"Beyond-organic" farm practising regenerative agriculture. We rotationally graze our cattle to ensure they have fresh grass at least once a day.
This improves our soils, our swards, and sequesters carbon. We run educational & recreational access sessions.
18/10/2022
Zombie caterpillar with voodoo wasp larvae! Halloween comes early!
Glyptapanteles parasitic wasp larvae emerging from cabbage white caterpillar which will spin its own cocoon around the wasp larvae until they hatch, and defend them from predators, then it’ll die from starvation having been eaten alive from the inside by its “guests”. Horrors!!
29/08/2022
Another brood born on the farm on Saturday!
19/08/2022
Incredible powerful cloud formation rolling In from the Southwest on Wednesday bringing us all that lovely rain that we had
11/08/2022
Not too bad for my first go with special YQ wholewheat flour!
19/05/2022
My favourite time of year. I love it when the Queen Anne‘s lace is in the hedgerows and everything that can spring is springing!
16/11/2021
The humble Hazel in all her autumn glory
15/10/2021
Before and after. Our rescue hens 6 weeks apart. Although Battery hen cages have now been banned, hens still come out of intensive egg production with bare bottoms because of stress and bullying due to the conditions they’ve been kept in. Space, proper free-ranging and the ability to exhibit natural hen behaviour makes all the difference
31/08/2021
Here's a Rose Chafer beetle for your delectation - Cetonia aurata - their larvae live on decomposing wood and they are to be found all over Britain, mostly May - October. Their iridescent green bodies are round which distinguishes them from the "Noble Chafer" beetle which has a distinct waist and is much rarer. They eat flowers, nectar and pollen, and love to live on dog roses - Rosa canina - which we have here in the hedgerows on Bartley Mill Farm, one reason to let your farm hedges flower. If you find them on your roses in your garden, please don't kill or spray them! Their larvae are fat and creamy (ugh!) and are born into rotting or damp wood areas in your garden, and they play an important part in nutrient recycling in the ecosystem.
30/08/2021
For our next bug hunt and pond dipping session, we are still observing the appropriate Covid rules and social distancing and there will be hand sanitiser available on entry and exit. No face masks or necessary although you have the right to wear them if you wish.
No equipment or kit is necessary as we will be providing nets etc which have to stay on our farm because of biosecurity. However we do have new packaged equipment for sale at the end of the session should you wish.
If Bug hunting and Pond dipping are not your thing, then have a look at the Woodsman's Skills, Wild Survival Skills or Wild Weekend sessions (amongst others) we also run
If you’d like to book the session for your child please go to http://bartleymillfarm.eventbrite.com
27/08/2021
He's having great fun! We have another Beginners Fishing session soon at Bartley Mill Farm.
Suitable from 4 or 5 years old but must be accompanied by a parent please. See our Eventbrite page or go to our website for booking.
23/08/2021
Please come along to our Wild Weald Weekend camping sessions at Bartley Mill Farm, near Bells Yew Green, just outside Tunbridge Wells.
*Booking is essential.*
The event is open to children aged 6 - 14 years and will involve learning simple and more advanced survival skills and safety. You will learn how to light a campfire, how to make a shelter, and about various types of resources found in the woods and how to use them, and simple ID of animal tracks and other woodland creatures, trees and plants.
You will be foraging and learning about what is safe and what to avoid. Basic foraging and hunting/fishing skills will be taught. You will be cooking over the fire and learning safe ways of finding and using drinking water. You will learn how to keep yourself clean when camping, and how to get a good night's sleep, all about fire safety and how not to leave any traces of your camp in the wild.
The Weald is a Saxon name for 'wild' and this area was so called as it used to be almost entirely covered in ancient woodland.
You will need to bring a proper night-time sleeping bag, and a tent, plus any essential items for your comfort overnight, but there will be things to buy during and at the end of the session, including a flint and steel kit.
For tickets for kids (adults come free) please go to our website or our Eventbrite page
| 10:30am - 12:30pm |