Money Lane School Farm is an educational farm and is part of Chapmans Hill Farm Ltd which has approximately 130 acres of farmland.  It covers approximately 50 acres and Chapmans Hill covers approximately 80 acres.

Money Lane Farm is owned by The Worgan Trust who have given the use of the farm to Birmingham Outdoor Learning Service to give Nursery, Infant and Special School children the opportunity to visit and have direct contact with farm animals and the farming environment under proper supervision.

The centre is run by me, Becky Lynch, a fully qualified and experienced Primary teacher.  I run and manage all aspects of  the centre, as well as customising and delivering activities and tours which link in with the National Curriculum and QCA objectives.  I also look after the animals on the farm. 

At Money Lane farm, children can experience different country smells and see at first hand cows, calves, sheep, pigs, hens, cockerels, ducks and bantams, some of which they will be able to feed, hold or stroke.

There is a short nature walk which involves walking along a narrow  track and across an open field.  This can be included in the visit if a  request is made in advance.

I hope the visit will be enjoyable,   memorable and provide you with plenty of stimulus and reinforcement   for your work in school.  In addition to this, I hope that your visit will sow the seeds of environmental     awareness and a caring attitude towards all forms of nature.

                                 

In May 2008 there were some new arrivals to Money Lane Farm:

Two Kune Kune piglets - Kune Kune pigs are a small pigs originating from New Zealand. Their name is pronounced Cooney Cooney, and means fat and round in Maori. They did not originate in New Zealand, as there are no indigenous land animals there.  Kune Kunes arrived in Britain in 1992.  They were brought to Britain by Zoe Lindop and Andrew Calveley who had worked in New Zealand for several years and were charmed by the Kune Kune.

These pigs look like a Walt Disney cartoon version of a pig. They are between twenty four and thirty inches high, and one hundred and twenty to two hundred and forty pounds in weight. They are completely covered in hair which can be anything between short and straight, and long and curly. They come in a range of cream, ginger, brown, black and spotted. They have a medium to short snout, and either prick or flopped ears. They have short legs and a short round body.

Layla and Rosie trying to eat my boots!                          Layla and Rosie meeting Miss Piggy.                     

Ten Ex-battery Rescue hens - Some very special girls arrived at the Farm in May.  Ten hens, who were rescued from a battery farm have come to live the rest of their lives free of their battery cages at Money Lane Farm.

These girls were nervous and fragile to begin with but they are getting stronger and braver all the time.  By August their feathers will have grown back and they will be looking much better.

If you would like to find out more about battery hen rescue, visit www.bhwt.org.uk