Educational Visits

At Nancarrow, we have worked hard to create an environment where food is produced in harmony with nature. Through our educational visits, we aim to share our passion for producing good food and our dedication to understanding and taking care of the natural world. We hope that each visit may inspire and motivate children and their teachers to care about where their food comes from and how it is produced.

For several years we have established strong links with a few local schools who regularly visit the farm. We are delighted that from January 2024 we can offer this opportunity more widely and invite schools, early years settings and community groups to join us for an educational farm visit.

School visits are hosted on Mondays & Tuesdays throughout the year for children in EYFS to Primary School year 6, to find out more contact us – at hello@nancarrowfarm.co.uk.

What can you expect from an educational visit at Nancarrow?

We will help you to create a bespoke day suited to all of your children with activities that link to the topics your children are learning about.

Experience

We will provide the opportunity for children of all ages to get out of the classroom and be inspired by nature – to taste, gather, dig, squelch, observe, create, plant and play.

Educate

Children (and adults) will learn about their local environment and how food can be grown in harmony with nature. We have a diverse environment suited to a range of topics from habitats and wildlife on farms to lifecycles of plants and animals. Each season offers different learning opportunities.

Engage

Activities are designed to be hands-on and inclusive of children’s different learning needs. We have a range of inspiring spaces and move around the farm sharing information as we go. We encourage curiosity, exploring, having a go and asking questions!

A typical Education Visit day at Nancarrow will include

• A welcome and opportunity to try some seasonal food from the farm.
• Dividing into smaller groups for hands-on farm activities linked to your topic.
• A sheltered barn to have snacks and packed lunches. Weather permitting a relaxed playtime in our enclosed Orchard.
• Closing activity in class groups ‘remembering our day’ – by drawing, sharing our learnings, collections or creations.
• All children will go home with something seasonal from the farm, for example, planted seeds or seedlings, produce to cook with or something they have created.

When to visit the farm

Spring

In March our lambs are born and are small for a short time! During this time children can see very young lambs and sometimes feed and stroke them. Spring can be a good time for planting trees, learning about seeds and how plants grow. It’s also a good time to think about other wildlife such as nesting birds.

Summer

In April, May and June our calves are born and can be seen in our fields usually a short walk away. Our orchards will be in blossom, hedgerow trees coming into leaf and wildflowers are in bloom. It is a great time to think about insects and pollinator habitats. There is lots of planting going on at this time too and a great time for thinking about growing your own food!

Autumn

September and October are harvest month on the farm, there will be lots to see and harvest in the vegetable gardens. We usually have pumpkins and squashes, apples, and plenty of blackberries to share! Trees are now in full leaf and it is a great time to learn how to identify different native species and think about how different farm habitats support wild animals too. Later in the autumn can also be a great time for tree planting.

Any Season

As long as you have the right clothing a farm walk is great at any time of year. There are also activities for learning about our soil and composting which can be done at any time.