As promised, here are photos of the work we all did yesterday putting cob onto the woven hazel walls of the roundhouse. The weather was perfect and everyone was really enthusiastic, with the result that several more panels were completed and we are confident that it will all be finished within this term. If so, our cooks Leanne and Angela, are planning to run cooking sessions with the children so that they can all have a part in cooking their own tea. These will happen on Tuesdays during the winter months,especially when the weather is too poor to want to be outside for the whole day. But the first one will happen in July because they can't wait to try it out! Any ideas for dishes children can prepare?

A huge 'thank you!' to all those who came to our Open Day on Sunday 30th May. The weather was really great and, apart from the fact that the bouncy castle wasn't delivered, the It's a Knockout competition more than made up for it! Graham's commentary was witty and pithy and it was lovely to see everyone eating, drinking and soaking up the sunshine on the lawn as they watched. We raised just over £1000 and couldn't have done any of it without the loyal support of our staff and friends. Titchfield Primary School from Hampshire were represented by their steel band during the afternoon and many people commented on the quality of their playing. They were really good!
For the last 5 weeks of the academic year we are concentrating on finishing the cob walls of the roundhouse so that it can be thatched during the summer holidays. Let's hope that the schools which are due to visit us in the near future are ready for a challenge. Tomorrow I will be taking photos of cob-making and they will be posted asap.

Now that the swallows are here it is time to start adding the cob to the walls of our roundhouse so Stuart is today working with groups of children from Goodrich Primary School in East Dulwich to do just that. There's nothing to beat getting stuck in to clay and mud and daubing it onto the woven hazel walls....plenty of pairs of sticky hands to wash! At the present rate we should see at least one wall panel a week being completed on the outside and maybe we'll get faster as we get better at it? The weather is lovely today...warm and still and the rooks are cawing like mad high in their nests in the pine tree. A perfect Nethercott day.
On 30th May at 2pm we are holding another of our Open Days with a Fun Team Triathlon event (teams of 6 competing in a succession of challenging rounds involving a greasy pole amongst other things!) so if you can make it here get your family along and show them the place where you spent a week on a farm. Perhaps your school staff will make up a triathlon team for a bit of fun? The more the merrier! There will be good food, drink, stalls and games in the idyllic setting that is Nethercott House and we hope to see you there!

Easter at Nethercott House

Here we are in the middle of the Easter holidays and the weather has finally come up with the goods! The sun is shining and it is almost warm (though it wasn't at all when I let out the poultry this morning). The incubators are all full and due to hatch out from any time soon. There are several chicks already under lights and we're all eagerly awaiting the hatching of the turkeys eggs. I've never seen turkey chicks here in my 5 years so I can't wait.
We've decided to hold a free Teachers Weekend on 20th/21st November this year for staff from schools who would like to have a taste of what we offer children. When all the places are taken that will be it so if you know anyone who may be interested they need to contact us soon!
I hope all our 'old farmers' are enjoying the Easter break as we are and that those who are due to come and visit us between April and July are looking forward to it, as are we. Our next event will be our Open Day on Sunday 30th May so watch this space and we hope to see you there.

At last, clear blue skies and sunshine, although a sneaky N.E. wind is making it pretty chilly here. Never mind, in sheltered spots it's glorious. Our plan tomorrow is to light the fire in the roundhouse and make charcoal drawing sticks which we can use to draw on pieces of bark. Barry is going to make a wooden pig so watch this space...! Today there was ice on puddles and baby lambs to bottle-feed as well as shetland ponies on Death Hill.
Hyde Park Junior School are having a great time and a group have just set off across the lawn field to collect the donkeys. Time to light the Quiet Room fire I think...

I'm trying to get my head round this blogging thing and want to let you view photos of the progress of the roundhouse from the beginning to now. Let's see how I get on!

Our roundhouse, half-finished though it is, has come into its' own already as a perfectly serviceable shelter from the elements when we do our Forest School sessions on Tuesdays. The weather turned against us this week and there was drizzle and a little blustery wind, although it was much milder than of late! Titchfiels Primary School entered into the spirit of things with a log fire on which to cook scones using our new tripod and making charcoal drawing sticks and rush rope. Outside under a thick holly tree Barry helped to saw discs of hazel with which to make medallions and several groups had a go at creating a spark with the magnesium sticks. We all enjoyed eating our scones as soon as they were cooked and everyone ended up smelling strongly of smoke and understanding a little of the trials of our ancestors in living in a roundhouse!