FARM KIDS - MINI FARMERS THURSDAY SESSIONS

(TERM BOOKING - 9 SESSIONS - 50% OFF)

9am – 3pm | $130 | ages 5 to 15 yrs.

The kids become mini farmers and after a detailed tour get set to work doing farm chores. We collect eggs, restock our pet chickens bedding, ensure they have fresh water and clean out the coup. We work on our dedicated Farm Kids garden plot and tend to our onsite worm Subpod. If the opportunity arises, we assist the farmers with their chores. They forage, cook, make natural products, create and see where their food comes from as well as experience countless opportunities to learn about teamwork, community, and ethical farming practices.

1.  THURSDAY APRIL 22ND - MORE ON BEES

DISCUSSION

·      The importance of Bees and the plight they are facing!  What we can do to help.

·      Various types of hives and spotting these amazing little creatures.

·      Different bee species and how to identify them. We discuss the job roles of the queen bee, the drone and the worker.

·      Bee facts including honey, wax & propolis production and the dynamics of a busy working hive.

·      Medicinal properties of honey and bees wax.

·      Pollination and how important human’s relationship with bees is to ensure production and food security.

·      Traditional apiarist equipment and try on the bodysuit.

·      How traditional & flow hives work and examine the tools the beekeeper uses.

ACTIVITIES

·      Make a bee pendant from coloured clay

·      Make beeswax candles

·      Make honey popcorn

·      Blown egg bees

·      Make a model of honey comb

2.  THURSDAY APRIL 29TH – SOIL

DISCUSSION

·      Mud, dirt, soil, clay, compost… what is in it?

·      Soil types

·      What makes up a healthy soil microbiome and what can we do to ensure our soil stays healthy, which will make our plants and garden thrive.

·      The Farm’s composting systems

·      Paddock resting and paddock rotation

ACTIVITIES

·   Work in the Farm Kids garden getting our hands dirty, while weeding, digging, fertilizing and mulching in preparing the plot for planting. 

·   Visit the Subpod (worm farm) & discuss how worms are beneficial for creating a healthy soil and growing plants.

·      Make farm animals or a seedling pot from clay.

3.  THURSDAY MAY 6TH - FLOWER POWER

DISCUSSION

·      Parts and purpose of flowers.

·      Taste edible flowers

·      Benefits of planting certain types of flowers to attract bees and beneficial bugs. 

ACTIVITIES

·      Paint little pots & plant flower seeds for our garden

·      Nut cracking and eating
Make paper and tissue flowers and flowers from toilet rolls

4.  THURSDAY MAY 13TH - BENEFICIAL BUGS

DISCUSSION

·      Search for beneficial bugs in the garden.

·      Why specific bugs are a beneficial part of our eco-system

·      What plants help attract these much-needed bugs

·      Hunt for, photograph and note down the beneficial bugs for identification later back in the farmhouse.

·      Work on garden plot, water seedlings & tend to Subpod

ACTIVITIES

·      Make butterfly and bug magnets

·      Make bug repellent balm

5.  THURSDAY MAY 20TH – VEGGIES

DISCUSSION

·      Nutritional importance of vegetables in our diet

·      Go to the market garden to talk about the different vegetables growing and their nutritional values

·      Organic farming practices incorporating companion planting

·      Harvest and taste vegetables from the garden (if available). 

ACTIVITIES

·      We taste edible flowers and veggies

·      Paint a little egg carton garden & plant veggie seeds for our dedicated plot which we will nurture and eventually plant

·      Make Mr Potato Head with Watercress hair

·      Make Tzatziki and eat with veggie sticks

·      Veggie art – we make animal sculptures out of veggies.

6.  THURSDAY MAY 27TH - MEDICINAL HERBS

DISCUSSION

·      Healing properties of medicinal herbs

·      Use traditionally and currently

·      Culinary herbs and edible flowers

·      Hunt for medicinal herbs in the garden and discuss what we find

·      Work on our garden plot & water seedlings

ACTIVITIES

·      Make natural calendula ointment from scratch

·      Collect flowers and herbs to put into our soaps

·      Make cute little soaps with essential oils, using herbs and flower petals collected from the garden and natural calendula ointment

7.  THURSDAY JUNE 3RD – SUSTAINABILITY

DISCUSSION

·      How The Farm operates with sustainable methods including composting, water catchment, sewer, crop rotation, paddock resting and organic farming practices

·      Ways that we at home can practice sustainability

·      What things are and are not sustainable and look at items that do and don’t break down

ACTIVITIES

·      We paint a tin can and decorate with beautiful recycled paper

·   Make fully recycled arty magnetic decorations

·      Make Farm puppets from recyclables

·      Funny Magazine cut out pictures

8.  THURSDAY JUNE 10TH - NATIVE BEES

DISCUSSION

·      Native bee hunt touring the farm

·      Check in on the native bee hives

·      Explore the flower gardens to see the different bee types

·      Discuss yhe job of a native bee and all its characteristics.

·      Talk about how bees make wax and its uses in society.

ACTIVITIES

·      We make a fabulous clay native bee hotel to take home

·      Work on garden plot: planting seedlings to attract the bees, weeding & watering

·      Collect eggs and check our chickens

·      We make Beeswax wraps. Each child will decorate their own piece of fabric and then turn it into a bees wax wrap to replace the dreaded plastic wrap.

·      Native Bee Hive – tin can and bamboo

9.  THURSDAY JUNE 17TH – SEEDS

DISCUSSION

·      Tour the Farm searching for and collecting seeds

·      Where seeds come from and how they grow

ACTIVITIES

·      Make a bird feeder and cover in the seeds we collect

·      Head to orchard to collect our favourite seed ‘macadamia’ to make macadamia pesto/butter.

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WHERE TO MEET

We will meet at the Farm House opposite the restaurant. Please look out for the signs to guide you. 
(If coming from QLD, please be aware of time difference during day light savings!)

AGES

These workshops are appropriate for children who are interested in farming, energetic and willing to work. 5yrs to 15yrs

Checkout our other Farm Kids Programs which are half day and include a Farm Tour.

EXTRA SERVICE

If you are a working parent please discuss with the Farm Kids Manager if you need your child to start early or finish later than the designated program time so as to get to and from work. For an extra fee this can be arranged.

Please don’t forget that if you cannot make it to our planned workshops we can tailor a workshop especially for your group. Email farmkids@thefarm.com.au for more detail.