Written by Agriland Team
A farm has seized the initiative to liven things up on lockdown video calls through the introduction of a “virtual goat” in an unorthodox – and highly successful – method of farm diversification.
Cronkshaw Fold Farm, based in Lancashire, England, managed to steady the ship and improve profitability during Covid-19 restrictions by filming the farm’s goats and uploading them to join unsuspecting people on Zoom video calls.
Allowing the public to “book a goat to add to your video calls to spice things up”, for £5 (€5.66), Cronkshaw Fold Farm owner Dot McCarthy has already clocked up 10,000 “goat visits” – making some £50,000 (€56,630) in the process.
Not bad for an idea that “started as a joke”…
During normal times, the farm usually hosts holiday-makers, events and school trips – but made the move to virtual offerings when Covid-19’s impact hit.
“One day your Goats will be on @5_News for joining video calls” said not even the wackiest fortune teller ever. When life is crackers, just goat with the flow
@CronkshawFold https://t.co/0EEwKs1HOY
— Dot McCarthy (@DotMcCarthy) January 29, 2021
The enterprise has expanded its online range, offering virtual farm tours and allowing the public to “adopt a bee”.
Commenting about its new-found success on social media, Cronkshaw Fold Farm explained how it will use this to improve the enterprise:
“We’re super grateful to everyone who has booked a call with us so far – the £5 booking fee has meant we can keep our two staff in paid work [and in a very Covid safe environment as they spend their workday in the barn – the only downside is they go home smelling a bit goaty].
“We love being able to bring you a bit of silly fun during all this upheaval and will keep at it until we’re all allowed out to play again,” the farm concluded.
The post No kidding: Farm makes €56,000 offering ‘virtual goats’ for video calls appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.
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