Time seems to have flown by, and here we are at the end of the year, counting down to Christmas! These last few weeks, we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming groups from Eastwood Community School, Co-op Academy Grange, Low Ash Primary School, Laycock Primary School, and Clayton Village Primary School. The chilly, sunny days have been perfect for wrapping up warm and getting stuck into farm life.
Exploring Our New Wetland
One highlight this month has been investigating our new wetland area with Cody and Mike from the Ribble Rivers Trust. The groups have loved the ‘kick sampling’ sessions, discovering what invertebrates call our watercourses home. From freshwater shrimp to beetle larvae—and even a water scorpion—there’s been plenty of excitement!
Our Head of Farm, Mark, was thrilled to learn that our water quality is excellent, teeming with life. The wetland project is moving into an exciting phase as our team member, Rob Carnie, joins us to plan the planting around our streams and ponds. We can’t wait to see how it transforms and attracts even more wildlife!
Busy Times in the Barn
The cows have moved into their sheds for winter, meaning extra work for our groups (and the staff). Feeding, fresh bedding, and mucking out have kept everyone busy, but getting up close with these incredible animals makes it all worthwhile. Meanwhile, our sheep are still out in the fields enjoying the grass, though they’ll soon come in too, as we prepare for lambing season.
Welcoming New Volunteers
We’ve been delighted to welcome some fantastic new volunteers to the farm this month. Their enthusiasm and willingness to help in every way possible have been a huge boost. If you, or someone you know, would like to volunteer, we’d love to hear from you! Please contact Ben at benpaulden@jamiesfarm.org.uk.
A Helping Hand from Corporate Volunteers
November also saw another brilliant corporate volunteer day with a group from Heidelberg Materials. Their efforts helped clear felled branches and trees in a large section of our woodland. Larger logs were stacked for chopping sessions, and smaller branches were bundled into brash piles to create habitats for birds and small mammals.
This work not only made the woodland safer for us but also provided firewood for the farm and vital shelters for wildlife. A big thank you to Heidelberg Materials for their hard work!
Looking Ahead
As we head into the new year, we’re excited to see how the farm continues to grow and evolve, with the wetland project and the hustle and bustle of winter preparations well underway. Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey this month—your support makes all the difference!
