Jamie's Farm 2024
12 of Woodlands’ Year 5 and 6 children spent a week in Wales at Jamie’s Farm. The children helped the staff on a real working farm and became farmers for the week! Take a look at what they got up to! 👇
📅 When? Monday 29th January - Friday 2nd February
📍 Where? Jamie’s Farm, Monmouth, Wales
🤔 What?
Jamie’s Farm uniquely combines farming, family and mindfulness sessions into a 5-day residential with a focus on giving children time and space to reflect, to renew and determine a new path for themselves. We do this by creating an environment where they feel respected, and are given opportunities to display their talents and show responsibility.
What does a typical day look like on the farm?
- 7:30am: Rise and shine! Morning jobs start at 8 am!
- 9:15am: A delicious breakfast made by one of the groups.
- 10:30am: Farm jobs – working with the animals, doing maintenance on the farm, cooking lunch and preparing food.
- 12:15pm: A delicious lunch prepared by one of the groups
- 1:30pm: Farm jobs – again out on the farm, doing the jobs that need doing to keep the animals healthy and what is best for the farm.
- 4:00pm: A tasty snack and then a walk or adventure!
- 5:30pm: Shower time – farm work is smelly so it’s time to get clean.
- 6:30pm: A delicious evening meal and games round the table. Then a film or time by the bonfire.
- 8:30pm: Time for bed!
Take a look at what we got up to on this year's visit! 👇
Monday 🚜
We boarded our minibus and drove over to Wales! When we arrived, we dropped off our bags and explored the farm and local area. The Jamie's Farm Team made us some delicious food, and we had a wander up to 'the world's smallest castle' to look at the view of Monmouth. Early to bed for us, as tomorrow is day one of farm work!
See the full Day 1 gallery here.
Tuesday 🐄
On our second day, we rose early and were up and out feeding the animals while some children made a delicious breakfast for us all. During the day, we helped Dan and the Jamie's Farm team with lots of different jobs: cutting up wood for the fires; moving and putting up a new electric fence for the sheep; tending to the two horses, Sam and Timmy and preparing a tasty lunch of pizza!
Mr. Trower, Miss Wilson and Miss Harrison-Burton have been blown away by the children's team work and kindness towards each other.
Day 2
See the full Day 2 gallery here. 📷
Wednesday 🐔
On day three, we were well into the swing of things! We rose early and did our feeding rounds before having a delicious breakfast together. After that, some of us chopped wood and brought logs to the farm house, others tended to the horses and one group made Irish Crosses for the garden to celebrate St. Patrick!
After lunch, we got into the Land Rovers and headed to a mountain called Skirrid Fawr (Ysgyryd Fawr)! It was a tough challenge, with bracing cold winds, but we worked together and made it to the top! To celebrate, we had hot chocolate and some flapjack together, before heading back down.
In the evening, we had showers, enjoyed a tasty dinner of sausage and mash, and then watched a film in the lounge.
Take a look 👇
See the full gallery for Day 3 here.
Thursday 👩🌾
Our last full day on the farm gave us a chance to make the most of our time together, supporting the adults at Jamie's Farm with lots of different jobs: chopping wood, checking the rams, painting signs for the garden and preparing delicious meals for everyone.
After showers and dinner, we spent some time outside by the campfire, sharing our favourite moments of the week as part of our final check in meeting.
Day 4
See the full Day 4 gallery here.
On our last day, we were up early and spent time together over breakfast and had a fantastic celebration meeting before heading on the bus home. We were sad to be coming home, but also excited to see our family and friends and tell them all about our time at Monmouth.
A massive thank you to Jo, Dan, Elly, Luke, Michelle, Ellie, Bronny, Marguerite, Chloe and everyone at Jamie's Farm Monmouth for a fantastic week!