Sttebs Care Farm

🐌✨Exciting news—we’ve welcomed baby snails on the farm! 🐌✨️

These tiny snails hatched from eggs laid by our two resident snails, and we couldn’t be more fascinated by nature’s wonders.

💡 Fun Fact: Most snail species are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs! When two snails meet, they're both able to reproduce—one releases the s***m gamete, and the other releases the egg gamete. How cool is that?

Nature never stops teaching us, and these little snails are proof that even the smallest creatures have big stories.💜

Goat look back in anger if you didn't get tickets to the Oasis reunion, Sttebs Care Farm starts up again for our individuals next week, and we've got the better two brothers 🐐...
.. and these guys don't butt heads as much as the Gallaghers 😉

🌞 Another sunny day on the farm with our amazing group! 🌻 Our group has enjoyed tending to the animals, planting pumpkins, harvesting green beans, and having a blast with bowls and badminton! 🌱🏸

Our day service provides a supportive, outdoor environment for young people and adults with learning difficulties, autism, or mental health conditions. From animal care to horticulture, everyone thrives by building social skills, making friends, and gaining valuable work experience. 🐾🌱💪

Independence grows here, with a little help from our wonderful animals and the great outdoors! 💜🌟

There's something truly magical about spending time in the sunshine with animals and plants. Animal and horticultural therapy have proven to be incredibly beneficial, especially for older individuals.☀️🌿🐴

Animal and horticultural therapy in the sunshine is a holistic approach to improving mental, physical, and emotional health. It’s a beautiful way to enrich lives, bring joy, and foster a deeper connection with the world around us.💜

Over the last couple of weeks, our fab group have been making the most of the sunshine with outdoor games, lots of love for our ponies, guinea pigs, rabbits and chickens - with some cheeky cuddles too (got to be done when they’re that cute!)! They’ve been busy planting new veggies and harvesting the carrots and turnips we planted earlier this year. We've had so much fun and happiness and we really love having our groups join us on the farm! 🐴🥕🌼

At our farm, we believe that learning goes beyond the classroom and into the real world, and it’s why we value our Functional Skills sessions so much.💜

Over the last few sessions of the year, we've been celebrating Summer (the season, not the goat - even though he's a farm favourite 🐐). Here's a peek at all the fun we've been having:

📝 We filled in a summertime word wall and used it to write creative poems.
➗ In maths, we calculated the calories in our favourite BBQ foods.
🎨 We crafted beautiful mosaic butterfly sun catchers.
🍓 We tested our ability to follow instructions by making smoothie ice lollies, and they turned out delicious!
📔 We made scrapbooks to celebrate our fantastic achievements. We picked our favourite moments from the year and reminisced about all the things we'll remember most from our time together.

So much hard work and creativity to be proud of over this year, and here's to more learning adventures ahead!🙌🌻

📸🐾 We’ve had an exciting time at Sttebs Care Farm recently! Stacey from The Exotic Animal Encounter visited us with an amazing array of animals: a silverback skunk, armadillo, parrot, giant millipedes, snake, tenrec, and more! 🦔🦜

Our students loved learning and holding these exotic animals, packed with fun facts and unforgettable moments. AJ, the skunk, was definitely a crowd-pleaser! 🦨

Benefits of these encounters:

✨ Enhances Learning and Engagement
💕 Promotes Empathy and Responsibility
🔍 Encourages Scientific Enquiry
🤝 Supports Social and Emotional Development
🌍 Introduces Cultural and Global Awareness

It’s been a fantastic experience that blends academic, emotional, and social learning, and we can't wait to have The Exotic Animal Encounter back again soon! 🌟

That face when the Watkins goal went in though 🙌⚽️ could we dare say, "It's coming home." 🙌⚽️

We're having a lovely day at the North Northants SEND Information Advice Support Service 'Preparing for Adulthood' event.🙌

Today's a great day designed to equip SEND students with skills, knowledge, and confidence as they journey towards adulthood, and we're enjoying engaging with students as well as other great community services across our county.💜

North Northants SEND IASS

We're excited to be here at the NPCV Family and Carer Information and Fun Day! 💜

There are so many fun filled activities to do and get involved with, as well as information about local services for attendees to gather, to support you and your family throughout your SEND journey.

