Most of the work on the farm is done by volunteers. It doesn’t feel like “work” however, as it is spending time with friends in the beautiful countryside, learning new skills, chatting, spotting wildlife and sharing refreshment breaks together.
We welcome people of all ages and backgrounds. You do need to be mobile enough to walk around on uneven ground and walk for up to 15 minutes at a time to get involved in all the activities.
However we can arrange more gentle activities such as potting on seedlings, sitting at a table grading fruit or weeding in our raised planters for those who can’t join in more physical roles.
Tuesdays & Fridays
These are our main, adult volunteering days. We start at 10am , meeting by the polytunnel. What we do depends on the time of year, the weather and how many volunteers we have. It is likely to include a mixture of caring for the vegetables in the polytunnel, raised beds and community garden, helping with the tree nursery, harvesting fruit and nuts in season or pruning fruit trees. Most people leave around lunchtime, but if you can only join us later in the morning and want to stay on after a break for lunch, we can accommodate you too.
The groups include recently retired people, those in between jobs, recent graduates, NEET looking for work experience and anyone else who is available at that time.
Equipment is provided. You should wear suitable footwear and clothing and bring a water bottle, sunscreen, waterproofs as required. Avoid white trainers!!
Saturdays
We are starting a group for families and working people who would like to join us at weekends. The group start around 10am in the community garden. Contact wayne@farmeco.uk if you are interested in exploring this further.
Mondays & Thursdays
This is for our Home Educators’ Community. Parents who are home educating their children bring their families along. They are a self-organising group and share skills and resources with each other. Each parent is responsible for their own children. Many of the children who attend have additional educational needs, and coming to the farm provides them with a non-threatening environment where they can explore the world, make friends and get some fresh air. We have seen anxious, reclusive children blossom and take the lead in activities.
The group base themselves partly in the community garden, where they have some dedicated growing space, and partly in the woodland where they carry out Forest School type activities. Families come from near and far, so many stay for the whole day.
