There’s no single cause to the mental ill-health or poor well being that some, working in the farming community, face. The unique demands of the work and the lifestyle are often contributing factors and a feeling of Isolation is not necessarily limited to those living in the most remote areas. Media and public misconceptions about farming life can generate the impression that farming is misunderstood and that farmers hard work is simply not valued.
What better way to tackle feelings of isolation and dispel those misconceptions than by reaching out to the public and telling the true story of farming? The Country Trust and LEAF Education are just two of the charities focused on reaching young people and supporting farmers tell their story. This week we spoke to Carl Edwards, the Director of Education at LEAF. We asked him about the work LEAF Education does and how farmers can get involved.
“LEAF Education works to inspire and educate future generations about food, farming and the countryside. We deliver CEVAS training to support farmers in delivering high-quality educational visits with young people on-farm. We can also support our farmer members in talking to young people in school and through Facetime a Farmer. All of these activities give you the opportunity to communicate and talk to a generation who are switched on and ever more interested in the work that you do.
Our recent research with Rothamsted Research went out to over 1,200 young people from across the UK. It was published in October 2018 and showed that over two-thirds of young people are interested in the work that our farmers do, would like to find out more and would consider a career in the farming and food sectors. If you are interested in talking to our future generations, an easy first step is through our FaceTime a Farmer initiative.”
Visit the LEAF website to find out about the work of LEAF Education
