How has the way you get advice and information changed since Covid 19 restrictions? What has been the biggest difference?

[TFF]

We are working on a project with ADAS, University of Gloucester and others to look at the impacts of Covid on farmers. There are a number of threads on here about NRoSO, BASIS, shows but would be interested to hear from individual farmers and how things have changed for them personally.

Question

How has the way you get advice and information changed since Covid 19 restrictions? What has been the biggest difference?

 

[topground]

Hasn’t changed at all, If you want to know something ask on TFF rather than being fed what the academics ADHB and the rest want to feed us because it suits their agenda.

 

[Chris F]

Hasn’t changed at all, If you want to know something ask on TFF rather than being fed what the academics ADHB and the rest want to feed us because it suits their agenda.

Did you not get information from the shows @topground or were they more a thing you did for fun. I used to attend a lot of seminars and demonstrations at shows, probably the bit I have missed the most. I'd agree though most of my research was already done online.

 

[steveR]

I do miss Shows, and REAL conferences and seminars.

I am not a Luddite, but I am afraid I have very rarely found that remote attendance is very satisfactory...

I spend far too much time here these days, but find it a pretty indispensable resource, both for fun and work.... But I have been doing this type of "online" interaction for over 30 odd years apparently... which is a little scarey!

 

[topground]

Did you not get information from the shows @topground or were they more a thing you did for fun. I used to attend a lot of seminars and demonstrations at shows, probably the bit I have missed the most. I'd agree though most of my research was already done online.

I don’t recall ever attending a seminar or demo at a show. I occasionally attend evening presentations by feed suppliers and the like which is more for an outing and a free pint and meal than information gathering!

 

[wanton dwarf]

Did you not get information from the shows @topground or were they more a thing you did for fun. I used to attend a lot of seminars and demonstrations at shows, probably the bit I have missed the most. I'd agree though most of my research was already done online.

Never got information from shows. They are for meeting up with people who's company you enjoy.

 

[Chris F]

Never got information from shows. They are for meeting up with people who's company you enjoy.

I am definitely missing having a beer at a show!

 

[yellow belly]

Not having field days in the field
Rest on line
Zoom meetings

miss having the 1 to 1 at the end for those real farming nuggets

 

[Brisel]

Positives - meetings a long way away are now online saving a lot of time travelling. I don't think I've ever attended so many webinars and Zoom/Teams meetings on subjects far more diverse than I would have previously made the effort to travel for. There was a good webinar by Low Carbon Agriculture last night, with Phil Jarvis as one of the presenters. I saw @Luke Cropwalker amongst the guest list...

Negatives - That personal freedom of getting off the farm and learning from those around you, not just the presenters at online meetings. The NRoSO annual training is a prime example. Some of them over the years have taught me very little yet I learned so much from the other folk there. The internet just doesn't have the same social aspect.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Positives - meetings a long way away are now online saving a lot of time travelling. I don't think I've ever attended so many webinars and Zoom/Teams meetings on subjects far more diverse than I would have previously made the effort to travel for. There was a good webinar by Low Carbon Agriculture last night, with Phil Jarvis as one of the presenters. I saw @Luke Cropwalker amongst the guest list...

Negatives - That personal freedom of getting off the farm and learning from those around you, not just the presenters at online meetings. The NRoSO annual training is a prime example. Some of them over the years have taught me very little yet I learned so much from the other folk there. The internet just doesn't have the same social aspect.

The meeting last night was really interesting but probably not something I would have travelled far to attend. The webinar prior to that one involving John Kempf on the whole brix thing was really good, I definitely wouldn't have travelled to that one as he is based in the US or Canada?
The huge downsides is the social aspect that you just don't get online. I have met some wonderful people through various training events, travelled quite a bit and had some great laughs. Many times at events the questions and the general chat are equally as interesting as the speakers, even if it just to affirm that everyone else has just as many cock ups!

 

[Brisel]

The meeting last night was really interesting but probably not something I would have travelled far to attend. The webinar prior to that one involving John Kempf on the whole brix thing was really good, I definitely wouldn't have travelled to that one as he is based in the US or Canada?
The huge downsides is the social aspect that you just don't get online. I have met some wonderful people through various training events, travelled quite a bit and had some great laughs. Many times at events the questions and the general chat are equally as interesting as the speakers, even if it just to affirm that everyone else has just as many cock ups!

Mrs B was the one signed up to these & I happened to be sat beside her watching this, so I haven't seen any of the others. I definitely agree with your second paragraph.

What did you make of Karen Fisher, the Soil Association presenter? She was very short on detail but with more time she may have been able to elaborate more.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Karen was very good and not too extreme on the organic side. I thought Phil Jarvis was best, obviously full of practical knowledge and real world solutions.

 

[wanton dwarf]

I am definitely missing having a beer at a show!

Quite a few people home brew around here.

 

[Still Farming]

Think effected those not online, social media etc. etc more than those already uptodate with tech. and received info regularly.

 

[steveR]

Quite a few people home brew around here.

Been many a long years since I did Home Brew... Not sure I could drink so much beer in short order! Happily, Lidl have a decent little range of bottles and cans.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Its great, the pen pushers can't visit, and don't everyone get their info online anyway

 

[Chris F]

Think effected those not online, social media etc. etc more than those already uptodate with tech. and received info regularly.

I'd agree with that. It has effected the traffic levels on TFF - which have gone up by about 15%. This is mostly new readers, I would say those who were already online have used it the same amount. I have found myself using other resources as well though. That shows farmers in general are using resources like TFF more.

But, have you found any other/new websites to learn from?

 

[Still Farming]

I'd agree with that. It has effected the traffic levels on TFF - which have gone up by about 15%. This is mostly new readers, I would say those who were already online have used it the same amount. I have found myself using other resources as well though. That shows farmers in general are using resources like TFF more.

But, have you found any other/new websites to learn from?

Agri or otherwise?
Lots of Covid related new apps possibly too.

 

[Chris F]

Agri or otherwise?
Lots of Covid related new apps possibly too.

Agri I suppose - but mental health has been talked about a lot too by farmers and organisations.

 

[warksfarmer]

We are working on a project with ADAS, University of Gloucester and others to look at the impacts of Covid on farmers. There are a number of threads on here about NRoSO, BASIS, shows but would be interested to hear from individual farmers and how things have changed for them personally.

Question

How has the way you get advice and information changed since Covid 19 restrictions? What has been the biggest difference?

Absolutely nothing has changed for me.

Generally the farming press is biased and advert based so of very little use to modern day farming business’s.

Trade shows in the U.K. have become mainly useless from a crop trial point of view and are they of any real use machinery wise today? They can’t compete with the likes of Agritechnica where a shoe like that has lots of diversification and subsidiary industry items.

Farms are no longer just farms. It’s agribusiness.

The internet has beaten both the press and trade shows.