So, if you're here today, please stop by and say hello to our friendly team and learn all about our alternative provision and give our guinea pigs and ponies a cuddle!👋🐴

We also have our student Tommy Smith volunteering with us today who can tell you about his great experiences at Sttebs Care Farm.🙌

North Northamptonshire Parent Carer Voices

🌞 This week in Functional Skills, our topic was the Olympics, and due to the heat, we took the classroom outside! 🌳🏅

We went on a fact-finding mission to learn the history of the games and the successes of Team GB. 🇬🇧 We analysed some medal graphs for our maths lesson and discussed what qualities you might need to become a gold medalist. We wrote these qualities on paper medals for personal inspiration.💪

Our creative side shone through as we wrote about which sport we would like to compete in and how we would feel if we won gold! 🥇

After lunch, we tried a few events ourselves... shot putting a beanbag and long jumping. The students were fantastic at both! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

We ended the day by combining all that we'd learnt into a huge collage with photos of the top GB Olympians and Paralympians. 📸

Well done to our students! Now, to cheer Team GB on in Paris! 🎉

When you realise it's the weekend and you've got zero plans except living your best goat-life! 🤪🐐

Happy Friday, everyone!💜

This week, our amazing group of individuals had the pleasure of meeting Samantha, our new leopard gecko therapy reptile! 🦎 As expected, everyone absolutely loved her.💜

Afterwards, we teamed up to clean out the enclosures of our wonderful guinea pigs and rabbits. 🐹🐰 Teamwork makes the dream work!

To embrace the glorious sunshine we're having, we enjoyed some horticulture therapy. 🌞🌱 Together, we planted our second generation strawberries, which we propagated last year as well as some seed potatoes.🍓🥔

A great time filled with smiles, sunshine, and special moments✨💜

🌟 Happy National Writing Day 🌟

At Sttebs', we take pride in helping our students grow through functional skills and outdoor learning. Functional skills in literacy and numeracy are crucial for navigating everyday life and achieving success. By combining these skills with hands-on outdoor experiences, we create an enriching environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and confidence.

Writing doesn't always come easy to our fantastic group, but in celebration of National Writing Day, they've produced some amazing work! From short stories on "Why We Love Bees" to imaginative projects like Jack's menu and instructions for our imaginary zoo cafe—our students have truly outdone themselves. 🐝📖

A special shoutout to Jack, who wrote the most he ever has in one go, entirely on his own! He loved thinking about what he wanted to say and was super proud of his work. 🎉👏

We're so proud of all our students for their hard work and creativity. Join us in celebrating their achievements and the importance of functional skills and writing in education.💜

🌿📝✨

🦎🌟 Meet Samantha, Our Newest Farm Friend! 🌟🦎

We’re thrilled to introduce you to the latest addition to our farm family - Samantha the Leopard Gecko! 🦎✨ She’s come from the amazing House of Venom in Rushden, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her with us.

Did you know? 🤓

🐆 Leopard Geckos are known for their distinctive spotted skin, just like a leopard!
🌙They’re nocturnal creatures, so Samantha will be most active during the evening and night.
🦎These geckos can detach their tails to escape predators, and it will regrow over time.
😃Leopard geckos have a charming smile thanks to their unique facial structure.

Samantha is already settling in well, and our students and individuals are eager to meet her 💜

🌿Today at the farm, we became Biological Surveyors for our functional skills session! 📊

Using scientific method and a quadrat, we conducted a flora survey, counting the prevalence of various grasses and flowering plants along the trackside and field margins. We identified Yorkshire Fog, Chickweed, Horsetail fern, Speedwell, Medic, and Ribwort Plantain, among others. We were amazed by the diversity of species we recorded! 🌸🍃

Next, we did some pond dipping and discovered a fascinating array of invertebrates. Using a key, we identified damselfly nymphs, stonefly larvae, bloodworms, and water louse. Our most exciting find? A huge dragonfly nymph! 🐉🦟

In celebration of National Picnic Week, we enjoyed our lunch outside before heading back to the classroom to record our findings and reflect on our observations.💜

🌻🌿 We have had a great time at the farm with our individuals recently!

🌻 We kicked off our annual sunflower competition by planting our giant sunflower seeds!
🥬We’ve planted kidney beans, carrots, cabbage, and more to enhance our seed to plate offering.
🌸 We planted wildlife seeds in pots to develop a charming wildlife area near our pond.
🙌 Engaged in team-building exercises, bringing us closer together.

Our day service is ideal for young people and adults with learning difficulties, autism, or mental health conditions. Participants enjoy working both independently and as part of a team in a therapeutic, multisensory outdoor environment.

Our activities include:
🐐 Animal husbandry and handling
🚶‍♂️ Exercising animals
🌱 Horticulture
🦋 Conservation tasks

We focus on building social skills, making friends, and developing communication and work skills. Encouraging independence in a supportive setting is key, and our wonderful animals and countryside facilities make it all possible.

