Doccy B 🌿🌿🐝🌿🦔🌿
@merylbatchelder.bsky.social
Enthusiastic communicator for climate, nature & sustainability education
Former science teacher
Education Lead for TerraLigo
Coordinator for the Ministry of Eco Education
#ClimateAmbassador #STEM
Alter ego of Melody Bird
I grow stuff in my free time 🌱
Former science teacher
Education Lead for TerraLigo
Coordinator for the Ministry of Eco Education
#ClimateAmbassador #STEM
Alter ego of Melody Bird
I grow stuff in my free time 🌱
It's #NationalTreeWeek. To celebrate, we extended our apple orchard. The heritage varieties going in the ground this weekend are Allan's Everlasting, Pitmaston Pineapple, Worcester Pearmain, Tydeman's Late Orange and Laxton's Superb. 1/2 🍎
November 22, 2025 at 5:27 PM
It's #NationalTreeWeek. To celebrate, we extended our apple orchard. The heritage varieties going in the ground this weekend are Allan's Everlasting, Pitmaston Pineapple, Worcester Pearmain, Tydeman's Late Orange and Laxton's Superb. 1/2 🍎
Doesn't everyone want to be a member of a political party whose leader tries to welcome them personally when they join?
@zackpolanski.bsky.social 💚
@zackpolanski.bsky.social 💚
November 15, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Doesn't everyone want to be a member of a political party whose leader tries to welcome them personally when they join?
@zackpolanski.bsky.social 💚
@zackpolanski.bsky.social 💚
I'm done with fossil fools. I'm also done with an out-of-date national curriculum for England. Time for change.
Tick tock 🔥🌍⏰
Tick tock 🔥🌍⏰
November 4, 2025 at 9:15 PM
I'm done with fossil fools. I'm also done with an out-of-date national curriculum for England. Time for change.
Tick tock 🔥🌍⏰
Tick tock 🔥🌍⏰
Just heard the haunting cries of a Tawny Owl. They're rare with an amber conservation status according to @rspb.bsky.social. Feeling incredibly blessed to live somewhere where nature is still surviving... we have so much work to do to make sure it returns to thriving.
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wi...
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wi...
October 22, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Just heard the haunting cries of a Tawny Owl. They're rare with an amber conservation status according to @rspb.bsky.social. Feeling incredibly blessed to live somewhere where nature is still surviving... we have so much work to do to make sure it returns to thriving.
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wi...
www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wi...
Not all apples are created equal.
🍏 On the left is fruit from the only known tree of Chollerton Lady, grown true rather than grafted with cooking apples of ~500g.
🍎 On the right are standard-sized Dabinets, great for juicing & cider.
They're both apples, they are just different. Which is fine.
🍏 On the left is fruit from the only known tree of Chollerton Lady, grown true rather than grafted with cooking apples of ~500g.
🍎 On the right are standard-sized Dabinets, great for juicing & cider.
They're both apples, they are just different. Which is fine.
October 18, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Not all apples are created equal.
🍏 On the left is fruit from the only known tree of Chollerton Lady, grown true rather than grafted with cooking apples of ~500g.
🍎 On the right are standard-sized Dabinets, great for juicing & cider.
They're both apples, they are just different. Which is fine.
🍏 On the left is fruit from the only known tree of Chollerton Lady, grown true rather than grafted with cooking apples of ~500g.
🍎 On the right are standard-sized Dabinets, great for juicing & cider.
They're both apples, they are just different. Which is fine.
Going into schools with my #WarmingStripes and #BiodiversityStripes to talk with young people about solutions and collective action is one of the things I do best.
October 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Going into schools with my #WarmingStripes and #BiodiversityStripes to talk with young people about solutions and collective action is one of the things I do best.
I had a bad morning. I went outside at lunchtime. Nature gave me a hug. I went back to the desk in a much better state.
October 14, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I had a bad morning. I went outside at lunchtime. Nature gave me a hug. I went back to the desk in a much better state.
Meet Patrick the tea plant 🌿 For our #TerraLigo #STEM enrichment project, #SustainabiliTEA, it seemed fitting to take a tea plant along to a school today. The KS3 students immediately decided to name the plant Patrick. They'll be investigating the use of biochar on soil health over the coming weeks.
October 13, 2025 at 6:38 PM
Meet Patrick the tea plant 🌿 For our #TerraLigo #STEM enrichment project, #SustainabiliTEA, it seemed fitting to take a tea plant along to a school today. The KS3 students immediately decided to name the plant Patrick. They'll be investigating the use of biochar on soil health over the coming weeks.
Bravo to Newcastle City Council Climate Team and Youth Council on a fantastically successful #YouthClimateSummut for 250 school students yesterday. Debates, creative thinking, discussion & learning about action Newcastle is taking and how, by working together, we have the power to change systems.
October 7, 2025 at 6:44 AM
Bravo to Newcastle City Council Climate Team and Youth Council on a fantastically successful #YouthClimateSummut for 250 school students yesterday. Debates, creative thinking, discussion & learning about action Newcastle is taking and how, by working together, we have the power to change systems.
As a teacher I had hours of CPD as twilights & INSET, almost all in a classroom or the hall with PowerPoints. Since leaving school last year I've reflected on this and believe we need something different. I've created a Venn diagram... what could a regenerative training event for teachers look like?
September 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
As a teacher I had hours of CPD as twilights & INSET, almost all in a classroom or the hall with PowerPoints. Since leaving school last year I've reflected on this and believe we need something different. I've created a Venn diagram... what could a regenerative training event for teachers look like?
The @ministryofeco.bsky.social, @oasescharity.bsky.social and #TerraLigo are collaborating on a fantastic new CPD event for teachers planned for June 2026.
