Nethergate Farm

General information

Social farming is the opportunity to link the activities and settings involved in farming and horticulture, to provide an environment where people who are excluded or disengaged from society can develop their abilities and once again play a role in society.
We believe in using farming and horticultural activities to develop peoples learning, this can be academic or general life skills.People can work as an individual or as part of a group and this can be altered as plan develops. It builds on ability, and personal development rather than looking at limitations,.
At present there is not a similar resource within Ayrshire or the neighboring authorities, where individuals can benefit from the agricultural or horticultural experience and appropriate team work, to assist them in reaching their potential.
It is about using nature as a medium to help people to grow. The aim is to nurture everyone’s abilities and assist them in learning and preparing for life’s journey.
The start is in a person centred achievement plan that builds on what the person can do, and would like to do rather than on what they cannot do. Support can be offered to meet individual needs, so some may work in groups of up to 4 people to 1 support worker or on a 1 to 1 basis as required.
People can be involved in a number of tasks dependant on their abilities and their interests. Tasks may involve the care and feeding of animals, such as, tending to the hens, collecting eggs, filling of feed troughs. The feeding and bedding of free range pigs, or in the care of lambs dependant on season. Horticultural tasks would involve the cycle of the growing year for the different crops we rear. This would involve the preparing of the ground, sowing seeds, transplanting if appropriate, tending the crop and then the harvest, and use of their grown products. People can get a feeling of achievement and worth as they tend to the growing plants and harvest the results of their care. People can have the opportunity to look at healthier lifestyles, and how we can use seasonal local foods to their advantage.
We believe that it can be the starting point for those who are excluded or have become disengaged from education, or society to reconnect with others, grow to play a fuller part, and become involved in society, and become all they can be.