Project: city2farm

Funding

The Chestnut Avenue Sessions of city2farm have been  funded by the Local Network Fund.

Background 

organicARTS is developing long term links with groups based in urban areas. The aim is to involve such groups in both visits to the farm and in outreach work at the group’s home base. Projects will allow a deeper understanding and appreciation of the environment and life of the farm. 

A model for work 

Four sessions spread over the year. The sessions  start in the Autumn and focus around the themes of the changing year, how the farm is influenced by the seasons and food. 

Each session includes 

• an Outreach Visit to prepare for the visit eg. Sharing photographs of the orchard, tasting apples, exploring a map of the farm
• the Visit which would include walks, involvement in the farm, art activity and collecting of images and reflections eg. A sensory walk around the orchard, collection of apples and baking apple cakes in an outdoor oven, listening to and creating stories based in the history and folklore of the orchard, gathering images and objects from the orchard.
• a Follow Up Visit. eg. work on the images collected and preparing work for publication on the organicARTS' website 

Every Child Matters 

The project has direct relevance to much of the agenda of Every Child Matters. 

Being Healthy : Through the links with the farm children and families will have direct contact to the sources of their food, understand the journey that food goes on before reaching the plate and the choices that they can make about what they eat. The Project is based on an appreciation and celebration of the outside with all the implications that has for children’s well being. 

Staying Safe : The farm is a working farm. It is not a cocooned play park. The children will be actively engaged in making decisions about their actions in order to be safe and enjoy the farm. 

Enjoying and Achieving: The whole focus of the visits will be on involvement and creativity. An important element is the publication of children’s responses as part of the follow up session. We want children to feel proud that their mural is on the barn wall and their photograph on the website. 

Making a Contribution : Children will be engaged in tasks that contribute towards the maintenance of the Farm. This might be as simple as spreading a mulch around a chosen apple tree or helping harvest a pumpkin. The focus is on participating in life of the farm.

Client groups 

The project has begun with Chestnut Avenue Centre. The Centre is based in Wonford, an area with a high level of social and economic deprivation and where access to areas outside the city is limited. Kevin Cotter from OrganicARTS has a long term relationship with the Family Centre and city2farm will build on this experience.

organicARTS is keen to build partnerships with a range of different groups with different ages and background. Please contact us if you would like to explore this further.