Latest news with #educationalfarm
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Queen joins cupcake quest on visit to Somerset farm
The Queen tasted homemade lemon curd as she helped children make cupcakes during a visit to a farm. Camilla visited Lower Shockerwick Farm, near Bath, Somerset, which is run as an educational centre by Jamie's Farm. The farm is the seventh site operated by the charity which offers young people who are experiencing challenges at school different opportunities. Since Jamie's Farm was established in 2009, it has welcomed more than 16,000 young people to their six existing sites in Bath, Hereford, Monmouth, Lewes, Skipton and a city farm in London Waterloo. During the visit, Camilla, who is Patron, met founders Tish Feilden and her son Jamie, and was taken on a tour of the farm by Mr Fielden and his fellow co-chief executive Jake Curtis. She met staff, volunteers and young people undertaking activities in the orchards, kitchens and gardens. 🏡 Lower Shockerwick Farm is nearly complete…ready to welcome more young people into a space built with a shared vision and lots of heart. Huge thanks to our project partners, kind donors & amazing volunteers. You've turned a building into a home. 💚 — Jamie's Farm (@JamiesFarm) July 9, 2025 In the kitchen, the Queen met 11-year-olds Mantaj and Mia, who were making lemon curd cupcakes using the zesty preserve that had been produced the day before. Camilla also helped water calibrachoa, geraniums and verbena which had been planted by Gabriel, aged 10, and 11-year-old Adrian. To commemorate the occasion, the Queen unveiled a stone plaque and told guests she planned to visit the farm in Skipton as it was the only site she had not been to. 'I am yet to get to Yorkshire, but that will be next on my agenda, I promise you I will get there,' she said. 'It's really thanks to everybody here that this has happened at this really wonderful ancient farm and I look forward to seeing it in a year's time with all the children.' Before the Queen departed, she handed over a basket of cuttings and seeds, including foxgloves, hollyhocks, mint, rosemary and blackcurrant, taken from her garden at her private home near Lacock in Wiltshire. 'I hope I can come back and see them thriving,' she added. Thanking the Queen for her visit, Mr Feilden said: 'We are honoured that you are here to officially open Lower Shockerwick Farm. 🎧 New Podcast: Shift Happens What really helps young people turn their lives around? In Ep1, Riley shares his journey from growing up in care to becoming an apprentice at Jamie's Farm, a story of transformation, resilience & hope. 💬✨ 🎙️ Listen now: — Jamie's Farm (@JamiesFarm) July 7, 2025 'We really appreciate your support, interest and advocacy for the work that we do.' Jamie's Farm works with young people, typically aged between 11 and 16, who are at risk of social or academic exclusion due to challenges with behaviour, attendance, or mental health. While there they step away from the pressures of daily life – including handing in their phones and disconnecting from technology.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bedford Town Council approves land swap to strengthen conservation and support Joppa Hill Farm
Joppa Hill View Joppa Hill Educational Farm is situated on 35 acres of land leased from the town of Bedford. The Bedford Town Council approved plans for a strategic land adjustment within the Joppa Hill Conservation Area to strengthen conservation and support Joppa Hill Educational Farm. At the June 11 meeting, the council voted unanimously to take 8.3 acres (near the educational farm) out of long-term conservation status so it can be used for municipal or farm-related purposes. In exchange, 25 acres of land (previously designated for municipal use) would go into permanent conservation. The Joppa Hill Conservation Area is a 190-acre parcel of land owned by the town of Bedford and subject to a conservation easement by the Piscataquog Land Conservancy. The conservation easement limits certain uses of the property to protect the land, but has provisions for two soccer fields, an educational farm and a municipal zone for possible future use. Joppa Hill Educational Farm leases 35 of those acres and operates as a working farm and community hub open to the public every day. According to reports from Chris Bandazian, president of the farm, and Drew Cline, former chairman of the farm's board, the original proposed 25-acre municipal zone is not suitable for building. The thought to preserve an area for municipal use was established in the early 2000s with nothing particular in mind for its use. Attempts to develop the land would be difficult and expensive and would be better used for conservation, according to Cline. 'The amount of impact to the property no matter where you would try to put anything was pretty strong and the shape, soil and habitat make it really inconducive to building anything there as opposed to what it's currently being used for, which is conservation,' Cline said in the meeting. 'We really walked through the whole area to figure out if it would be cost effective or feasible and it was a real challenge.' Bandazian said when the 25 acres were mapped, they found that the land mainly consisted of wetlands and steep slopes. 'It revealed what you would observe on the field, virtually everything was a wetland and even what appears to be dry land most of the year cannot be used for farm equipment because it's so wet.' Bandazian said in the meeting. 'To be able to use it would require a lot of land clearing, fill, and a 10-foot retaining wall on each side.' Bandazian suggested the parcel be put in long-term conservation and 8.3 acres of land closer to the farm be excluded in exchange. The 8.3 acres would include an already disturbed area that could help alleviate parking issues and support educational programs for the farm. Chairwoman Lori Radke called it a win-win. 'The town doesn't have a lot of conservation and I think this is a great opportunity to conserve what we have,' Radke said. 'We want to make this the best place for having both municipal and conservation.' Executive Director of Joppa Hill Educational Farm Sarah Grosvenor said they will work with the Piscataquog Land Conservancy to finalize the land adjustment. 'There's no actual plans in place for building anything on that 8.3 acres yet,' Grosvenor said. 'It just gives us more freedom if we did want to end up proposing something to the town on a future project.' The farm is taking additional measures to preserve the health of the land and its animals. 'We are no longer providing grain cups for visitors to feed animals because we want to prioritize the health of our animals,' Grosvenor said. 'Some of our animals were overweight and two sadly passed away because of an over abundance of carbohydrates and starch, and having too much grain contributed to that.' Joppa Hill Horses Grazing Three horses graze on a pasture at Joppa Hill Educational Farm in Bedford. The farm also implemented rotational grazing for the livestock, which is a pasture management method where animals are moved between different grazing areas to let the grass rest and regrow. This helps keep pastures healthy, improves soil quality, and gives animals fresh forage more often. Grosvenor said the new changes have come as a surprise to the public, but she hopes they will understand the farm's vision. 'Our mission is to preserve the land and the farm as a working farm where we can continue to provide educational opportunities through a variety of different ways,' she said.
