Learning to Care for the Earth – Through the Rhythm of Farm Life

At Orchard Therapeutic Farm, sustainability isn’t a subject – it’s a way of life. Every egg we collect, every apple tree that grows, and every bucket of compost we turn is part of a bigger story: the story of how we care for the planet and each other.

Our Climate, Environment & Permaculture Programme is rooted in real, practical work with our land, animals and orchard. We don’t just talk about climate change – we live the solutions, one small step at a time. Whether it's our bees pollinating the trees, our chickens helping spread natural fertiliser, or our young people building a compost system from scratch, every moment is a learning opportunity.

This hands-on programme helps learners explore:

✔️ What climate change is and how it affects our world
✔️ How biodiversity and natural systems – like our bees and soil – support life
✔️ How to reduce waste, reuse materials, and recycle meaningfully
✔️ How permaculture offers a way to work with nature, not against it
✔️ How to take action – here on the farm, and out in the world

Over rolling weeks, our learners build their own Eco Area on the farm – a space they design, create, and care for. They build bug hotels, create compost stations, plant wildflowers and herbs, and design solutions to real problems using what’s around them. Alongside this, we explore youth activism, careers in the environment and how small actions lead to big change.

This isn’t a classroom – it’s the farm in action. And our young people are leading the way.