Re-vamped website encourages farmers to organise visits

With educational farm visits soaring in popularity for children and care groups, the pioneering Visit My Farm website has been given a bright new look to help farmers make their land more accessible than ever.

The re-vamped site was launched at the AIC Conference on Wednesday by FACE (Farming And Countryside Education) on behalf of the Access to Farms network of organisations.

The site links to a comprehensive database of farms hosting visits which is being promoted to educational establishments – so it’s good for teachers too. There is a local search facility and farm details can easily be uploaded.
Farmers can try for themselves by visiting www.visitmyfarm.org

FACE chief executive Dan Corlett said: “The new portal is already receiving very positive feedback from farmers and communicators who have had a sneak preview and we want to bring it to the attention of as many farmers as possible. The site is aimed at both farmers hosting visits for the first time and old hands wanting to brush up their knowledge and find out about the latest supporting resources.”

For many children a farm visit is their introduction to agriculture and the countryside which can spark a life-long interest and understanding.

The upgrade benefitted from funding from NFU and Natural England and in-kind support from a number of partners in the Access to Farms network.

Geoff Sansome, Land Management director for Natural England, added: “Opening the farm up to groups as an educational resource is a great opportunity for children to experience life on a farm, learn about wildlife, where their food comes from and how the land is managed. The fact that so many children are being offered opportunities to visit farms is a tribute to the efforts that farmers and landowners are making to run educational activities”.

The Visit My Farm project was first developed by FACE, LEAF and Natural England in 2011 on behalf of Access To Farms, a wider partnership of organisations that support farmers hosting educational visits to farms.