How did the Butterfly Tunnel on our farm get started?

One of the most magical spots on the farm is our Butterfly Tunnel — and it all started over 15 years ago, thanks to the vision and passion of one of our brilliant volunteers, Anne Barnett. Since then, the tunnel has become a favourite for visitors of all ages, offering a close-up look at the fascinating life cycles, behaviours, and habitats of tropical butterflies.

Today, the tunnel is managed by Liz, a valued member of our farm team who has been running it for the past five years. With a background in farming and experience in the care sector, Liz first took charge of the Discovery Garden thanks to her love of plants. In 2020, she bravely took on the Butterfly Tunnel with no prior experience! After a hands-on visit to the Butterfly House in Stratford, she began learning the rest herself, building up years of knowledge and care along the way.

How do the butterflies get to the farm?

Each year, Liz orders butterfly chrysalises from Stratford’s Butterfly House. When they arrive, she carefully attaches them to sticks using a tiny dab of superglue (yes, really!) and places them in the hatching cabinet. The aim is for butterflies to eventually breed and lay their own eggs here, but because of their short lifespans, new pupae are ordered regularly throughout the summer to keep the tunnel thriving.

Smaller butterflies, like Swallowtails, often live just one week, while larger species like Owls can live for up to four weeks.

A tropical home, built specially for butterflies

Our tunnel is filled with lush, tropical plants chosen specially to support both butterflies and caterpillars. These include:

• Lantana
• Passion flowers
• Banana trees (with their huge caterpillar-friendly leaves)
• Dahlias
• Lemon trees
• Lilies

These plants provide nectar, shelter, and food, helping our butterflies live happy and healthy lives. We also receive fruit donations like bananas and citrus from our local Waitrose (thank you Waitrose!), which become delicious butterfly snacks for some of the breeds.

Why is it so warm in there?

The tunnel is kept at a warm 26°C with a high humidity of 70–80% — perfect conditions for tropical butterflies to thrive. Misters help to keep the air moist (and give the tunnel that rainforest feel), while fans and open windows help cool things down when it gets too hot.

If it gets too cold (below 18°C), butterflies can’t fly or feed. If it gets too hot, it can harm the pupae — so keeping the balance right is crucial.

Getting ready for the next season

The Butterfly Tunnel closes each October as cooler weather sets in. But behind the scenes, Liz stays busy. In February and March, she prunes back the fast-growing plants, clears the paths (bindweed is the biggest battle!), checks the misters, and gets the water feature cleaned and running again.

By early May, the first pupae arrive and the whole magical cycle begins once more. As the season kicks off, you may not see many butterflies flying just yet — but check the hatching cabinet to watch them slowly emerge. It’s a truly special moment!

Come and visit!

The Butterfly Tunnel is open every day in summer. It’s a wonderful place to slow down, look closely, and be amazed by nature. As Liz says:

“It’s always a pleasure to see people in the tunnel, discovering new butterflies and plants.”

Come and experience it for yourself — and keep an eye out for new arrivals!

We are excited to announce we are partnering up with the team at Mindful Bee and Friends, who have published a brand-new children’s mindfulness book series.

We kickstarted our partnership by welcoming the team from Mindful Bee to our Christmas Gift Market in November 2024 where their wonderful books were available to purchase, and visitors had the chance to meet the team behind Mindful Bee and Friends. On the same day, they also hosted 3 storytelling sessions in the Discovery Zone on the farm, offering each family 1 free book to take home, with 50 books up for grabs!

At Easter, we hosted the launch of their new book: On the farm with Buzzy Bee and friends. Visitors met Buzzy Bee in mindful movement sessions for children.

Mindful Mondays

In May, starting on 5th May and continuing on the 19th; Mindful Bee will be running Mindful Mondays as part of the Rare Breeds Centre’s “The Great Outdoors” initiative which promotes mindfulness and the positive impact of being outside! There will be 3 sessions per day, in the Discovery Zone:

• 11:00 am
• 2:30 pm
• 4:00 pm

The collaboration between Mindful Bee and Friends and COT represents a joint commitment to foster a supportive and nurturing community where children and families can experience the benefits of mindfulness and creativity.

