people bring their talents to the farm is a real pleasure and we were fortunate to be treated to some beautiful piano-playing during the week.
We loved welcoming a group from our long-term school partner Chelsea Academy through the organisation West London Zone who support young people within school to achieve the best possible outcomes. We valued their hard work while lambing, where some excellent shepherding skills were on display!
This week, we’re delighted to collaborate with Bertha Earth in extending a warm welcome to the students of Bishopshalt School, commemorating their successful completion of the year-long Bertha Earth programme, which emphasizes environmental education. It is lovely to see the young people arriving on the farm, having already been supported to develop a deeper connection with themselves, each other and the nature around them.
We’re delighted to be welcoming groups to the farm over the weekend, as well as during the school week! These visits take place in our ‘Pig Woods’, which have been set up to offer a beautiful environment for groups to enjoy the farm, including a huge fire pit and an outdoor kitchen. We’ve been excited to work with groups from Julian House and Batheaston Youth Club to make the farm accessible to as many young people from the wider local community, something that we are very passionate about. If you are interested in organising a weekend visit, then please contact our Weekend Visit Coordinator, Katie Morris: katiemorris@jamiesfarm.org.uk.
As we’ve passed the halfway mark of the academic year, it brings us joy to reconnect with schools and receive updates on the progress of the students six months after their time on the farm. We eagerly anticipate learning about their achievements, offering support during challenging moments, and simply sharing in their updates through phone or video calls.
Our upcoming team week in May presents an opportunity for us to immerse ourselves further in school life, bridging the gap between our program and the realities faced by both students and visiting staff. Members of the Jamie’s Farm team will be shadowing colleagues in schools in order to better understand day-to-day life in the school environment. This will help our teams to improve our support we offer to young people and the adults who work with them. We’re excited to strengthen these connections and continue our journey alongside them.
What a busy month on the farm! Never has the phrase ‘counting sheep’ been more apt to describe the last month. Lambing has kept everyone on their toes and young people have been thrilled to be involved in delivering lambs. They have named then with great creativity; Kydd and Fortnite being only a couple of examples! The end is in sight though, with only 16 ewes left to lamb, though the number will no doubt have changed by the time you are reading this. Calving has also finished so the farm is teeming with new life and though the weather is not quite playing ball, it feels like spring has well and truly arrived.
Work continues to promote healthy soil and promote biodiversity across our land. Recently, we’ve been establishing herbal leys and have successfully completed the planting of hedgerows. This ongoing work not only enhances environmental sustainability, but also contributes to the well-being of our livestock. By enriching the quality of their feed, we ensure the happiness and health of our animals, reinforcing our commitment to responsible stewardship of both our land and livestock.
Finally, we would love to see you at the Great Chalfield Plant Fair on Sunday 5th May from 10am onwards. Come and enjoy the beautiful grounds of a National Trust property, explore wonderful plant stalls, but more importantly find us at the Jamie’s Farm ‘Cake and Coffee’ stand to enjoy a well-deserved sweet treat.Â
