The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: redborneschoolfarm on April 21, 2015, 02:11:58 pm

Title: School Farms
Post by: redborneschoolfarm on April 21, 2015, 02:11:58 pm

Just out of interest are there many of us out there who are running school farms?

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: Tregwyr on April 21, 2015, 03:57:13 pm

No, but love to find out more about what you do and how you got into it.

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: oaklandspigs on April 21, 2015, 06:59:28 pm

Here is Sussex , Oathall College in Haywards Heath have one, and Tonbridge Boys School have piglets from us regularly that they grow and end up on the lunch table.

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: heyhay1984 on April 21, 2015, 09:32:17 pm

You know me off Twitter ???? just started posting on here instead of just lurking!

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: Deere on April 23, 2015, 08:39:52 am

Good morning,

ive just started working at a school running the agricultural side of things for the land based studies team.

Looking to have calves, goats, chickens, ducks, sheep and a few pigs for fattening to then be used in the school canteen.

If anyone wants to get in touch with idea sharing etc then feel free to message me on here anytime, it will be good to hear from you.

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: heyhay1984 on April 23, 2015, 10:20:48 pm

Hi Deere
Is that a new setup then? I really enjoyed planning and seeing our stuff coming together!

Are they going to be doing BTEC or GCSE or something else?

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: redborneschoolfarm on April 24, 2015, 09:44:42 am

Deere that sounds very interesting, where are you based?

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: Blondie on April 24, 2015, 03:59:19 pm

I am currently a chemistry teacher but would love to work teaching on a farm doing more outdoors stuff.

How does someone get into it?

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: heyhay1984 on April 24, 2015, 09:59:59 pm

I was a science teacher too, but it came up in our curriculum. Managed to keep it as an option subject for last four years, got three groups in yr11 next year and two in yr10.

Anyone can offer it as an option but you need space, setup money, decent budget for feeding etc, weekend and hols cover (I have two lovely ladies that do half each), which is why it's not commonly done. Definitely possible and the kids are superb with animals around site (one snowball, chucked at a pig, in four years!)

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: Deere on April 25, 2015, 10:19:38 pm

Its a school for kids and young adults with learning difficulties or autism based in south derbyshire.
Ive worked in agriculture since i left ag college back in 99 so thought it was time for something a bit more than driving a tractor and saw this as a good opportunity.
Its been run down for a year or more so ive now got the job of building it back up and stocking it with livestock. Im full time so i will try to take my holidays in term time when theres folk around to keep an eye on the place and for weekends theres some great carer's and other weekend workers who will help out.

Title: Re: School Farms
Post by: Fowgill Farm on April 27, 2015, 11:52:58 am

Several founder members of the Gloucestershire Old Spot Club were school farms or community farms.
Reddish Vale High School in Cheshire is one that springs to mind.
You can also check out http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28 (http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28)
hth
Mandy  :pig: