Devon Farm Takes Surprising Step to Address Growing Childcare Shortage

A farm wants to add a children’s nursery in North Devon at Lower Orleigh Lodge. Geoffrey Beer is leading this new project. They want to use the land for a nursery, which helps both the farm and the local community.

The Beer family has owned Orleigh Mill for a long time. It’s a historic farm with grain and crops. Orleigh Farms Ltd. currently farms around 320 acres, growing crops and raising animals there.

Geoffrey Beer is nearing retirement, and his family is looking for new ideas to keep the farm going in the future. This nursery project is a family effort, with Geoffrey and his daughter, Rosie, working together.

They want to create a safe, outdoor daycare for kids aged nine months to eleven years. Children can connect with nature on the farm. This offers a choice for local families, as childcare spots are now harder to find.

Farms face pressure to survive nowadays, as costs keep rising while profits are tight. Government changes to farm subsidies also affect them. The family needed to find new, better uses for the land.

The nursery will be a separate company named Rosie Posie’s Nursery. Rosie and Geoffrey will be in charge. The nursery will rent space from the farm, which helps both entities.

The nursery will be near Lower Orleigh Lodge, nestled among the trees and fields. Architects are integrating it with nature. A big oak tree stands in the center of the site, and they will make it the focal point.

The nursery will be a simple wooden building designed to fit into the landscape. Its roof slopes gently and blends in. Colorful boxes and windows will connect kids to the outside.

The nursery offers needed local childcare, eliminating the need for families to travel far. It lets children learn and play outside. Children can learn about nature and how farms work.

Kids can discover where food comes from and learn about soil, wildlife, and nature in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The existing farm road will provide access.

There will be parking and space to turn around, so roads won’t be a concern. Trees and bushes shield the site, so it should not bother neighbors nearby.

No farm buildings are now empty, and existing structures are unsuitable to convert. This new building is the best solution, as the farm uses all current buildings fully now.