Beckside Care Farm

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Beckside Care Farm

Beckside Care Farm offers meaningful therapeutic health services and is based in the heart of the Derbyshire countryside.

Care farming is the provision of care combined with meaningful, therapeutic work. It is an innovation in health and social care that provides an excellent opportunity for participants to reconnect with themselves, nature and each other. It's good to have something to get you outside. Time flies while working with animals or tending the vegetable plot. Beckside is a fun and enjoyable way to learn new skills, improve your health and make new friends whatever your age or ability. Beckside Care Farm is managed by an occupational therapist with 30 years experience working with children and adults to achieve their individual potential. Using our occupational therapy expertise we deliver purposeful, structured and therapeutic activities to benefit children and adults with diverse needs. We occupy 25 acres of rolling Derbyshire countryside close to Ashbourne, "the gateway to the Derbyshire Dales." Beckside is a welcoming and friendly small-holding, ideal for people to reap the health and wellbeing benefits of working with animals and nature.

11/12/2025

Look who was spotted hiding in the long grass! 🐸

This beautiful little Common Frog is a wonderful reminder of how much wildlife shares our farm space.

Frogs hibernate, but instead of sleeping in one long winter nap, they slow right down and shelter in safe, damp places such as logs, leaf litter, compost heaps, or the muddy bottom of ponds. They’ll occasionally wake if temperatures rise, then settle back into their cosy hideaways when it gets cold again.

We’re always grateful when nature gives us these tiny surprises. 💚

08/12/2025

When we started our care farm, our mission was to create a space for vulnerable individuals to find their place in the world.

This photo captures that perfectly. A quiet moment on a bed of straw, boots dusty from the morning’s work, and a gentle smile that says more than words ever could. It’s in these small pauses, tucked between daily tasks, that confidence grows and worries ease.

Our care farm isn’t just about animals or chores; it’s about belonging. It’s about offering people the chance to slow down, reconnect with themselves, and discover strengths they may have forgotten they had.

We’re grateful for every person who walks through our gates and adds their own story to this place. And we’re even more grateful for moments like this — simple, warm, and full of purpose. 🌾💛

05/12/2025

Every job needs a supervisor 😉😂

02/12/2025

Filling hay nets might be a simple job, but our care farmers always bring their own warmth to it — including a little humming as they work 🎶💛

Horses rely on plenty of good-quality hay during the winter months, not just for energy but to help keep their digestive system moving and their bodies warm from the inside out. Watching everyone pitch in, calmly and joyfully, is a lovely reminder that caring for animals is as much about heart as it is about hard work. 🐴❄️🌾

27/11/2025

One of our care farmers lifted this perfect sheet of ice from the animals’ water bucket after a frosty night ❄️✨

A simple part of daily animal care, but such a beautiful reminder of how nature paints its own artwork even in the coldest moments.

Keeping the water fresh and unfrozen is essential for the wellbeing of our animals — and sometimes it comes with little surprises like this! 💙🐴

24/11/2025

We finished making our homemade fat-ball bird feeders! 🐦✨

They’re simple to put together with a mix of seeds, suet, and a few foraged twigs — and the birds absolutely love them.

As winter approaches and natural food becomes scarce, fat balls provide essential energy to help our feathered friends stay warm and healthy. If you’ve ever wanted to give wild birds a boost, this is a fun project that makes a real difference. ❤️🍃

Can’t wait to see who shows up for a snack! 🐥🕊️❄️

07/11/2025

Interactions like this help build confidence, calm, and connection, showing just how powerful time with animals can be for wellbeing. ☺️ 🐴

03/11/2025

Stage three of our fat ball making! 🐦

In this final step, the melted fat and seeds are mixed together and spooned into moulds, ready to set. Once cooled, these homemade fat balls will be hung outside to help feed our garden birds through the colder months. 🌿

It’s been a fun, hands-on project for a rainy day, and a lovely way to support local wildlife while enjoying time together on the care farm. 😁

31/10/2025

🎃✨ Pumpkin carving fun on the farm!

Our care farmers got creative this week making some fantastic (and spooky!) pumpkins from our vegetable patch, just in time for Halloween. 👻🕸️

We had plenty of laughs, teamwork, and even a few curious cats checking out our handiwork! 🐾

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Halloween from all of us at the farm! 🧡🌾

30/10/2025

Hard at work on the farm! 💪

Not the most glamorous job, but paddock picking is definitely one of the most important! Horse manure is a fantastic natural fertiliser, packed with nutrients that help enrich the soil and support healthy plant growth. 🌱

If you’re looking to give your garden a boost, we have both horse and alpaca manure available for sale — perfect for keeping your plants happy and your soil healthy!

28/10/2025

Stage two of our fat ball making! 🐦

Here, the fat is being gently melted and stirred in the pan, the perfect base for mixing in seeds and other tasty treats for our garden birds. It’s a lovely, hands-on activity that everyone can join in with, helping us care for local wildlife while enjoying some relaxing, purposeful time together.

We can’t wait to share the final stage soon - those birds are in for a feast! 😋

24/10/2025

Spotted on the farm this week, a gathering of ladybirds! 🐞

These colourful little beetles are getting ready for the colder months ahead. As autumn settles in, ladybirds start to cluster together in sheltered spots like wooden posts, fence corners, or window frames to stay warm and safe through winter.

They’re fantastic garden helpers too, munching on aphids and keeping our plants healthy. It’s lovely to see nature preparing for the change of seasons right here on the farm. 🍂

Address

Brailsford

Website

http://www.becksidecarefarm.co.uk/

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Our Story

Care farming is the provision of care combined with meaningful, therapeutic work. It is an innovation in health and social care that provides an excellent opportunity for participants to reconnect with themselves, nature and each other. Beckside Care Farm has fun and enjoyable ways to learn new skills, improve your health and make new friends whatever your age or ability. The Farm is managed by Ann Grange, an occupational therapist with 30 years experience working with children and adults to achieve their individual potential.