Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is proud to announce William Haire, Tynedale Farm and Brian Knipe, Vowgarve Farm as our new 2015 ‘Farm Mentors.’
The 2015 Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is proud to announce William Haire and Brian Knipe as our new ‘Farm Mentors.’ With June fast approaching and interest for the initiative growing year-on-year, our trusty farm mentors will be on hand to offer their experience and support to new and returning farmers.
Both William and Brian believe the future of Northern Ireland farming and food can greatly benefit from showing the public how their food is produced. The success of the last few years has proven that there is strong interest among the local community to learn more about food production and with ‘Farm Life’ now a core topic of the Key Stage 2 syllabus, curiosity around farming is sure to grow.
Speaking of his role of ‘Farm Mentor,’ William Haire, Loughview Farm said;
“At Loughview the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend is now a key date in our calendar, with this being our third year taking part. Each year we look forward to meeting our visitors and explaining the work we do on a daily basis.
“Being located on the edge of Belfast usually means we attract a lot of city folk who have absolutely no idea of what happens on a farm. It’s always hugely rewarding to demystify the farming world if we can!” William added.
Having participated in the initiative in recent years our farm mentors are fully aware of the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend’s core objectives and in addition to the project management team, will be available on the phone or in person to offer farmers practical advice. The farm mentor role is intended as an impartial channel for participating farmers to give feedback on the management of the event but also as an additional layer of support for farmers beyond the event organisers.
William added, “We have practical experience of taking part and want to share our experience with anybody who feels they need more support.”
Speaking of support Farm Mentors can offer, Brian Knipe, Vowgarve Farm said;
“Last year was my first experience of the Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend. At first I was a bit nervous as to what I had signed up to and how the local community would view my farm. But over the course of the weekend we all learned so much about what did and didn’t work and what could be made even better. The role of ‘farm mentor’ gives me the opportunity to share this practical experience and, as well as the project management team who are only ever a phone call away, I can hopefully add a different perspective to the advice farmers have access to.”
Any farmers who would like more information on Bank of Ireland Open Farm Weekend can call Project Manager Martin Byrne on 028 90393837 or email info@openfarmweekend.com to register their interest or ask any questions they may have about participation.
