Year 3 from Sedgeberrow C of E First School came out on a cold and muddy day. The children had a great time learning the best way to walk through mud without loosing their wellies. 

Our topic today was ‘plants’, I had expected to be showing the children lush green grass and the odd spring flower. Sadly the weather this winter has meant that everything is delayed by a few weeks. The children were able to tell me about the experiments they had conducted in school and knew what a plant needed for growth. I added to their list by reminding them that farmers often add plant food and showed them the bags of fertilizer and the huge smelly pile of farm yard manure. 

As we walked past the older calves in the field, the children could see how much damage the calves had made to the wet ground. I explained that we are struggling to find good grass for the calves to eat because the ground is too wet and cold for the grass to grow.  

During our walk we went past the wild bird mix plantation and thought about the different ways seeds are spread. We also looked at the bee hives in the orchard but decided it was too cold to see any bees. Hopefully when the blossom comes out in the orchard we will see lots of bees drinking nectar and spreading pollen. 

Towards the end of our walk the children were given a trowel and asked to dig up a wheat plant and have a look at the different parts of the plant. They also pulled up sunflower plants and looked at the size of the roots. 

       

A fabulous group of children came out to the farm this week from Swan Lane First School. The group consisted of a mix of Year 1 – 4 children. Visiting the farm was an opportunity for these children to have a special shared experience. 

We started the day discussing dangers on a real farm. We then moved outside to see the one year old calves in their winter housing. The children learnt about ear tags and that the calves would be out in the Spring fields the next day. We then had a lovely walk over the ridge and furrow, through the traditional Vale of Evesham orchard, along the Saxon Saltway and into the little wood. 

In the wood I asked the children to go into pairs and I gave each pair a letter. The children then had to think of something on the farm that began with that letter. Once they had thought of it, they had to make a picture of it using natural materials. I loved a Ladybird a boy had made but sadly the photo didn’t sure it clearly. The two photos attached to the blog are B – butterfly and C – conker. 

After lunch the children had a long and very contented time quietly exploring the play wood.  

The visitor room had a touch of Christmas about it, as a group visited to experience Christmas on the farm and take home their Christmas crafts. 

 

The wonderful children and staff from Badsey First Holiday Club came to the farm today and had the most glorious Autumn weather. An improvement on their very wet summer holiday visit! 

After the health and safety talk I split the group into teams. Each team was given a bucket and asked to fill it with items from nature during our farm walk. They took the instruction literally and the buckets were overflowing, infact half way through the walk we left them on the side of a field to be picked up later, as they were too heavy. 

We went into the orchard to pick up fallen cooking apples and acorns. Whilst looking at the cows water trough an apple was ‘accidentally’ dropped into the water. The children were quick to realise that throwing apples into water is good fun, as they quickly float back to the surface. 

At the end of the farm walk we went into the play wood and used the items in the bucket to create an Autumnal tree. Then after lunch the children used the collected cooking apples and acorns plus some conkers to make Halloween spiders. As the sun was shining still we headed out into the play wood for a long play with lots of mud. 

Year 5 from Sedgeberrow C of E First School came out today and their topic was crime and punishment. We started the morning with the children telling me what they had learnt about their topic so far. They gave me a list of rather horrible punishments such at the witches dunking chair, the rack and the village stocks. Their teacher found it interesting to listen to the children telling me about their topic. 

I then gave examples of pieces of legislation that I have to adhere to which include; staff safety, food safety and animal traceability. The children looked at the chainsaw safety equipment, a milk tanker pick up ticket and a cattle passport. I then told the children various stories about rural crime that we have suffered over the last eighteen months. They had some good ideas about how I could prevent my quad bike from being stolen. 

We then went for a farm walk and looked at where the wire had been cut by hare coursers and the drain dug by German prisoners of war in the Second World War. 

The children went into the den building wood and built things connected to their topic. One group created a witches pool, another a rack, two groups built stocks and another group built a prison. 

After lunch they enjoyed the Autumn feel of the play wood