Welcome to Acorn Education

The natural world is a treasure trove of learning and wisdom...

Acorn Education is dedicated to integrating nature and education, and providing experiential learning for all of the senses.

Seeking to improve our connections to the natural environment and gain a greater awareness, a sense of place, a sense of history, roots and culture, arts, crafts, skills and knowledge.

" Outstanding" Chris Faultey, Times Educational Supplement.

Workshops at Westmill Farm 2010

Our aim is to create a safe and nurturing environment for all to explore
nature and express themselves.
contacts & booking

Sunday 8th August
Skep Making and Skep Beekeeping 10a.m.-4p.m.
Learn how to make skeps for your bees or baskets for your needs practising
the ancient art of lipwork using grasses, briars and withies... and
discover more about skep beekeeping

Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st July
Prehistoric Days
Stone Age, Bronze Age & Iron Age
Become part of a prehistoric tribe! From hunters and gathers… to early farmers, standing stone and henge builders… through to smiths and charioteers. Practice some prehistoric cookery, decorate the walls of the round house, visit the sacred spring, then make ancient music as a bard of old.

Storytelling Circles, 7p.m.

Friday 11th and 25th June

Friday 16th and 23rd July

Friday 13th and 20th August

Gather by the campfire or the hearth in the round house for an evening of tales, poems
and good old-fashioned entertainment.. Please bring food, drink and stories
to share or ears to listen with

Saturday 22nd May 10a.m.-4p.m.
Acorn Education Work Weekend *free*
Join in with the many creative projects at the Acorn Education Centre...

Sunday 16th May

Wild Food Foraging 10a.m.-4p.m.

A day of exploring the fields, hedgerows, woodlands and wetlands of Westmill Farm. Learn the identification and uses of various roots, berries, seeds, leaves and funghi for food and drink, medicines and pigments.

Friday 23rd April
Storytelling Circle 7p.m.
Gather by the fireside in the round house for an evening of tales, poems
and good old-fashioned entertainment.. Please bring food, drink and stories
to share or ears to listen with

Sunday 18th April
Bark Horns and Willow Whistles. 10a.m.-4p.m.
Discover the magic of bark horns and willow whistles. Learn the age old
practise of winding the grass green horns of folklore and putting a
fipple in your green whistle!

Sunday 4th April
Druidry... and natural wisdom traditions 10-4
Learn about contemporary nature based spiritualities and natural
philosophies. Old and new ways of connecting to the natural world and ones
own nature.

Sunday 7th March
Woodland Crafts
Become wood-wise and learn some tree-lore. Create some beautiful and
practical birch besoms, make a hurdle, tread the pole lathe, or carve ‘til
your heart’s content.

Sunday 7th February
Earth Ovens 10-4
Learn various techniques of making, using and maintaining an earth oven
for your home, garden or as a community resource.

Sun 24th January
Skin & Bone 10-4
Learn about skinning, curing, smoking and tanning in the morning... then
make some bone tools and sinew cordage in the afternoon.

Sunday 10th January
Fire Skills 10-4
Practice your fire skills: experiment with fire lighting by percussion and
friction; broaden you knowledge of tinder and kindling; practice some
interesting cooking methods; learn how to make a
charcoal clamp.

2009

Sunday 9th August
Bee-skep and Basket Day
Come along and learn to make skeps for your bees or baskets for your needs practicing the ancient art of lipwork using grasses, briars and withies.

4th, 5th & 6th August
Nature Creativity Days for Children aged 5-12
Games, crafts and adventures inspired by the natural world. Enjoy a morning of exploring the woodland and hedgerows… then spend an afternoon creating pictures, poems and plays.

Sunday 12th July 10-4
Animal Wise Day
Brush up on your animal knowledge. Learn some fun nature awareness techniques. Practice tracking and stalking skills. Then enjoy some tales of this island’s beasts and their folklore.

Saturday 27th June 10 -4
Prehistory Day
Become part of a prehistoric tribe for a day and learn about the ages of Stone, Bronze & Iron. Hands on experience with artefacts, tools, clothes and a prehistoric lifestyle, then settle down for some storytelling in the roundhouse.

Friday 29th May 10-4 Wood Wise Day

Brush up on your Tree I.D. and discover which woods are good for which purposes. Learn some fun nature awareness techniques. Then practice fire lighting skills, whittling and green woodwork.

Thursday 28th May 10-4 Plant Wise Day

Brush up on your plant I.D. Then learn about wild foods, dyes and pigments, string and rope, medicines, magic and folklore.

Bows&Arrows

A whole day of learning about bows and arrows. then shave down your own bow stave and fletch some arrows ready for target practice.

Making Bark Horns

Learn about the time honoured Grass Green Horns of British and European Folklore... then create horns and whistles and reeds and make some traditional noises!

'Green Woodwork'

Come and enjoy a day making something rustic for your garden on the pole lathe and shave horses
using no electricity!

Fire Lighting!

Come and light safe and supervised fires using many different techniques practiced through the ages.

Tracking and Stalking days

identifying and following trails and tracks, then practicing cunning ways of silent movement and stalking.

Besom & Broomstick making

Come along and make some sustainable brooms and brushes from Birch, Heather, Broom, Bramble, Hazel, Ash and Willow.

'Shelter Days' family days of making Hurdles, Wattle and Daub, Dens and Debris Huts form
100% natural materials.

'Willow Days'
A whole day of learning about Willow! Its botany, uses, history and
folklore... with a chance to weave, make a sculpture and get creative.

'Wild Food Harvests'

'Tree Lore Days'
A whole day of brushing up on tree I.D. Practical sessions on some of their uses. Art, folklore and storytelling to help the woodland come alive.

Natural Pigment Days

Experiment with plants, minerals and natural materials. Creating pigments and pictures

Outdoor Skills & Ancient Technology Days

Learning and practicing a myriad of natural crafts and skills

Eco Wind Westmill Windfarm Public Open

Join in with a range of acticities beneath the graceful turbines

Sacred Singing

Gather and sing sacred songs and share food cooked on an open fire

.............

Skinning, Curing & Tanning

Traditional work with furs, skins and hides (families/adults)

To Westmill Farm: From the A420 take the Turning signposted Highworth and
Sevenhampton, B4508. The new wind turbines will be on your right. Look
out for the Acorn Education sign on the left

Kartong Festival of Arts, Music & Culture

in The Gambia

Storytelling Yurt

BBC RaW Cities Festival, Trafford Centre,

Manchester

'Folklore and Mythology of Smithcraft & the Forge'