Jimmy’s Farm

Jimmy’s Farm caters to large or small groups seeking education and/or adventure!

We offer formally structured courses for children and young people…

Visits to Jimmy’s Farm can be tailored to match your needs and are led at all times by our Educational Visits Organiser Peter Sugar and his team of experienced leaders. These visits can be attended by schools or groups of individuals and are not only informative but offer an experience which is fun!!

We are passionate about sharing our environment and knowledge here on the farm……

We invest heavily in our education programme because we believe that educating young people and providing good quality visits are vital for the future of farming.

When can you visit?

• Pre-visits are welcome.

• Visits welcomed all year round. Opening times are 9am – 5pm Monday to Saturday, 9am – 4pm Sunday

• We are situated 2 miles from Ipswich on the A137 towards Manningtree off Junction 56 of the A14. Coach parking facilities are provided.

What we offer our supervised group visits?

• Undercover space exclusively for your group available all day

  • a. for up to approximately 30 people in the Round House all year.

  • b. up to 150 from January to September.

• We are able to accommodate groups with special needs. Disabled access is limited at present but we are developing the farm to improve disabled access. Please call to discuss details.

• An individual service tailored to the needs of your group which includes discussion with you about what you want to do, a programme for the day e-mailed to you before the visit, welcome on arrival and taken to your base for the day, supervised sessions and guided time led by the Education team who will be with you all day, provision of extra hand washing facilities, help with any problems and delivery back to your transport at the end of your visit.

Jimmy’s Farm Group Courses

1: Farming and Food Production – Early Years, Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4

A) Farmyard trail – An introduction to the farming methods, food production and pig welfare on Jimmy’s Farm. You also get to meet the animals on a comprehensive tour of the working farm. Meet and feed the pigs and piglets as well as other farm animals. Look out for the pink tractor!

B) 3 Garden – Tour herb, vegetable and Darwin’s gardens to identify and experience different fruits, vegetables and herbs that are growing on the Farm. Learn about Charles Darwin, how his theories helped to shape our present understanding and participate in observational games.

2: Sausage Making and Tasting – Key Stage 2, 3, 4 and Further Education NVQ

• A talk and participation / demonstration on sausage making, find out why Jimmy’s Farm sausages are different. Sample the traditional and more unusual sausages we make on the Farm.

• There is an extra charge of £2.50 for this programme to cover the cost of meat used and sausages tasted.

3: Environmental Science – Early Years, Key Stage 1, 2, 3 and 4

• Explore the wood: Seasons, trees, seeds and growing

• The woodland as an ecosystem

• Minibeast / invertebrate study, pond dipping, fishing, life cycles, habitat comparison, identification and classification. This includes a tour of the Tropical Butterfly House during spring and summer.

4: Bushcraft in the Woods – Early Years, Key Stage 1, 2 and 3

• We can create a programme from the following: den building, create a camp, fire lighting, cooking over a wood fire, the folklore of trees, magic and fairies and people in the past.

5: Orienteering Trail – Key Stage 1 and 2

• Using compasses to read bearings and follow directions in small groups on five different orienteering trails around the farm, nature trail and gardens.

6: Jimmy’s Farm as a Business – Key Stage 3 and 4

• A tour of the farm and nature trail and shop to explore farm finances, costs of running the farm, ethics, diversification and the BBC & Chanel 4 influence.

7. Butchery Demonstration

• A butchery demonstration on how a carcass is prepared, skills of butchery and how cuts of meat are prepared for display.

8: Pre–school, School and Group Fun visits SUPERVISED– – Any age

We can create a fun programme of events, usually lasting between two and three hours, led by a member of staff incorporating various activities, such as:

• Talk and tour of the farm

• Den Building and bush craft

• Visit the Tropical Butterfly House, in Spring and Summer only

• Pond Dipping

• Minibeast Hunt

• Meet and feed the pigs and small animals

The group would be able to stay on and have unlimited access to the Nature Trail area, including the Adventure Play area. Do let us know if there are particular activities you would like to do.

9. Catering programme for KS3 and above.

A programme for students embarking on or already started on catering courses.

• Working Farm tour to see the live animals.

• Introduction to vegetables and plants grown on the Farm, sold in the Farm shop and used      in the Farm restaurant

• Butchery demonstration.

• Sausage making and tasting.

• Talk with our young Head chef, Kate, on catering as a business and career.

10. Course Fishing

• complete beginners (20 minutes)

• those aspiring to improve their fishing skills(half day), up to 5 students

Both of these programmes can be combined with other activities to create a full day.

11. Pottery decoration with All Fired Up  (60 minutes)

• Select your own white biscuit fired pottery item (mug, plate etc) and decorate with special clay paints to your own design. The items will then be taken away to be fired and returned to the Farm for collection.Combined with other activities to create a full day.

Health and Safety

Please read the Farm Visit Risk Assessment before your visit. A trained first aider is on site at all times.

At the gate to the working farm, the Group Leader will give a health and safety talk regarding electric fencing, moving machinery and hygiene issues, such as hand washing.

The Group Leader will be responsible for moving the group where appropriate and to ensure safety for example, when a vehicle is approaching or present.

Please dress appropriately for the weather of the day e.g. wellies, sun hat.

Visiting groups will not be entering enclosures that contain cows or pigs.