Our recent Bring Your Pet Day was an absolute hit! One of our students brought in the cutest Syrian Hamster, Nibbles 🐹 and it was a pleasure to meet Nibbles.💜

Our day was then filled with lots of hands-on learning and fun:

✅️ We completed our husbandry tasks
🐌 Got our snails out and gave them a health check
🐐 Secured the goats so they could forage
🔥 Put our culinary skills to the test with hotdogs and s'mores over an open fire

It was a day full of learning, fun, and enjoying life here on Sttebs Care Farm 💜

🌿🌼 National Children’s Gardening Week! 🌼🌿

We’re celebrating this wonderful week dedicated to inspiring and educating children about the joys and benefits of gardening. At the farm, we believe in the power of nature to nurture young minds and cultivate lifelong skills. 🌱✨

Gardening is more than just planting seeds—it's about connecting with nature, developing patience, and learning the value of hard work. Our students are discovering the magic of watching their plants grow, understanding where their food comes from, and experiencing the tranquillity that comes with spending time outdoors. 🌻🍅

By encouraging children to get their hands dirty and explore the great outdoors, we’re planting the seeds for a healthier, more sustainable future. Gardening can become a lifelong hobby that promotes physical activity, healthy eating, and a deep appreciation for the environment. 🌎❤️

Join us in celebrating and inspire a new generation of green thumbs together. 🌿👩‍🌾👨‍🌾

🌾🚜 With the fields being sprayed and crops growing, our goats are on a temporary staycation in their enclosure instead of their usual free-range adventures. 🐐🏞️

To keep them happy and entertained, we're getting creative with enrichment activities. Think fruit kebabs, daily walks, and closely monitoring what they enjoy. 🍉🍏

We're also bringing back their favourite snacks from our walks to ensure they have plenty to browse and munch on.

Keeping our four goats healthy and content is our top priority! 💚🌿

🐝🌸 Today was World Bee Day and the start of the Chelsea Flower Show, so we celebrated with a perfect mash-up of these two fantastic events! Our students designed their very own Bee Gardens, featuring recommended plants like Thyme and Lavender, a bee drinking station, and some cheerful garden ornaments. Each student wrote about why we love bees and their importance in our ecosystem.

We also planted sunflower seeds—another great flower for our pollinating friends—and launched a sunflower measuring competition! We've set up graphs to track their growth, adding a fun, educational twist to our gardening project.

To top it all off, we spotted bees entering our bee hotels for the first time today! 🏨🐝

Our outdoor maths challenges were a huge hit, including making shapes from natural materials, constructing symmetrical patterns, and building tall stick structures. The students achieved an impressive 67cm tall stick structure!

Happy World Bee Day all! 🐝🌼

🦁📚 We've turned Functional Skills into a wild adventure! 📚🦁

This week, we have roared into action by running our very own zoo! 🐾

🗺️ First, we mapped out the perfect zoo layout with a space planning exercise, making sure every animal and guest service had its place! 🏨🦒

🍔 Next, we unleashed our creativity with English skills to craft a delicious menu at the cafe! 🍽️✨

➕ Then, it was time to crunch some serious numbers as we tackled the challenge of calculating the cost of feeding our animals! 💰

💻 With Excel by our side, we punched in those food orders like pros, ensuring no creature went hungry! 🍖📊

📖 Lastly, armed with fascinating animal facts, we're ready to wow our visitors with thrilling wildlife talks! 🎤🐾

🌟 Who knew Functional Skills could lead to such a thrilling zoo venture? Our zoo is bound to become a top tourist destination! 🌟🎉

We think we have definitely put the FUN into Functional Skills!🙌

🎤🎉 Spoiler alert! 🎤🎉

Tonight, brace yourselves for a magnificent tribute act straight from our beloved "Farm Four" 🐐 who are giving us some of that Eurovision Song Contest magic! 🎶✨

🐝🌞 What a buzz at the farm today! 🌼 We had the pleasure of witnessing a spectacular sight - around 22,000 bees swarmed in the glorious sunshine! 🌞🐝 Our friends at Wilby Honey swooped in to safely collect and relocate the buzzing beauties to their apiary.