You just know it's going to be exciting by the big smiles on our faces 😁
You just know it's going to be exciting by the big smiles on our faces 😁
September 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
The @ministryofeco.bsky.social, @oasescharity.bsky.social and #TerraLigo are collaborating on a fantastic new CPD event for teachers planned for June 2026.
You just know it's going to be exciting by the big smiles on our faces 😁
You just know it's going to be exciting by the big smiles on our faces 😁
I haven't fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread & two fish. However we have grown 33 squash this summer. One Crown Prince will produce 14 main meals. Tonight it was squash & chickpea tagine. Vegan, nutritious & delicious 😋
£0.50 per portion for chickpeas & spices, everything else was homegrown.
£0.50 per portion for chickpeas & spices, everything else was homegrown.
September 13, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I haven't fed 5000 people with five loaves of bread & two fish. However we have grown 33 squash this summer. One Crown Prince will produce 14 main meals. Tonight it was squash & chickpea tagine. Vegan, nutritious & delicious 😋
£0.50 per portion for chickpeas & spices, everything else was homegrown.
£0.50 per portion for chickpeas & spices, everything else was homegrown.
The apple harvest is disappointing. Late frosts killed the blossom & Storm Floris caused fruit drop.
These are James Grieves which can't sustain supermarket handling so you can only taste how delicious they are from local suppliers or growing your own. We have another ~30 varieties to go!
#pomology
These are James Grieves which can't sustain supermarket handling so you can only taste how delicious they are from local suppliers or growing your own. We have another ~30 varieties to go!
#pomology
September 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
The apple harvest is disappointing. Late frosts killed the blossom & Storm Floris caused fruit drop.
These are James Grieves which can't sustain supermarket handling so you can only taste how delicious they are from local suppliers or growing your own. We have another ~30 varieties to go!
#pomology
These are James Grieves which can't sustain supermarket handling so you can only taste how delicious they are from local suppliers or growing your own. We have another ~30 varieties to go!
#pomology
I just walked into the kitchen. Looks like squash for supper followed by apple surprise for pud 🤣
September 1, 2025 at 4:25 PM
I just walked into the kitchen. Looks like squash for supper followed by apple surprise for pud 🤣
It seems most of modern teaching fails to prepare children for the future 🙄
August 31, 2025 at 10:07 AM
It seems most of modern teaching fails to prepare children for the future 🙄
A revised, forward-facing curriculum must include what to do when floods or wildfires occur. #GCSEs and #ALevels don't prepare young people for life on our rapidly changing planet or even give them the #GreenSkills they'll need to help sort this mess out.
August 14, 2025 at 7:57 AM
A revised, forward-facing curriculum must include what to do when floods or wildfires occur. #GCSEs and #ALevels don't prepare young people for life on our rapidly changing planet or even give them the #GreenSkills they'll need to help sort this mess out.
Make orange great again 🧡
📷 Sungold tomatoes
📷 Sungold tomatoes
August 11, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Make orange great again 🧡
📷 Sungold tomatoes
📷 Sungold tomatoes
Getting #ClimateInEducation is my purpose, but chilling at a music festival in the sunshine with Hubster is my happy place 💚
August 10, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Getting #ClimateInEducation is my purpose, but chilling at a music festival in the sunshine with Hubster is my happy place 💚
Much of the sweetcorn is down too 😥
August 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Much of the sweetcorn is down too 😥
Growing food is one of the best ways to understand one of the impacts of climate change. We had "unusual" late frosts in April which caused fruit drop. Now 60mph winds from "unseasonable" #StormFloris mean a windfall of unripe apples. Our harvest will be dire. #FoodInsecurity is going to escalate.
August 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Growing food is one of the best ways to understand one of the impacts of climate change. We had "unusual" late frosts in April which caused fruit drop. Now 60mph winds from "unseasonable" #StormFloris mean a windfall of unripe apples. Our harvest will be dire. #FoodInsecurity is going to escalate.
I've spent all day in the garden. I'm now blissfully tired. If everyone spent their weekends growing food alongside other members of the community the world would be a far more nourishing place. Obviously, as a bonus, there'd also be less time for shopping or watching crap TV. Just imagine 🥹
August 2, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I've spent all day in the garden. I'm now blissfully tired. If everyone spent their weekends growing food alongside other members of the community the world would be a far more nourishing place. Obviously, as a bonus, there'd also be less time for shopping or watching crap TV. Just imagine 🥹
Dinner tonight was vegan.
It was very nutritious.
It had 7 types of veggies.
It was delicious.
It cost £0.32 per person.
Why was it so cheap?
Because we grow food in our garden!
🥔🥒🧄🧅🫛🍅🫑
Dosa, saar & aloo matar 😋
Had to pay for the mango chutney, oil and coconut milk.
It was very nutritious.
It had 7 types of veggies.
It was delicious.
It cost £0.32 per person.
Why was it so cheap?
Because we grow food in our garden!
🥔🥒🧄🧅🫛🍅🫑
Dosa, saar & aloo matar 😋
Had to pay for the mango chutney, oil and coconut milk.
July 31, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Dinner tonight was vegan.
It was very nutritious.
It had 7 types of veggies.
It was delicious.
It cost £0.32 per person.
Why was it so cheap?
Because we grow food in our garden!
🥔🥒🧄🧅🫛🍅🫑
Dosa, saar & aloo matar 😋
Had to pay for the mango chutney, oil and coconut milk.
It was very nutritious.
It had 7 types of veggies.
It was delicious.
It cost £0.32 per person.
Why was it so cheap?
Because we grow food in our garden!
🥔🥒🧄🧅🫛🍅🫑
Dosa, saar & aloo matar 😋
Had to pay for the mango chutney, oil and coconut milk.