Mindful Bee book range

Their range of books and resources are dedicated to creating safe, engaging and educational content that supports both parents and children. And providing tools that help children manage and sustain their mental health from an early age.

Mindful Bee offer a monthly subscription service which children receive a box full of delightful books, fun activities and all the tools to help children thrive emotionally.

Their series of books involves the characters Bee and her friends, where every moment is an opportunity for mindful learning and development, encouraging a sense of calm, compassion and curiosity.

Come along, join in the fun, and get a glimpse into the heartwarming tales Mindful Bee and Friends has to offer!

Mindful Bee Video

Watch the video below featuring Steph, one of the co-authors of the Mindful Bee book series, talking about the launch of Book 2, On the Farm with Buzzy Bee and Friends. Here she describes the ethos behind the book series and explains the concept of mindful movement.

There’s nothing more enjoyable than seeing baby animals on the farm in springtime. Now’s the time to see baby goats, sheep and pigs at the Rare Breeds Centre!

Every spring, we’re delighted to welcome a host of new baby animals to the Rare Breeds Centre and this year is no exception! With adorable lambs, piglets, and kid goats, there’s no shortage of cuteness to enjoy. As part of our Easter Celebrations for 2025, we’re offering “Meet the Lamb” sessions through April 21st, where you can pet these sweet little ones and ask our farm team your questions.

This activity has become one of our most beloved offerings throughout the year, and it’s easy to see why! Lambs are irresistibly adorable, and there’s something truly magical about getting up close to these tiny bundles of joy. For adults, it’s a heartwarming reminder of the fragility and beauty of life. For children, it sparks a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world, while fostering empathy and compassion.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable experience—come and meet our springtime babies when you’re here over the Easter holidays! Purchase day tickets to the farm.

Did you know? Our Soft Play is open and available to book separately every day!

For just £5 for the first child and £3 per additional child, your little ones can enjoy all the fun and excitement our Soft Play has to offer, without the need to pay the full farm entrance fee. It’s the perfect way to spend a couple of hours, rain or shine!

Don’t forget if you are visiting the farm and buying a farm entrance ticket, soft play is included in your ticket.

The Rare Breeds Centre is primarily a farm attraction, however, with 100 acres of woodland, wildflower meadows and ponds, there is much more wildlife at our site than our visitors may realise. So, we asked our conservation officer to provide an update in celebration of  World Wildlife Conservation Day!

As we approach winter, much is changing in the wild world, as the weather drops, and daylight closes in. Winter berries are appearing onsite, such as hawthorn, blackthorn, spindle and holly, which birds and mice will rely on in their search for protein-rich foods. Many animals will be growing their thick winter coats ready for the changing weather on our site – these animals prepared for the cold include badgers and polecats.

 Getting ready for hibernation

It is time for the Kent Mammal Group to clean and close our dormouse boxes for the winter, as dormice head to the understory to hibernate under leaves and log piles. Other animals hibernating on our site include bats, such as the Daubenton’s bat and soprano pipistrelle which have previously been found on the site. Toads, frogs, great crested newts, smooth and palmate newts are all hibernating underneath rocks, in cracks and below the frost lines until spring; some great crested newts will even hibernate in the pond if conditions are perfect. Grass snakes, adders, lizards and slowworms will also join in the winter hibernation. Most butterflies and moths will also enter a dormant phase in the cold weather, similarly, the Butterfly Tunnel on our site is also shut down for the winter as they struggle to survive in the cold temperatures.

Bumblebee news

The Bumblebee Conservation Group have concluded their BeeWalks for the year, as the colonies die, and the new queens hibernate beneath the ground, ready to emerge next year and create a new colony. The BeeWalks occur once a month from March to October, when bumblebee activity is at its highest. Despite an overall decline in the UK bumblebee population, the Rare Breeds Centre site has still hosted a wide variety of species this summer, including Buff tailed bumblebees, Common carders, and the rare, Ruderal.

Fungus is among us!

All the autumn rain brought huge influxes of mushrooms of all kinds, from Turkey tails and Jelly ears to Sulphur tufts and Amanita. As we say goodbye to autumn and the winter rolls in, most fungi stop producing mushrooms but are very much still alive below the ground. The rain has also meant that ponds have filled back up, and streams around the site are flowing again after drying out in the summer months.

