SEnine


This month, Woodlands Farm on Shooters Hill holds its summer show. SEnine’s Liz Drury visited this local environmental success story.


E-I-E-I-O As


you step out of the suburbs and into the largest working city


farm in the UK it is hard to remember that you are not in the countryside.


The Farm was left semi-derelict for many years, and blighted by motorway plans, until the Woodlands Farm Trust bought it on a long lease in 1997 with the aid of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.


It is now a thriving farm, focusing on rare breeds, and currently has ducks, chickens, bantams, two pigs, four cows and 50 sheep.


It also has streams, an orchard, and a pond filled with wildlife.


“Trained volunteers are invaluable during the busy lambing season, which this year saw 70 lambs born. Sadly though we lost one ewe during labour: “We did everything we could, even calling in a very experienced shepherd who is an occasional volunteer, but we couldn’t save her. We had to hand-rear her lamb, and although we normally don’t name the animals, we called her Ebony. She is a very beautiful cross between a Herdwick and a Dorset Down and we think one day we will breed from her.”


While visitors thronged around the farm a group of trained volunteers and the acting farm manager, Jon Lewis, were vaccinating the sheep against Bluetongue. This was the work of the farm in action


But behind the scenes this is no ordinary farm. It is a registered charity and relies almost exclusively on donations and an army of volunteers to keep it running. There are around thirty very passionate and dedicated volunteers. Fitzpatrick is one of them:


Suzanna


“Our philosophy at Woodlands Farm is very important to us and is about education and conservation.”


Suzanna came to the farm four years ago when she began to work as a freelance writer and had time to volunteer.


“I was always particularly interested in Your Community is what you make it


Education is key to the farm and the Education Officer and Assistant offer hands-on experiences for children on topics from learning about animals


Ellie Haynes, 41, from Dulwich, visited the farm with her family and they all plan to come back for this July’s Summer Show. She loves Woodlands Farm “This is a really special place and my daughters aged 11 and 8 love coming here”


Woodlands Farm Summer Show is on Sunday July 10 from 11am - 4.30pm (£2.50 for adults, £1.50 concessions and a £1 for children over three). The farm is open to visitors Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 4.30pm. The Woodlands Farm Trust, 331 Shooters Hill, 020 8319 8900 (www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org)


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STORY


sheep and over the years have been lucky that the Trust has trained me in this area of expertise including sheep midwifery.


to orienteering. Netty Ribeaux,


Education Officer, said: “Often children are surprised that the animals they eat come from a farm and not just straight from the supermarket. It is wonderful to see them learning and having fun.”


The education team has some grant funding, but this is limited. Netty was in the process of seeing if a new stream of funding would come in to allow her job to continue.


This is a valuable and rare resource in our midst but it needs money and support if it is to continue to thrive. In the winter, the sheep feed alone costs over £300 a week. There are ways that people can help. Buying the farm’s fresh produce is one way.


The farm does


not have the money for a permanent shop but volunteers do run a café at weekends in the summer. People can buy eggs, honey, jam, hay, manure and logs, and can put their names down for farm meat.


Becoming a member of the farm is another way to help. Suzanna said “For example a family membership for a year is only £15. But if you just want to pop in, donations can be put in a box near the Mess Room, or a large converted water tank in the farmyard. And you can donate on our website.”


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