10 UK City Farms

Ten City Farms across the UK

City Farms across the UK, from Bath City Farm to Spitalfields City Farm in London, will be taking part in the FIRST EVER City Farm Day tomorrow! (Thursday 25th March 2021).There are more than 50 City Farms across the UK and we take a look at ten of the Farms. City Farm Day is designed as a celebration of the role that urban social and community focused farms play in connecting people to farming and bringing communities together.

Visitors, supporters and volunteers will be able to share what City Farms mean to them using the hashtag #CityFarmDay on social media. Click the links below to join in via our social media channels! And don't forget to download our FREE media pack, designed by Rupert Kruger Paget.

More information about when they might open following Government guidelines can be found on their websites.

Bath City Farm in Bath

The Farm celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and is a very popular place for families.  Set in 37 acres Bath City Farm has been farmed for hundreds of years, retains many of the original field names and has a 190-year-old beech tree avenue. There is a one-mile nature trail around the Farm which is ideal for families that takes in a bluebell wood, meadows and a pond.  At the heart of the Farm is the animals including the ever-popular goats, cows, ponies and hens.  The Farm has regular volunteers from gardening groups that support mental well-being to the Feathered Friends project which is for older people living on their own and two groups of youth volunteers that help around the Farm.  There is a new play area that will open in the spring and a small café. 

Balsall Heath City Farm in Birmingham

This little City Farm in the West Midlands opened in 1980 and is a real inner-city oasis providing families with access to animals that they otherwise might not see. It is a really special place for the local community and different generations have a connection to the Farm.  There are 50 animals that live on the Farm including goats, guinea pigs, a Farm cat, hens and sheep. You can also sponsor one of the animals.  There are also opportunities for educational visits for Nurseries, Schools, home-schoolers and other organised groups.  Access to the Farm is free for the community to visit.
 

Heeley City Farm in Sheffield

Founded in the 1980s Heeley City Farm is now a well-established community, not for profit charity and visitor attraction based on a working farm a mile from Sheffield City centre. Animals at the Farm include goats, pigs, horses, ferrets and rabbits. Staff and volunteers from Heeley City Farm work with young people, adults with learning disabilities and with local communities across Sheffield to promote regeneration, environmental education, energy efficiency and health and well-being. Horticulture trainees, staff and volunteers also manage organic vegetable gardens.
 

Kentish Town City Farm in London

The UK’s First City Farm, founded in 1972, is a charity based in the London Borough of Camden offering lifelong learning, outdoor therapy and education to children, adults with special needs and anyone needing respite from the strains of urban life. Like all City Farms there is a lively community of volunteers who support staff in the day-to-day running of the farm and organise seasonal fundraising events. Young people between 8 -16 years support farm activities through our popular Young Farmers Club. In the farm kitchen, children can learn to cook using fresh ingredients from our community gardens. The gardens provide opportunities for neighbourhood & therapeutic horticultural projects and for children to learn about wildlife & growing food.
 

Love Gorgie Farm in Edinburgh 

This urban farm remains is free for visitors and its only two miles from the centre of Scotland’s Capital. The Farm’s education centre provides education services to children and young people, including animal and forest therapy, and engage with local communities on environmental programmes around farming and food production.  The Farm also has a foodbank and has reopened its social enterprise café, which helps it to engage further with the community.
 

New Ark City Farm in Peterborough

For the last 40 years New Ark City Farm has been welcoming families – where connections to the animal and the importance of play really matter. There are opportunities for children to get to know farm birds, animals and small pets.  Children can also sponsor and name an animal at birth and can take eggs home from the farm birds: a trained worker helps them to care for the creatures. Families are encouraged to volunteer for feeding and caring duties outside normal opening hours. New Ark is the only City Farm in the East of England and has a strong passion for the importance of the child’s right to play as a great way to learn about the world, themselves and other people. 
 

Rice Lane City Farm in Liverpool

Rice Lane City Farm begin life 40 years ago.  The Farm occupies the site of the old Walton cemetery where we have 24 acres of fields and woodland. It’s a popular place to visit for families from across the city and you’ll fine many of the usual farmyard animals including some rare breeds such as Ryeland sheep, Redpoll cattle and African pygmy goats. One of the Farms newest family members is Ping, an Indian crested runner duck. The woodland walk is a great opportunity to see and hear wildlife that you might not encounter elsewhere in Liverpool and all the paths on the site are wide enough for wheelchairs and buggy’s, please be aware though that some paths are unmade so can be a bit muddy in bad weather.
 

Spitalfields City Farm in London 

This 1.3-acre city farm that is nearest to the city’s square mile and sited on a former railway goods depot. The farm was started in 1978 in response to local people’s demand for allotments, having lost theirs to developers. With a long east end tradition of backyard farming and it wasn’t long before animals appeared on the scene. You’ll find sheep, geese, ducks, rabbits and donkeys, among the family of animals. Gardening is also an important part of life on the Farm – keeping it wild with wildflowers that are good for bees and butterflies and growing veg that you can buy from our Farm shop. The Farm is easily accessible by bike and public transport. 
 

St Werburgh’s City Farm in Bristol

St Werburghs City Farm connects people through land, nature and food. The Farms activities include accredited gardening placements for adults with learning disabilities, animal husbandry courses for inner-city children, woodland mindfulness for adults experiencing poor mental health and conservation courses for people looking to develop new skills and connections. The Farm aims to get children outdoors, discovering where food comes from, the wildlife on our doorstep and the fun to be had outside. There is also a fantastic discovery trail around the Farm which is ideal for families and seasonal events through the year.

Swansea Community Farm in Swansea, Wales

Swansea Community Farm is an award-winning community led charity set in 3.5 acres in Swansea. It’s the only City Farm in Wales and host a range of farm animals including geese, goats and bees, and there are also allotments, wildlife areas where children can get closer to the nature world, beehives producing tasty honey and a café. The farm exists to improve wellbeing, build skills and create a sense of belonging and visitors come from across South Wales. 

PLUS, one extra farm! Featured below:

Greenmeadow Community Farm in Torfaen, Wales

The farm has been closed to the public for a year now but work has not stopped behind the scenes and lots of much needed developments have taken place. Works include replacement of windows in the farmhouse, improvements to the shop, café and education rooms, and major repair works have been carried out on the tractor ride trail
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The farm’s livestock and education team have been developing fantastic online learning resources in the form of their ‘Lockdown Learning’ videos to help parents and children with home-schooling as well as offering virtual lessons for schools, featuring live footage of the animals direct from the farm. 
Lambing season is in full swing and we have also had kid goats and a beautiful calf born…always so much beautiful activity in Springtime! The team cannot wait to open up the gates and welcome visitors in again…hopefully this will be very soon!
 
They are delighted to be one of a handful of farms in Wales who are having a Controlled Environment Agriculture installation thanks to Crop Cycle…this will enable them to grow salad items for the café and possible sale to public using hydroponics – they are very excited about this opportunity! At the end of this week the farm will be launching a survey and would LOVE your input to help shape the future of the farm…keep an eye out for it on social media, follow the farm’s Facebook page if you don’t already.

Please visit the farm if you can when it has reopened, they need your support now more than ever!