Farm Visits in Winter!

Farm visits provide a vivid and memorable experience for children that is firmly linked with the season. This year the CAFE Project has pioneered farm visits before winter has ended - in February and March – usually considered to be too cold/wet for taking infant and junior children outdoors!

In February Carno School which, in 2006 with the help of the CAFE Project, developed links with a farm ‘next door’ to which the children can walk in 15 minutes, experienced the benefits of this. The farmer telephoned the headteacher to let him know that ewes were lambing and would he like to bring a group – the next day they went and the head sent this message to the CAFE Project Coordinator which says it all really!

Annwyl Caroline,
Just to keep you in the picture ....
We went to Mr H's farm this morning, by invitation, and had a wonderful experience. We'd arranged for the children to bring their Wellies to school, and we were prepared to go when we had a telephone call from Mr H. to say when a ewe was about to give birth.
We got there by 9.40 and went to the lambing sheds; there were two ewes ready to lamb, so the children were lucky to see two sets of twins being born. We then saw the ewe licking the lambs, and the lambs soon got to their feet and found the milk. Some of the children had a go at marking / numbering the lambs. They were all fascinated by it all - a completely new experience for most of the children.
We then went to see the horses, and had the chance to feed some of the cattle and calves in the shed. I thought we'd only be there for a short time, but it was well gone 11.30a.m. when we left to go back to school.
Mr H was really excellent with the children. It was a really special morning.
Thanks for doing the groundwork; it's a really convenient and valuable link with the school, providing a very rich educational experience for the children.
Hwyl a chofion gorau,

In January an enthusiastic probationary teacher at Caersws CP School contacted the project and the Co-ordinator described the distinctive learning opportunities on a farm in winter – the weather and its impact on farming, wildlife and the landscape, features such as dry stone walls clearly visible, the extra needs of the farm animals, early lambing, nature in the winter etc

CAFE arranged for the teacher to visit the farm and discuss the practicalities with the farmer – himself the father of young children who had some doubts about a visit in February at a farm over 1000m in altitude!

After careful working out of a plan and contingencies for weather conditions the visit went ahead and was a great success. (See Visit Plan prepared by the teacher here) The weather was cool but fine except for a heavy rain shower that swept in for about half an hour – demonstrating to the children how fast the weather can change.

Experienced Tir Gofal farmer Nigel Elgar, a member of the Soil Association, introduced them to his organic hill farm and explained about the conditions in winter, the children noted the prevailing wind and the exposed fields. They then visited the ewes in a big airy modern she most of whom would not lamb for several more weeks – they were dependent on the farmer and his wife for food and water.

Nigel sheared a ram that was ready explaining about his set up, equipment and the need to keep the fleece clean whilst it was still being worn by the sheep to keep warm!
Next they boarded a specially converted trailer pulled by a large John Deere Four wheel drive tractor and went up into the hill pastures to see the countryside in winter and how the animals and plants coped.

They came back down for lunch and a lengthy discussion with Nigel and his wife Karen before getting back on the bus – soon to be rather sleepy after all that fresh air and exercise! They took with them samples of wool, plants, hay and lots of photographs.