Educational farm organic

Educational farm organic

Farm activities teaching biological
- Summer communal centers, summer 2010
- Thematic area school year 2009 - 2010
- Days at theme
- Reservation Form
- Settlement of visits
- Rules and Regulations on Biodiversity
- Workshops
- Centers and Summer Grest
- Nature Camps
- School Activities after school
- Photogallery

Thematic area school year 2009 - 2010

We stimulate the 5 senses:

the view with the colors of the campaign;
smell with the scent of flowers and herbs;
touch with the play of contrasts between hot and cold (the burning wood and water from the well), the rough and delicate (the bark of trees and washed wool of our sheep), etc.;
hearing the chirping of birds, animal sounds, the rustling trees, etc..
taste with the tasting of the company's products;
motor development, mimicking the postures and gaits of animals in the yard;
emotional involvement with the farm animals and their little ones to cuddle.

For more information, contact any of the companies.

Days at theme
Activities for groups of adults and / or children over several days to contact people from the business.

January: At this time of the year when the trees are without leaves we can appreciate their “architectural lines” and design and admire the elaboate filigri made by the ice. “Heavy snows bring bountiful harvests”. Find out the real meaning of the Christmas presents bought by the Befana (a kindly old hag who delivers presnts to children on the night before Epiphany)… We build a bonfire and then set fire to it. Saint Anthony Abate’s legacy and the blessing of livestock.

February: Origins of the farmer’s carnival. Pruning finishes and sowing starts. Learn how to build a birds’ nests. The hazelnut tree is the first to flower thus helping the bees to survive in these final stages of winter.

March: Search for the first buds, flowers and herbs. Bees begin their work. Eggs – the symbol of Spring and Easter. Discover brooding fowl and chicken, geese, duck and turkeys’ eggs. They roam freely amongst the vines, behind the bushes and amongst the fruit trees or hide behind the hay and straw bales. Put an egg close to your ear and listen – you might be able to hear a tiny beak trying to break its way through into the world. Learn the difference between the different fowls’ eggs and whether they can be left to hatch or are only good for cooking. Have fun colouring eggs with vegetable dyes. Walk through the countryside and discover wild ducks’, coots’, black birds’ and jackdaws’ nests. We also search for and collect the first herbs of the season – learn what they can be used for. Saint Joseph’s Day – Father’s Day.

April: Watch the bees build their new combs noting the different cells and their uses. It is now the season to plant the new vegetable patch. The search for eggs and the herbal harvest continues. Flowers burst forth!

May: The Festival of Roses. Try picnicing at supper –time and observe the mysterious glow of the fire fly. It is also the cherry and pea picking season – come and pick your own. Watch our sheep being sheared.

June: The kiwi blooms. The hay is cut. We prepare walnut liquour using walnuts gathered on Saint John’s day.

July: You can participate in the wheat harvesting (certain days only) and see an old-fashioned tractor at work. Explore the stream and learn how to fish frogs with a “bow”… and then set them free (learn about the importance of frogs in the ecosystem).

August: Walk through the countryside, along the river banks and discover traditional buildings (rural architecture). See the harvest and preparation of hemp.

September: Corn and grape festivals. In the olden days the grape harvest was a symbol of happiness and friendship. Press grapes with us in the traditional way and after pressing we build a grate to dry the grapes for Christmas. Bring boots on this course. With the grape juice we will make puddings, donughts and possibly bread using whole grapes. We also collect corn cobs and prepare the corn for animal feed and turn it into flour to make polenta.

October: The end of the grape and corn harvests and the kiwi harvest begins. After carrying out all the different stages of preparation of the land we see if it is the right time to plant wheat. Learn the different types of planting. Examine the different types of land. Play with the “vital” mud. Delight in the colours and smells of the forest – dry leaves which rustle and crackle under our feet, the smell of damp earth and moss, the busy bugs, hazelnuts and chestnuts to eat – a rich season. Learn how to make hazelnut cream, butter, cheese and ricotta. Try our roast chestnuts.
Last Sunday of October: Kiwi festival. Pick your own kiwi and make your annual provision.
During this season cereals are sown and from now until the end of Spring the farmer must wait patiently for the harvest entrusting its outcome to the saints, the “gods” and the spirits of the underworld who inhabit the earth along with the seeds. There are lots of ways to distract bad spirits – dressing up in black, which is the colour of the dark winter which cometh; orange – the colour of the leaves and pumkins that we use to make masks and violet which is the traditional colour of hell.
31 October – 11 November – 12 days full of unique tradition …

November: 1 November – All Saints Day – relive the ancient traditions on this day.
November – San Martino’s story. Long ago, the 11th of November was the end of the working season for the farmer and the beginning of winter and coincided with the transfer of cattle (transhumance). Re-live this significant day to understand daily life of past centuries. All children on the farm will receive the traditional San Martino’s biscuit. Traditional games are played. One can play with the “all important” mud.

December: 25 December (a legacy of winter solcist) and Christmas. Christmas carols; geese and the “metamorphosis of pigs”. Gastronomy and popular games which once entrtained adults and children. Join in the farm tombola. Saint Nicholas, Saint Lucia traditions. Prepare a Christmas gift for our loved ones: a beeswax candle with a bread candlestick holder and decorate with objects found on the farm such as twigs, straw, dry fruits, wool, coloured penne … Happy Christmas to all!

All Year Round: Come to learn how to make and use vegetable dyes and make jams with the fruits of the season.