You’re invited to embark upon a once-in-a-lifetime fantastic journey around rural Ireland, Wales, England and Scotland, in the company of a great group of fellow travellers, from 17 July to 13 August 2018. We’ll be attending one of Britain’s best agricultural events, visiting interesting farms and meeting a variety of locals involved in agriculture (farmers, rural leaders, agricultural journalists, etc). And, meeting up with unique characters such as Sarah Gayton – of Farmers on Film fame (as seen on ABC TV’s Landline).
Hay bales in a church meadow.
En route, I’ll be giving one-on-one photography assistance to any fellow travellers who would like it. Fancy gear is not required – phone cameras can take great images and useful videos. (Better quality cameras primarily come to the fore in specific circumstances, such as when there is dim light, fast action or distant subjects – but mobile phone cameras have their own advantages.)
I’ll be taking my drone and doing some filming on some of the farms we’ll be visiting, so everyone who is interested can learn about how to operate a drone.
Plus I’ll be answering queries regarding social media and anything else anyone would like a hand with, in relation to the skills I’ve built up over several decades. But this is a rural-agricultural tour with the fun of photography on the side. One of the very best aspects of this tour will be enjoying great conversations and laughs with fellow travellers and the interesting locals we meet as we roam about.
Some of the agriculture-related subjects included in the tour:
- Beef, sheep and wool industry; dairying and graingrowing. If time permits, also horticulture and orchards.
- Rural organisations & journalists – we’ll meet people involved in running organisations, producing rural stories, and learn about some unique ag education schemes.
- Food retailing – we’ll have the opportunity to check out a farmer’s market, paddock-to-plate restaurant, butchershop, supermarket shelves etc – for niche marketing ideas, price comparisons, packaging & display information, etc. And of course, we will be required to do taste testing!
We’ll be visiting some fabulous agricultural events – where there is an abundance of opportunities to meet and talk with local farmers.
Apart from people with an interest in agriculture, who would enjoy this tour?
- Travellers who have been to the British Isles and who would love to return and meet and talk with a wide variety of locals who are involved in farming. IE a tour with ‘heart and soul’, not just a quick lap of busy tourist haunts (although we certainly will be squeezing in unmissable highlights).
- Anyone new to overseas travel. I’m available to answer queries and before we set off I’ll be updating & distributing some useful travel tips. Some of which may well be of use to seasoned travellers also. If anyone is considering buying a new camera prior to the trip, this is something I can advise on as well.
- Solo travellers.
- All ages, although the ability to walk reasonable distances and be up & about reasonably early will ensure it is more enjoyable. We squeeze a lot into a trip like this one.
- You certainly do not have to live on a farm to enjoy this tour! But it is designed for people with an interest in food and fibre production and rural life.
We’ll be visiting local markets so we can talk to local producers & enjoy quirky sights, such as this huge range of treats available for UK’s dog lovers.
Stay tuned for details! This tour is unique – this is not a tour that someone could undertake on their own. It’s a personal tour that will provide useful and enjoyable experiences for everyone involved and priceless memories and friendships to last a lifetime.
It will also be excellent value for money. For those who earn a living from agriculture, the trip may be claimable as a tax deduction (though it is best to check with your accountant for details).
Contact me by email or by phone (07 4728 4922) if you’d like a copy of the preliminary itinerary and other details.
If you are considering joining the trip please tell me about anything special that you’d be especially interested in doing or seeing as soon as possible. Because although the farm tour route and dates are now set, it may be possible to sneak an extra detail or two into the itinerary.
Of course we won’t just be meeting farmers & looking at produce for sale in markets – we’ll also be taste-testing it!
Tags: Fiona Lake Photography, Overseas agriculture, Social media and farmers, Rural travel - farm tours, Farm tours