Help me with a Postgraduate Project

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mikehankin

Member

• May 15, 2018

• #1

Hi!

I'm working on a postgraduate project at Central St. Martins looking to get young, inner city people into livestock farming and I need some help!

Would anyone be willing to offer some work to 18-24 year olds from from Hackney in East London for a couple of weeks?

There's massive unemployment for young people in cities (especially those from ethnic minority backgrounds), they have really poor connection to where food comes from, poor diets and most have only ever been to the countryside for school trips once! It feels like farming needs young people and young people need farming. For people in cities having such little access to farming and the countryside it's almost impossible for them to get their foot in the door. I'm looking for any help I can get from the farming community!

If you're interested let me know and I'll tell you more about the project.

Thank you!
[email protected]

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• May 15, 2018

• #2

Mike
I am a bit lost as to what sort of work some one can offer to people with such little knowledge of farming. A farm is a very dangerous place and the H&S implications would be huge.
Do you have insurance and risk assessments in place.
I am sure there are many who would be willing to help, but 24/7 supervision is just not practical.
Can you provide accomodation costs for B&B etc
I wish you good luck, but feel you may be asking too much.

 

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mikehankin

Member

• May 15, 2018

• #3

Hi Pilgrimmick, thanks for the reply and the feedback!
I know the implications - that's part of what makes it such a challenging project! It's a catch 22 because without experience there's no chance of getting on a farm and in cities there's no chance of experience! Have you got any suggestions for how I might go about tackling it?

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• May 15, 2018

• #4

Curve ball, why not try someone like Jimmy's farm, get half a dozen at a time out there, and get channel 4 to pay for it! Farms seem to be making good TV at the minute I am sure there would be someone who would take you up on it.

I suspect it would be easier with a small group that you can provide accom for, even if it is just caravans in summer.

 

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mikehankin

Member

• May 15, 2018

• #5

No not a curve ball - that's a great idea. I was hoping that by getting some people onto a less 'high profile' farm it could be mutually beneficial but I think my next phone call should be Channel 4!

 

Pilgrimmick

Member

Location

Argyll

• May 15, 2018

• #6

Let us all know how you get on. There may still be offers from the forum members who can assist you.

Good luck.

 

suffolksmallholder

Member

Location

Suffolk

• May 16, 2018

• #7

One of our lot went to look here. OK the UK hasn't the same dereliction but urban farming has a hold in cities & there are more benefits than just producing food.....http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/12/detro...swathes-of-the-city-into-urban-farms-6630305/
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mikehankin

Member

• May 16, 2018

• #8

suffolksmallholder said:

One of our lot went to look here. OK the UK hasn't the same dereliction but urban farming has a hold in cities & there are more benefits than just producing food.....http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/12/detro...swathes-of-the-city-into-urban-farms-6630305/
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Yeah this is great! but my concern is that only new age hippies will be into it

 

suffolksmallholder

Member

Location

Suffolk

• May 16, 2018

• #9

I'm too old to be a new age hippie! The residents in Detroit were just abandoned by big corporations & their own government so their idea was intended just to feed themselves, as simple as that. The whole idea has been such a success it is now regarded as a phenomenon!
As smallholders we raise good & pure food for our own consumption & sell the excesses to passing trade. I haven't the land nor can I afford any so I'm just doing the very best I can with what I've got.

 

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mikehankin

Member

• May 16, 2018

• #10

suffolksmallholder said:

I'm too old to be a new age hippie! The residents in Detroit were just abandoned by big corporations & their own government so their idea was intended just to feed themselves, as simple as that. The whole idea has been such a success it is now regarded as a phenomenon!
As smallholders we raise good & pure food for our own consumption & sell the excesses to passing trade. I haven't the land nor can I afford any so I'm just doing the very best I can with what I've got.

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haha - I'm only joking but what I mean is that I don't want to address just the young people who are already interested... if you know what I mean?

 

suffolksmallholder

Member

Location

Suffolk

• May 16, 2018

• #11

Listening to BBC R4 last week, the average age for those looking to keep an allotment was.......27. Now I call that young & just brilliant. So you'll have lots of young folk interested, I believe. Getting the word out is more difficult.
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suffolksmallholder

Member

Location

Suffolk

• May 16, 2018

• #12

Are these young folk into camping? Could they cater for themselves?
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mikehankin

Member

• May 16, 2018

• #13

suffolksmallholder said:

Are these young folk into camping? Could they cater for themselves?
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Many of these guys have never been into the countryside ever. I could get them to camp but the whole thing would be a total culture shock for them.

 

suffolksmallholder

Member

Location

Suffolk

• May 16, 2018

• #14

Ah, I believe that's a good thing.
As a past OYC person taking London kids to sea in ships was a real shock. (to them) B U T. After the initial throw-ups (We taught bucket accuracy here) most settled into the watch system, cooking for 18, (they cooked under supervision) washing up for the same amount, cleaning & learning the ropes as it were, they eventually started to enjoy the experience & suddenly discovered they were in 'olland or Sark.....or sherbourg. or Oooostend (now that was interesting because you have to go through the red light district first from the docks to get into the actual town......) or just dear old Ramsgate in a blow.
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