Countryside Connect CIC

Countryside Connect CIC Connecting communities through the beauty of nature and the wisdom of farming!

Together, let’s cultivate skills, knowledge, and a love for the rural lifestyle! 🌿✨

Wednesday morning means Home Ed Farm Club 🐑🥔Today we were learning all about selecting lambs for the future of the flock...
02/09/2026

Wednesday morning means Home Ed Farm Club 🐑🥔

Today we were learning all about selecting lambs for the future of the flock.

The children learnt how to correctly s*x the lambs, what we look for in a lamb we might want to keep for breeding plus some of the reasons we might choose not to breed from another.

By the end of the session they were confidently looking at the lambs and making their own decisions 🐑

We also dug up some of the potatoes we planted earlier in the year 🥔 From planting them, watching them grow and finally harvesting them… next week we get to enjoy them together at our Farm Club camp out! ⛺️🔥

Not bad for a Wednesday morning at Farm Club!

02/09/2026

Wednesday morning means Home Ed Farm Club 🐑🥔

Today we were learning all about selecting lambs for the future of the flock.

The children learnt how to correctly s*x the lambs, what we look for in a lamb we might want to keep for breeding plus some of the reasons we might choose not to breed from another.

By the end of the session they were confidently looking at the lambs and making their own decisions 🐑

We also dug up some of the potatoes we planted earlier in the year 🥔 From planting them, watching them grow and finally harvesting them… next week we get to enjoy them together at our Farm Club camp out! ⛺️🔥

Not bad for a Wednesday morning at Farm Club!

🐎 Tuesday is also our hobby horse sessions! We've had lots of fun by taking it in turns to take charge of leading everyo...
01/09/2026

🐎 Tuesday is also our hobby horse sessions! We've had lots of fun by taking it in turns to take charge of leading everyone around a course and going on a very exciting hack where the ponies enjoyed lots of puddle jumping 😁 when we got back we took them over some jumping poles and the children attempted to move it higher and higher each round. We offer these hobby horse fitness sessions for FREE and that's all because of some amazing funding given to us from Sports England 🥰

🐴 our SEND group had a very pony themed week this week. We all helped muck out the stables, cleaning and filling water b...
01/09/2026

🐴 our SEND group had a very pony themed week this week. We all helped muck out the stables, cleaning and filling water buckets and leaving out lots of yummy food. We then watched them all come in, watched them eat their brunch before giving them a good old brush down. We also had lots of time to meet our new chickens 🐔 and a lovely play 🥰

🌿🐴 AFTER SCHOOL AT COUNTRYSIDE CONNECT 🐴🌿Looking for something a little different after school? Come and spend the after...
31/08/2026

🌿🐴 AFTER SCHOOL AT COUNTRYSIDE CONNECT 🐴🌿

Looking for something a little different after school?

Come and spend the afternoon with us on the farm! 💚

Drop off sessions for children aged 6+

🐴 TUESDAYS | 4pm–7pm
Hobby Horse Fitness & Play
Hobby horses, ponies, games, fitness activities and plenty of time for free play.

🌱 WEDNESDAYS | 4pm–7pm
Wild Roots
Weekly hands-on sessions with a monthly rotation of Farming, Forest, Equestrian and Nature.

✨ Both groups are completely FREE to attend thanks to funding from Sport England and The National Lottery Community Fund.

📍 Grange Farm, Marston on Dove, DE65 5GB

Spaces must be booked in advance 👇
www.countrysideconnectcic.co.uk/booknow⁠

Come straight from school, swap the classroom for the farm and spend the afternoon outdoors with us! 🐑🌾🐴

🌿 WEEKLY HOME ED GROUPS AT COUNTRYSIDE CONNECT 🐑🐴Did you know we have Home Ed sessions running every Tuesday and Wednesd...
31/08/2026

🌿 WEEKLY HOME ED GROUPS AT COUNTRYSIDE CONNECT 🐑🐴

Did you know we have Home Ed sessions running every Tuesday and Wednesday here at the farm? 💚

We want our groups to be welcoming, affordable and give children the chance to spend time outdoors, around animals and with other Home Ed families.

🐑 TUESDAYS – SEND Stay & Play | 10am–12:30pm
A relaxed session with animals, outdoor play, crafts and gentle farm-based activities.
💚 Pay What You Can Afford

🐴 TUESDAYS – Hobby Horse Fitness & Play | 1pm–3:30pm
An active afternoon of hobby horse fun, ponies, games, fitness and plenty of free play!
✨ FREE

🌾 WEDNESDAYS – Home Ed Farm Club | 10am–1pm
Weekly hands-on sessions with a monthly rotation of Farming, Forest, Equestrian and Nature.
💚 Pay What You Can Afford

📍 Grange Farm, Marston on Dove, DE65 5GB

Come for the animals, activities and outdoor time, for the friendships, freedom and lovely little community that's grown around our groups. 💚

Book online www.countrysideconnectcic.co.uk/booknow

Please share with any Home Ed families who might be looking for something like this. 🥰

31/08/2026

I always feel so blessed and so grateful to be able to do these visits ❤️

There was one moment today that really got me.

One lovely lady told me that she looks forward to our visits and that they help to make her time there more bearable.

Now how am I supposed to hear something like that and it not bring a tear to my eye? 🥹

Sometimes you don't realise just how much a visit, a cuddle with an animal or simply something different to look forward to can mean to someone.

It's moments like this that remind me exactly why we do what we do. ❤️🐴🐑

For Nature Club yesterday our Wonderful Wednesday group visited another site to look for badgers. Of course we didn't se...
27/08/2026

For Nature Club yesterday our Wonderful Wednesday group visited another site to look for badgers. Of course we didn't see any in the daytime bit we did see lots of evidence of them and even caught one on the trap-cams we had placed.
We also practiced aposemetism, like a badger does- see photos!!

🚜 THE COUNTDOWN IS ON… AND WE’RE GOOD TO GO! 🚜We’re getting the rain, the ground is looking good and it won’t be long un...
25/08/2026

🚜 THE COUNTDOWN IS ON… AND WE’RE GOOD TO GO! 🚜

We’re getting the rain, the ground is looking good and it won’t be long until the Burton & District Ploughing Match lands at Dunstall! 🌧️➡️🌾🚜

📅 Saturday 5th September
📍 Dunstall Crossroads, Dunstall, Burton on Trent, DE13 8BL

If you’ve never been to a ploughing match before this is your year!

It’s a proper countryside family day out, with loads going on throughout the day:

🚜 Ploughing competitions
🐶 Fun Family Dog Show
🐑 Petting Farm
🚜 FREE tractor rides
🛍️ Stalls
🌾 Farming, machinery & countryside displays
🍔 Food & refreshments
…and plenty more!

After such a dry summer, the rain is VERY welcome and now the countdown really is on! 🚜🌾

Come and have a brilliant family day out while supporting the local farmers who work all year round to put food on our tables. ❤️

🎟️ Entry by donation
💳 Cash & card accepted

Who’s coming?! 🙋‍♀️

Tag your ploughing match crew below 👇

Today's wonderful wednesday group did equestrian week! Today's session was all about learning the needs of a pony and he...
19/08/2026

Today's wonderful wednesday group did equestrian week! Today's session was all about learning the needs of a pony and helping set the stables up for them. The children all took turns using the different equipment to help muck out, we helped get straw for their bedding and learnt how ponies always need a food source handy. After we had fresh beds ready, we watched the ponies come in from the field, which left plenty of time for some well earnt grooming, loving and time to bond with them 🐎 ❤️

Address

Grange Farm
Derby
DE655GB

Telephone

+447949406626

Website

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