Farms for City Children: A half-century of rural education

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Michael and Clare Morpurgo launched the Farms for City Children project fifty years ago to give urban children hands-on experience with farming and rural life, overcoming initial skepticism from education authorities. The program now serves around 3,000 children annually across the UK, fostering a deeper understanding of agriculture and nature, and Michael Morpurgo will soon publish a memoir recounting the initiative's history.

Fifty years ago, Michael and Clare Morpurgo, educators with a vision rooted in 1970s idealism, launched an initiative aimed at connecting urban children with rural life. Using an inheritance from Clare’s father, Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, the couple purchased a country house with adjoining farmland in Devon. Their objective was to offer children from inner-city schools the opportunity to experience farming and nature firsthand, a contrast to their everyday environments.

The Morpurgos sought support from the Inner London Education Authority but were met with skepticism. Officials questioned the practicality and safety of sending young city children to work on a farm. Michael Morpurgo later reflected that the intensity of the experience was central to the project’s value, even if it seemed daunting to some. Despite initial doubts—and perceptions that the couple might be patronizing—the project proceeded.

Their farm, Nethercott, welcomed its first school group in 1976. The program quickly expanded, and by 1977, nine schools had enrolled. By the end of the decade, Farms for City Children had become a nationwide effort. To sustain the project, the Morpurgos established a registered charity, which has raised up to £350,000 annually. The initiative continues to thrive, hosting approximately 3,000 children each year. Participants take part in various farm activities including grooming horses, feeding pigs, and tending to sheep, gaining a hands-on understanding of agriculture and animal care. Michael Morpurgo described the program’s mission as providing children with unforgettable experiences beyond the classroom.

The impact of the program is evident in the reflections of former participants. One noted that, growing up in southeast London’s Peckham area, many classmates had little awareness of farming or the origins of their food before visiting the farm in 1979. Despite initial reluctance, the experience proved transformative. Early mornings began before dawn, with children engaged in substantial physical tasks such as feeding animals, planting trees, and carrying hay bales. They witnessed the birth of lambs, encountered the realities of animal husbandry, and learned about farm ecology, including the emissions produced by cows.

Meals served at Nethercott, sourced largely from the farm itself, introduced children to a wider variety of vegetables than many had previously encountered, some finding the earthy flavors an acquired taste. Evenings were spent gathered around the Morpurgos, who would read aloud from works in progress—Michael Morpurgo was then developing what would become his novel *War Horse*.

As the couple marks five decades since founding Farms for City Children, Michael Morpurgo is preparing to publish a memoir titled *Down Burrow Lane*. The book recounts their experiences hosting young visitors and the program’s evolution, underscoring the enduring value of reconnecting children with the natural world. It is scheduled for release on September 17.

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