Preserving habitats

Winter is a great time of year to top up dead hedges after cutting back and clearing branches from the woodland floor. Hedges can be trimmed now that nesting season is over, and leaves swept from paths to prevent animals hibernating in areas where they may be harmed. The ground conditions in the woodlands will vary greatly over the winter months, with hard ground in the frosts, and much softer ground and mud when the frosts melt. Habitats will be carefully maintained and managed to ensure successful hibernation for our resident wildlife, and to ensure a suitable environment for emerging in spring.

If you visit the Rare Breeds Centre in the winter months and venture to the woodlands, be sure to be mindful of log piles and fallen leaves and keep an eye out for animals feeding on winter berries and sheltering from the wind.

Adopt One of Our Beloved Animals Today!

By adopting one of our animals, you’ll directly contribute to their care, including food, medical needs, housing, and enrichment activities on our farm. Your support makes a world of difference!

What’s Included in the Adoption?

When you adopt, you’ll receive a Rare Breeds Centre Adoption Pack within one month of purchase, as well as a 6-month update on your chosen animal. Your adoption pack includes:

• A welcome letter
• A postcard
• An animal fact sheet
• A certificate of adoption
• A free day ticket to the Rare Breeds Centre, so you can come and see your adopted animal
• A soft toy
• An RBC pen

What animals do we have available?

Some of our visitors’ favourite animals are part of our adoption program! Such as, Huckleberry, our lovable Highland cow, Rhona, our gentle Shire horse. And for those who adore the smaller animals, we also offer Smokey and Bandit, our playful Netherland Dwarf Rabbits, and Flora and Dora, our charming Indian Runner Ducks. With many more to choose from, head to our adoption page to see them all!

How to Get Started?

Discover the animals waiting for adoption on our website or by visiting the Rare Breeds Centre in person and speaking to the team in our Gift Shop.

Celebrate International Day of Charity with Us!

On September 5^th we are celebrating International Day of Charity and the important work of Canterbury Oast Trust (COT) and the life-changing impact it has every day. COT became a registered charity in 1985 and has always been dedicated to empowering adults with learning disabilities, helping them take control of their lives providing training, housing, and work experiences.

Our founders, many of whom are still involved with the charity today, were mainly parents who wished for their adult children to have the opportunity to live their own independent lives. COT has grown steadily over succeeding years to become one of the most groundbreaking and respected providers of accommodation and support for people with a learning disability in Kent.

Our charity also operates the Rare Breeds Centre, a supportive environment for skills development and a beloved family attraction welcoming 130,000 visitors annually. Every visit to the farm directly supports our mission, with funds contributing to improving the lives of those we serve.

Currently, we care for and support 83 individuals in our accommodation services in Kent. We also offer 150 training placements for people with learning disabilities and/or autism, allowing them to thrive in programs that build both confidence and essential life skills.

To keep up to date with our charity, follow our Facebook page

When you visit the Rare Breeds Centre, you may notice our students around the farm, helping with the animals, assisting with events, or engaging with visitors. This is part of our Farm Life Skills programme, designed to teach individuals skills in animal care, customer service, and teamwork in a real-world environment.

Across our skills and therapeutic programmes and residential facilities, we are fortunate to have an incredible team of volunteers who are vital members of our organisation. From regular, committed helpers to those who volunteer occasionally, our work wouldn’t be possible without their dedication and passion.

We’re always seeking new volunteers! Right now, we have exciting opportunities available in our Granary Training Kitchen, where we particularly need some new volunteers to help our students to gain practical experience of food preparation and cooking. Level 2 food hygiene training will be provided. If this is something of interest, get in touch today! If your interests lie elsewhere, we’re happy to tailor volunteer roles to match your skills and provide training as needed.

If you’d like to join our team and make a difference, we’d love to hear from you. No experience is necessary, and all training provided. Just bring your enthusiasm, patience, and energy!

To learn more about volunteering with us, please contact Paul Harris at paul.harris@canterburyoasttrust.org.uk