Archived News

29th May 2010

Earlier in the year I entered the Bayer Crop Science & Farming and Countryside Education Awards 2010.  Knowing that the competition will be strong, I am really pleased to have received a letter to say, that Manor Farm has been short listed for the Biodiversity Award. Being nominated for the second round of judging is in itself an honour.

Interestingly, 2010 has been declared by the United Nations to be the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is the 'variety of life on Earth' and encompasses all living beings, plants, animals and ecosystems including humans and not just rare or endangered species.

Whether or not Manor Farm receives an award, the process of applying made me focus on each aspect of the Educational visits and highlighted the wealth of topics we incorporate

A brief look at what we cover: livestock and arable; families and lifecycles; where our food comes from; how we care for the animals, soil and crops; farming/family history and then interwoven will be flora and fauna on the farm, hedgerows, woods, landscape history and habitat management, pitched at the appropriate level for each age group.

It’s important to host visits from City schools as many of the children have never visited the countryside before or had the opportunity to simply run across an open field. It’s wonderful to see their delight in everything from a young calf to the enormity of the combine harvester or the realisation that they have independently identified a butterfly or tree for the first time using an ID key.

Manor Farm, providing a unique and memorable learning experience – which is FUN!