As spring begins to bloom, Fordhall Organic Farm welcomes the season with the sights and sounds of new life across its pastures. The bleating of new lamb’s echo across the fields, while daffodils emerge from the soil and hedgerows turn green that signal the arrival of longer, brighter days. Easter offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature and restore energy after the winter months.
This year holds particular significance for Fordhall Organic Farm, England’s first community-owned farm, as it heads into its 20th year of community ownership.
Fordhall Organic Farm hit the headlines in 2006 when young siblings Ben and Charlotte Hollins fought to save their family home. The family had been tenant farmers for generations, but were facing eviction when the landlord decided to sell the land for development. At the heart of this journey is a quiet but powerful sense of hope, one that carried the farm from uncertainty to stability, preserving the organic legacy established by Arthur Hollins.
Twenty years on, that same spirit continues to shape the farm, flowing through its fields, hedgerows, and the people who care for it. Visitors can enjoy free access to the farm, its award-winning shop, and scenic nature trails. Guests are invited to wander the pastures with a freshly made Fordhall sausage roll, relax with a hot drink at Arthur’s Farm Kitchen, or watch playful piglets from the farm’s viewing ‘piggy platform’, open to the public year-round.
A variety of family-friendly events for all ages will take place throughout the Easter period:
· Wildlife Wonder: Wednesday 1 April, 5:45pm–7:30pm (Ages 18+, £10 per person)
· Egg Hunt & Woodland Play: Thursday 2 April, 10am–12pm (Ages 7–11, £12 per person)
· Giggles and Grow: Wednesday 8 April, 10am–12pm (Ages 3–5, £9 per person; parental supervision required)
· River Critter Hunt: Thursday 9 April, 10am–12pm (Ages 8+, £10 per person)
To book visit: fordhallfarm.com/calendar or call on 01630 638696. Please note that online bookings incur a small processing fee.
Gemma Church, Outdoor Education and Experience manager at Fordhall Community Land Initiative said “Our nature sessions are designed to help people of all ages reconnect with nature, whether that’s through exploring wildlife, playing in the woods, or simply spending time outdoors together. As we celebrate 20 years of community ownership, it feels more important than ever to create opportunities for people to engage in nature within our organic landscape.”
Over the Easter period, Fordhall Farm Shop and Arthur’s Farm Kitchen will remain open throughout the bank holiday weekend, following their usual opening hours from Friday to Sunday, with both the farm shop and Arthur’s Farm Kitchen additionally open on Easter Monday from 10am–4pm. Visitors may spot tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies along the farm’s hedgerows, just one of the many signs of spring’s arrival.
