October marked the end of our visits with Eastwood Community School, Co-op Academy Grange, Meadow Bank School, Laycock Primary School, and Clayton Village Primary School. We were blown away by the positivity, enthusiasm, and care the young people brought to the farm. From big sheep moves and pizza-making to wood chopping, crafting wood-burned farm signs, and making scented beeswax candles, these groups threw themselves into every activity. Their focus and passion were incredible, leading to some impressively high check-out scores at the end of each day!
Hikes to Malham Cove & Bolton Abbey
We had some memorable hikes to Malham Cove and Bolton Abbey, embracing a range of weather conditions! A special shoutout to Eastwood Community School, whose group faced down a very wet walk around Malham with smiles and positivity. A well-timed hot chocolate break halfway through kept spirits high, and the group completed nearly 11 km, determined to see Janet’s Foss waterfall—what an achievement!
Meanwhile, Ben, Clare, and Teresa enjoyed sunny skies with Laycock and Clayton Village Primary Schools on their Bolton Abbey hike. The group explored the woods, played among the trees, and discovered wildlife along the way. A picnic on the beach in front of the Abbey was the perfect end to the day, capped off with some blissful stone-skimming across the River Wharfe.
As our final week with these groups approached, there was a mix of sadness and celebration. We kicked off with a bang, enjoying a huge lunch of chicken curry, daal, samosas, and pakoras, all lovingly cooked by Mrs Khan from Eastwood Community School. This Eastwood tradition is something we truly cherish—long may it continue!
In October, Ben paid a follow-up visit to Dallam School in Cumbria, though he just missed out on their famous school lunches! Despite this, he enjoyed catching up with two groups of brilliant young people, sharing memories through the celebration film and presenting their individual certificates. It was heart-warming to hear how the students had been doing since their time on the farm, and it was wonderful to learn that the staff who visited had deepened their connections with them. We hope to see you all back at the farm soon!
Winter preparations on the farm
On the farm, we’ve been preparing for winter. During our upcoming team week, a volunteer group from Adyen will be helping us get the big barn ready for the sheep coming indoors. Exciting progress is also being made on our wetland area—stay tuned for updates on this in the coming months!
We also welcomed two new piglets this month, adorably named Bonnie and Connie by our Head of Farm Mark’s daughters. The piglets are still settling in but will soon be exploring one of our lovely woodland areas (the piglets, that is—not Mark’s daughters!).
Jamie’s Farm at the ‘Holding the Space’ conference
Lastly, Ben had the opportunity to represent Jamie’s Farm at a conference in Manchester, hosted by Changing Minds Child and Family Services. The theme of the conference, ‘Holding the Space,’ focused on creating safe, supportive environments for young people, families, and professionals facing today’s challenges. Ben loved sharing the work we do at Jamie’s Farm and was especially inspired by the keynote speech from Fatima Whitbread MBE.