ORFC

Definitely going TimW and much look forward to meeting up with you - but a bit miffed reading this in the Press Release which came from James:

Farmer-led innovation: Experiences and Opportunities for Support
This session will explore the thinking behind initiatives to support innovation by farmers, share experiences, and highlight opportunities to get involved. Tom MacMillan (Soil Association) will address grassroots research and farmer-focussed funding whilst Caroline Corsie (Worcestershire Wildlife Trust) will present on how farmers can turn from advice takers to advice makers.

The Soil Association needs little exposure. I support Worcs Wildlife but, like other wildlife trusts has useful financial 'support'.

Practical Farm Ideas has been publishing grassroots research since 1992 - that's 22 years! We may not have thought up the phrase 'advice takers to advice makers' (might purloin it though!) but have been researching and publishing ideas developed by farmers for their own use under the banner 'Made it Myself'. There farmers don't see themselves as advisors, just people who solve tricky problems!

The magazine has been really happy to support the REAL conference, almost from the start - see the article 'See you at Oxford' on page 5 of the current issue, and the article makes a wry comparison between the two events, with prices, contacts and web sites.

What I'm doing wrong? Please tell me!
 
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Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Excellent conference. Good to meet you Tim!

Likewise---lots of interesting people/ideas/talks

It would be good to attract more of the mainstream farming lobby too, there is little point in preaching to the converted. Debate between those of different views would be much more interesting and constructive
 
Likewise---lots of interesting people/ideas/talks

It would be good to attract more of the mainstream farming lobby too, there is little point in preaching to the converted. Debate between those of different views would be much more interesting and constructive

Would the mainstream want you? (with all due respect) - they prefer to talk down to farmers I find rather than learn from them.

Lets hope @farmideas does a review in the mag (y)
 
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Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
Would the mainstream want you? (with all due respect) - they prefer to talk down to farmers I find rather than learn from them.

Lets hope @farmideas does a review in the maf (y)

That may be the case but I do think that a polite invite to a few thinking mainstream farmers/industry people wouldn't go amiss (not sure if they would attend though )
I also think that a bit of realism may rub off the other way ----(quite a few with their heads way up in the clouds with no grounding whatsoever )

@farmideas did a great talk which everybody enjoyed

I think ORFC attracted over 500 this year which I believe was a record and even outdid the OFC :) someone will come along with all the figures once they have cleared up and sobered up ;)
 

Barleycorn

Member
BASE UK Member
Location
Hampshire
Excellent conference this year, venue was good but is at capacity at 500. Don't know if they're going to find a bigger venue for next year?
The farming papers were good, and I would think would have been appreciated by any farmer with an open mind.
 
Conference got full marks for the venue which was unbeatable; price; the 60 or so short, pithy, cut the crap sessions; the atmosphere; the mix of farming business and farm ethics delegates; the 20+ support volunteers who provided real help . Downside were the occasional focus of speakers on problems - we're all going to hell on a handcart - with fewer giving practical answers. Ian Wilkinson's @CotswoldSeeds explanation of cover crops was simply outstanding. The venue size is ideal, as the sessions have the right number of people - how could the soil workshop work with even 150? It would have an entirely different atmosphere. Like glastonbury, the keen ones book their tickets early, and the laggards remember to do so earlier the next year. There's no penalty in developing a waiting list!

Altogether outstanding, and many thanks to Colin and his huge and talented team.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 81 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 68 35.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.6%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.6%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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