The term ‘land based’ traditionally references businesses and activities that are linked to our land and environment, such as conservation, farming and food production, forestry, horticulture, landscaping, and animal and equine care.
Even though we are lucky enough to live in a very rural part of the country very few young people have the opportunity to get outside and work on the land. This course will provide them with a chance to gain some exciting new skillsets and knowledge that they can carry forward with them into the future.
At Kingsmead we are incredibly fortunate to have a small holding within the school grounds. This is known as “The Old Railway Farm” and can be found at the top of the school playing field. The farm name has been taken from some of our local history. The old 44-mile Taunton to Barnstaple branch line, which opened between 1871 and 1873 and closed at the behest of Beeching in 1966, ran alongside one of our fields.
The farm currently comprises of approximately two and a half acres of grassland, a machinery store, tool shed, covered yard, hayshed, generator house, chicken coup and enclosure (currently occupied by our five hens and Cockrel), together with a small animal house that is currently home to our four school Guinea Pigs. The grassland is home to our four sheep (Hollie, Mistletoe, Penny and Lucky) together with our two nanny goats, Coco and Channel – primarily to act as hedge trimmers!
The students will be working to maintain the existing grassland and boundaries in addition to transforming some of that land into fenced areas, bordered vegetable plots, constructing and planting raised beds, wildflower meadows and a duck enclosure complete with a pond as well as repairing and maintaining our existing buildings.
They will be using a variety of hand operated tools and powered equipment such as petrol driven strimmers, lawn mowers (including our new ride on mower), hedge trimers, post auger and concrete mixer together with a wide variety of different construction materials.
This is a non-exam course focusing on outdoor practical activities unless, of course, the weather is that inclement that we are forced to remain indoors. If that is the case, then the students will be working through a coursework booklet. This will be completed using their general knowledge of the industry together with the skills they learn outdoors and their own online research.
Farmers Weekly – Farming and Agricultural News
Mole Online Agricultural Supplies and Equipment Merchants
NFU – The voice of British farming
