Before 2020
Before 2019
After 2022
After 2022
This project to carry out site improvements on the farm with funding from the Mayor of London’s Greener City Fund began in February 2020 and was adapted to include support to members of our local community in safely accessing green space and nature during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the project we created a space for visitors especially children and young people to enjoy the outdoors, be creative and explore and discover science and nature in a safe playful way. The farm staff volunteers and young people transformed a disused area of the farm shaded by mature trees, overgrown by ‘bully plants’ and not accessible to visitors into a shaded walk and nature space. Planting and hedgerow maintenance included native bulbs, ferns, hedging plants and wildflowers alongside pollinator friendly shrubs and flowers increasing biodiversity and encouraging wildlife. The space provides green shading and cooling enabling visitors and service users to stay cool in hot weather and continue to enjoy being active outdoors. During the pandemic we were able to involve families at home through online sessions and have a go at home packs and since its completion the area has provided a space for young people, families and schools to explore and discover nature and take part in guided activities in the shade.
watch the transformation here
project outcomes
Improved 550 metres squared of greenspace
86 (35 adults and 46 under 18’s) People actively participated in the project through regular volunteering, youth and school group activities assisting with landscaping, clearance, building works, planting and gardening.
During the project over 10,000 people engaged indirectly through visiting the farm, taking part in one off team volunteering sessions and participating in lockdown science and nature online and woodland crafts sessions.
Since completion of the works the space is used by an estimated 40,000 visitors a year and is maintained by farm volunteers and regular participants with increased opportunities for learning environmental science and management and green skills.
What we (the young farmers) did this year for the Natural Workshop Project.
This year we decided to make a nature Pond up the path as in springtime the frogs did not have anywhere to lay their spawn which would cause the frog population to go down on the farm. We got a new pond shell and we put it into the ground surrounded by naturally occurring plants in ponds and streams we started by digging a large hole in the ground to put the pond shell in we also dugout the Stony and rugged rocks and stones so we could put dirt and plant some pond and bog plants.
We also had to clear all of the wood and sticks and rubble from the disused composting area as the condition that it was in was not suitable for its new use as a paddock for the pigs. After clearing the field we got a wood chipper and chipped away all of the wood to use for the chicken and rabbit pens. We then emptied out all of the old compost bins as they were rotting away and were no longer serving a purpose. We built a secondary fence to protect the hedge and trees and keep the pigs in a safe area. We had decided to put the pigs up in that field as the trees surrounding it would make a great shaded area and pigs can get hot and sunburned in the height of summer. During this part of the project I helped to build and mesh the fences and clear the rubble from the ground as it may get into the pigs feet and injure them.
As part of the project we have also knocked down and moved our flower bed in the animal village as we wanted to create a one way system therefore allowing us to reopen the farm in a socially distance manner. As part of the new route around the farm as well as the pig field we're clearing, planting and landscaping the area around it so we can make a shaded space for visitors to hang out and learn a bit about wildlife that lives within our forests and woodland areas.
I like seeing the pigs out enjoying their new area and coming to the farm and helping during lock down has really helped and stopped me being bored stuck at home.