Farm/Garden Workshop - Autumn/Winter 2025
In these workshops your time will be split between Valentin's Education Farm and the Pierburg Kauffman Education Garden. Here we teach how growing plants and caring for animals are closely linked — and how both play a vital role in supporting our planet. These engaging sessions explore everything from growing fruit and vegetables in the garden to looking after farm animals, helping students understand where their food comes from and how farmers and gardeners alike, work with nature.
Countryside Clocks - Early Primary Stage - Full Day Workshop
Designed for Early Primary learners, this full-day workshop at Dumfries House takes place across Valentin’s Farm and our Education Garden, exploring how nature tells the time. On the farm, pupils will meet the animals and discover how their senses help them detect the time of day, changes in weather, and shifts in the seasons—without using a clock! Through observation and interaction, children will explore how these cues shape animal behaviour. In the garden, learners will look for signs of the current season and get hands-on with the tasks that keep our fruit and vegetable beds thriving throughout the year. It’s a playful and practical day of seasonal discovery—perfect for curious young minds.
Cream of the Crop - Late Primary Stage - Full Day Workshop
Give your pupils a real taste of the countryside in this hands-on workshop. After a fun and informative tour to meet our rare breed animals, learners can try milking our life-size ‘in-house’ cow, Rosie—getting up close to the source of their food. They’ll then try their hand at traditional butter making, using fresh cream to churn their own spread the old-fashioned way. The experience continues in our garden, where pupils will explore how food grows and the journey it takes to reach our plates. To top it all off, they’ll bake their own scones to enjoy with their handmade butter—for a full-circle experience from pasture to plate.
Nothing Goes to Waste - Early Secondary Stage - Full Day Workshop
How much of our food actually makes it to our plates? In this thought-provoking workshop for S1–S2, pupils will explore the journey food takes through our system—and why around a third of it never gets eaten. Through hands-on activities in our vegetable garden and on the farm, learners will investigate the causes of food waste and discover practical ways to reduce it. Along the way, they’ll develop skills in sustainable growing, food handling, and waste management. With strong links to sustainability, agriculture, and food and health, this workshop supports the BGE phase of the Curriculum for Excellence and encourages pupils to think critically about the impact of their choices.
Our school education workshops support the delivery of The Curriculum for Excellence, and many of our activities are based outdoors on our 2000 acre estate, making use of our natural spaces to inspire learning. The King's Foundation works in harmony with the natural world, and as such our workshops also touch upon the UN Sustainable Development goals and support learning for sustainability.
COSTS: Workshops for Primary schools are charged at £5.50 per head, based on numbers provided at point of booking. Secondary school workshops are free. You will receive an invoice from The King's Foundation via email once your booking is confirmed. Workshops for Secondary schools are free.
Booking options
In these workshops your time will be split between Valentin's Education Farm and the Pierburg Kauffman Education Garden. Here we teach how growing plants and caring for animals are closely linked — and how both play a vital role in supporting our planet. These engaging sessions explore everything from growing fruit and vegetables in the garden to looking after farm animals, helping students understand where their food comes from and how farmers and gardeners alike, work with nature.
Countryside Clocks - Early Primary Stage - Full Day Workshop
Designed for Early Primary learners, this full-day workshop at Dumfries House takes place across Valentin’s Farm and our Education Garden, exploring how nature tells the time. On the farm, pupils will meet the animals and discover how their senses help them detect the time of day, changes in weather, and shifts in the seasons—without using a clock! Through observation and interaction, children will explore how these cues shape animal behaviour. In the garden, learners will look for signs of the current season and get hands-on with the tasks that keep our fruit and vegetable beds thriving throughout the year. It’s a playful and practical day of seasonal discovery—perfect for curious young minds.
Cream of the Crop - Late Primary Stage - Full Day Workshop
Give your pupils a real taste of the countryside in this hands-on workshop. After a fun and informative tour to meet our rare breed animals, learners can try milking our life-size ‘in-house’ cow, Rosie—getting up close to the source of their food. They’ll then try their hand at traditional butter making, using fresh cream to churn their own spread the old-fashioned way. The experience continues in our garden, where pupils will explore how food grows and the journey it takes to reach our plates. To top it all off, they’ll bake their own scones to enjoy with their handmade butter—for a full-circle experience from pasture to plate.
Nothing Goes to Waste - Early Secondary Stage - Full Day Workshop
How much of our food actually makes it to our plates? In this thought-provoking workshop for S1–S2, pupils will explore the journey food takes through our system—and why around a third of it never gets eaten. Through hands-on activities in our vegetable garden and on the farm, learners will investigate the causes of food waste and discover practical ways to reduce it. Along the way, they’ll develop skills in sustainable growing, food handling, and waste management. With strong links to sustainability, agriculture, and food and health, this workshop supports the BGE phase of the Curriculum for Excellence and encourages pupils to think critically about the impact of their choices.
Our school education workshops support the delivery of The Curriculum for Excellence, and many of our activities are based outdoors on our 2000 acre estate, making use of our natural spaces to inspire learning. The King's Foundation works in harmony with the natural world, and as such our workshops also touch upon the UN Sustainable Development goals and support learning for sustainability.
COSTS: Workshops for Primary schools are charged at £5.50 per head, based on numbers provided at point of booking. Secondary school workshops are free. You will receive an invoice from The King's Foundation via email once your booking is confirmed. Workshops for Secondary schools are free.
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