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Author:Agritourism

The Right Staff Are Key To Your Business – John Sinclair, Craigie’s Farm Shop

Posted on June 13, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

In 2007 John Sinclair and his wife Kirsteen diversified their farming enterprise to include an Agritourism element – Craigie’s Farm Shop. Initially starting out as a small farm shop selling produce from their farm, the business developed exceptionally quickly driven by public demand and today consists of the following areas; • Farm Shop o Gifts, deli, home baking etc. • Butchery o Including buffalo meat from the nearby buffalo farm as well as a selection of Scotch Beef & Lamb • Activities o ‘Pick your own fruit’ o Native kids trail (farm walk) o Tasting/cookery demos and workshops • Meeting rooms available for hire • Farm business John shared his experiences of recruiting, training and retaining staff for the past 12 years with the 30+ Scottish business operators who attended the East Central meeting on Wednesday 5th June 2019 to gain...

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East Central Meeting Two Report – Recruiting, Training & Retaining Great Staff

Posted on June 13, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

The second East Central Monitor Farm meeting was held on Wednesday 5th June 2019 at DRIFT café, with the theme 'Recruiting, Training & Retaining Great Staff'. Over 30 businesses from across Scotland attended the meeting which focused on how businesses should manage staff in order to create a welcoming and workable environment for employees, employers and visitors who come to a business. The meeting included advice from guest speaker John Sinclair who owns Craigie's Farm Shop. John spoke about his journey from an employer starting out, to employing a team of over 60 people. He focused on how he attracts great people to work for him and how he maintains a happy and productive workforce. Click here to get access to the full report from East Central Meeting Two. ...

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West Central Meeting One Report – First Impressions Count

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

The first West Central Monitor Farm meeting was held on Tuesday 7th May 2019 at Shantron & Shemore Farms with the theme 'First Impressions Count'. Over 50 businesses from across Scotland attended the meeting and gave their honest feedback to the Lennox family about their self-catering cottages and hill sheep farms based on the banks of Loch Lomond.   Click here to get access to the full report from West Central meeting one. ...

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Meet The Businesses (Part 4 – Byres Farm)

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

Helen & Bill Smith run Byres Farm - a mixed livestock and arable farm located in Spey Bay, Morayshire. They have developed their agritourism business, 'The Paddocks' that welcomes visitors in a safe and controlled environment through ticketed events and group bookings to have farm tours and children activity days. They are travelling the large distance to attend our agritourism monitor farm meetings so they can meet more like minded people and find out other possibilities within the industry to expand their agritourism business further....

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Meet The Businesses (Part 3 – Diversification)

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

Jasmine McKinnon from Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders has attended both our East & Central Monitor Farm meetings in the hope to gain the right advice and guidance she needs to help her with the process of establishing a new agritourism business on their mixed livestock farm. Jasmine highlights what she thinks her biggest challenge will be during the diversification project - in which they hope to develop accommodation opportunities on their working farm....

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Meet The Businesses (Part 2 – Dipple Lodge)

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

We spoke to Cora Cooper from Cooper Farms, Muirkirk, Ayrshire at the recent West Central Monitor Farm meeting to hear why she is attending the meetings and what she hopes to achieve from the monitor farm programme. Cora is currently in the process of developing an agritourism business on their mixed farm, named Dipple Lodge. She hopes to develop the old stone shooting lodge in to luxury off-grid accommodation and has just completed her LEADER funding application....

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Meet The Businesses (Part 1 – The Bus Stop)

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism
by Agritourism

During the first West Central Monitor Farm meeting on Tuesday 7th May, we caught up with some of the individuals that were in attendance to find out about their Agritourism enterprise, including Balfour Stewart who owns the Bus Stop - a holiday experience with a difference. The luxury, hand crafted accommodation is set on a working farm with beautiful panoramic views of the Lammermuir Hills, in the stunning East Lothian countryside....

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West Central Meeting 1 – Highlights

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism, Uncategorized
by Agritourism

Over 50 individuals from businesses across Scotland attended the first West Central Agritourism Monitor Farm meeting at Shantron and Shemore farms on Tuesday 7th May 2019. The meeting theme 'first impressions count' gave the individuals the opportunity to give their honest feedback to the Lennox family about their self-catering cottages and working hill sheep farm....

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Agri-tourism: the way to grow for Scottish farmers

Posted on May 24, 2019
in Agritourism, Uncategorized
by Agritourism

NatWest recently interviewed Caroline Millar, Scottish Agritourism Monitor Farm Facilitator about the monitor farms, and agritourism growth in Scotland. Millar believes there are two main driving forces behind the growing interest in and uptake of agri-tourism. “First, I really believe that there is an increasing consumer trend towards people understanding where their food comes from, and real authentic experiences,” she says. “And second is the need for farmers to add value to what they already do, and make their farms more sustainable. But I feel it is important that they offer a full agri-tourism experience, not just a rural tourism experience that happens to be on a farm. “One of the key challenges for the industry is: how do we stand out as a very rich experience that is different to just going...

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