Because capacity is limited and we want to spread the benefits of this project as widely as possible, a booking system is operated. There are morning (9-12) and afternoon (1-4) sessions most Saturdays and Sundays, and during some school holiday periods. You can book in person or by phone, no more than a fortnight in advance. You can normally book only one session each weekend. If you arrive without having booked, you run the risk of being turned away.

How To Join
First fill out a form, and we’ll be in touch to arrange an introductory meeting lasting about an hour. This might be held on a Friday afternoon. At this meeting we’ll show you around and explain the essential safety rules. Once you’ve been through this introduction, you can book into a volunteer session.

What happens then?
Arrive promptly at 9am or 1pm and you’ll be met a reception by the Club leader who’ll get you to sign in. Wear sensible (ideally safety) footwear and clothes : we strongly recommend the special club shirt and top available at a subsidised price of £10. Out on the farm you’ll be given jobs to do and provided with tools, materials and whatever other help is needed. There’s a mid morning or mid afternoon break in the club bothy (equipped with lockers). Bring a snack with you if you want, as we don’t encourage working clothes in the tearoom. After your three hours it’s time to crawl off home, happy but exhausted. Remember unaccompanied children are not allowed on site except during pre-booked sessions.

Promotion
When you first start as a Young Farmer, we assume that you know nothing about farming or animals and work under constant supervision or as part of a team. As you get to know what you’re doing and need less help, you may get promoted. After many months of being reliable and sensible, you might get promoted again and be trusted to get on with things under the minimum of supervision. Eventually you may prove yourself capable of working on your own initiative and supervising other less experienced volunteers. You may then get a special card that allows you access to the Heritage Centre at any time.

Safety
Farms can be very dangerous places and not sticking to the rules can have terrible consequences. We explain some these dangers at the introductory meeting. It is important that young volunteers follow instructions and don’t do things that are silly, hazardous, or inconsiderate to others. If they do, we might not accept bookings for further sessions.
It is also important to understand why animals are kept at Mill Farm. We are not a zoo or an animal sanctuary, but an educational facility that aims to explain past and present farming practice to visitors. Very often farm animals do not stay with us for long and once grown they may be sent to other farms or taken to market. It’s very important that children understand and accept this before getting too emotionally attached to individual animals.