Education
School Visits and Activities
At Meadow Lodge Farm we have 45 acres of traditional fruit orchards situated in a rural setting and are recognised as a County Wildlife Site due to the variety of wildlife in our orchards.
Whilst growing apples, pears and plums organically we actively manage our land for the benefit of wildlife with wooded areas, ponds and wild flowers. We have logged over 40 species of birds, many insects, butterflies and dragonflies and regularly see hares, foxes and deer.
Visits to our farm are free for schools and our friendly and knowledgeable staff would be pleased to welcome you.
We are more than happy to tailor visits to your school’s topics and curriculum so please contact us to discuss. We welcome pre-visits from staff so you can see for yourself what we have to offer.
We currently hold the Quality Badge for Learning Outside the Classroom so you can be sure of a safe environment where children can have good quality educational experiences.
Whatever time of year you visit there will be something to see in the orchards, the spectacular blossom in spring followed by the growing fruitlets in the summer and finally the fruit ready for harvest in the autumn.
During visits we will explore the orchards noticing how the trees change over the seasons and learn about what they need to grow and produce fruit. We will also discuss how orchards benefit wildlife and the environment.
We will look at the various habitats on the farm and see how they suit different species and talk about what we might find there.
Our pond dipping platform offers children the opportunity to discover how many types of creatures reside below the surface. Our Bird Hide provides the chance to watch for different types of birds and learn how the species differ to suit different habitats and the food that they eat. There is also the opportunity to ID the trees in our woodland areas.
We will keep our eyes peeled for hares and deer which are frequently seen and look for evidence of other wildlife from their tracks and footprints.
In the summer we offer meadow sweeping and bug hunting activities and in the autumn there will be opportunities to help pick apples and press them into juice ready for tasting.
We provide nature spotting and activity sheets for use during your visit or you can take them back to the classroom and complete at school.
There are seating areas around the farm so you’re welcome to enjoy a picnic in the orchards or our outdoor classroom shelter.
