Visiting the farm

We are registered small holders and we have 8 goats, 20 chickens and 10 ducks on our small holding.

Having grown up in a huge farming community in the Cotswolds, I grew up with a love of animals. I wanted to recreate these opportunities my own children and then for the children in my care. My family kept chickens in our garden and my Grandma had cows and geese on her farm.

I love teaching children how to treat animals with the respect that they deserve and to value their lives, however small they may be. I believe that children should have responsibility from a young age and helping to care for a living creature gives children the opportunity to grow into a responsible, social and confident adult.

When we visit the small holding, the children can get involved in the care of the animals, whether it is helping carry fresh hay into the goat pen, collecting the duck or chickens eggs or chopping up some fresh vegetables for them as a treat.

As well as animals on our small holding, we grow some vegetables. We also use our land to pick blackberries and rosehips to make into delicious compotes or syrups or to feed to the animals. We make mint and nettle tea from our foraging and the children love to eat hawthorn leaves! There is nothing like harvesting your own food to eat raw or cook and eat it straight away. What is more natural and delicious than that?