🍯 Huge thanks to Wilby Honey for their incredible work in preserving these precious pollinators! 🌸 Let's keep buzzing with gratitude for the wonderful creatures that make our world bloom.🌻🐝

🐓🌿 Our students are making waves in animal care! 🌟

Recently, they applied louse and mite powder to our chickens, ensuring they stay parasite-free as the temperatures rise. Our chickens also love dust bathing to keep their feathers in top condition!🐓 Plus, health checks are a breeze, all contributing to our 'managing animal health' modules. 📋

But that's not all - our team worked together towards our small animal husbandry modules, working hard by cleaning out the guinea pigs and rabbits, learning valuable teamwork, and leadership skills along the way. 🐇

We're also diving deep into animal nutrition, tailoring diets for our invertebrates, reptiles, and even our growing lambs! 🌱🐑 From understanding the 7 main food groups and animal classifications to fine-tuning substrate depth for our millipedes, every detail counts in keeping our animal friends happy and thriving. Stay tuned as we share our findings and diet sheets on our boards! 📋✨

📣We're thrilled to announce that we're expanding our offerings to include a fascinating new addition: MILLIPEDES!🤩

But that's not all – we're broadening our scope to encompass invertebrates and reptiles, and in the future, we'll even dive into amphibians and crustaceans! 🦎

We’re dedicated to providing our students with hands-on experience, ensuring they're equipped with the knowledge and skills to care for a diverse range of animals. 📚✨ This isn't just about learning; it's about boosting employability too! With these additions, students will be primed for careers across animal-related fields where these creatures are increasingly popular pets.

Plus, we're committed to staying on top of the latest legal requirements and guidelines. 📜 It's not just about having these animals – it's about ensuring their welfare and proper care. That's why we'll be meticulously going through the new regulations to guarantee the best possible standards for the reptiles under our care.💜

Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting new journey into the world of diverse and captivating creatures! 🌟

There's something magical about the bond between humans and animals, and here on our farm, our individuals and students get to experience it first-hand with all our animals, especially our four precious cade lambs.🐑💜

From the moment they arrived, these lambs have been spreading smiles and warmth wherever they go.

Bottle feeding and cuddling sessions with Bluebell, Buttercup, Thistle, and Rose have become cherished rituals for us. Their impact goes beyond the joy they bring; these cuddly companions are also powerful therapy animals.

Research has shown that spending time with animals can have profound benefits for our wellbeing, from reducing stress and anxiety to boosting mood and promoting relaxation. And here on our farm, we've seen these benefits first-hand, as smiles light up faces and tensions melt away with each animal bonding session.💜

The best medicine comes wrapped in a fluffy, woolly package.🐑

Really happy to see our Care Farm featured in the local news, take a look to read more about us and our offering. 💜

Specialist farm helping more individuals across the county Northamptonshire’s answer to alternative provision ‘Sttebs Care Farm’, located in Wollaston, is offering individuals an alternative local provision within a therapeutic farm environment, to enable, empower, and engage students in education outside of the classroom.

🌍🌱 Happy Earth Day! 🌱🌍

Today, we're celebrating our commitment to sustainability and the planet! 🌿

We discussed the effects humans have on our planet and spent time thinking of pledges we could make in our own lives to help protect the world for future generations.🌎 These included walking instead of using the car, recycling as much as possible, planting flowers, and buying local produce. We hung them on the tree as a symbol of our commitment to them, and so we would be reminded of them each time we visit the farm.💚

🥚🌾 We're all about sustainability, even in our food choices. Our eggs come from happy, free-range hens right here on our premises, and we grow our own delicious fruit and veggies in our horticulture garden! By choosing homegrown produce, we're reducing our carbon footprint and supporting a healthier planet.

🏡♻️ Not only that, but we're also all about repurposing and reusing materials! Our ponies' new shelter and enclosure are shining examples of our commitment to sustainability. We've crafted them entirely from reclaimed and repurposed materials, giving new life to old resources while providing a cosy and safe home for our herd.

🌎💚

🐾 Need a pick-me-up on this chilly and rainy Monday?🌧

We've got just the thing to warm your hearts - photos of a few of our adorable therapy animals! 💜

Let their fluffy charm brighten your day and melt away those Monday blues.🐑🐰🐐

🎨🛠 Our fabulous students teamed up this week to put their skills to the test as they tackled some awesome projects together!

First up, it was all about adding a splash of colour to the farm with a fresh coat of paint on our brand-new chicken shelter! 🖌🐔 Our students showed off their artistic flair and transformed the shelter into a vibrant masterpiece! 🎨✨

They then rolled up their sleeves and got to work building a wonderful new home in preparation for our resident tortoise, Scrappy! 🐢🏠

We couldn't be prouder of our farm family for coming together and making magic happen! ✨👏 Their teamwork and dedication makes our farm an even more special place to be. 🌟 Who knew that working together could be so much fun? Thank you to all our amazing students for your hard work, creativity, and passion!