Monitor Farms
Two Agritourism Monitor Farms funded by Scottish Enterprise have been established in East Central and West CentralScotland to drive economic growth of the agritourism sector in Scotland.
One meeting a month, alternating between the East Central and West Central Monitor Farms will focus on different topics, relevant to the growth of the tourism side of the businesses attending.
The monitor farm meetings are free to attend but you are encouraged to register before the meeting.
You don’t need to be a farmer to attend and the meetings are particularly relevant to;
- Existing agritourism businesses
- Farmers looking to develop a tourism or leisure business
- Rural tourism businesses
- Food and drink businesses
- Industry representatives
- Suppliers to the sector including industry professionals
- Students and young people
Stuart & Jo McNicol are directors of DRIFT. – a new café and agritourism business which they opened in June 2018.
Jo works full time in the business and also runs an additional events business called Castleton Events.
Both agritourism businesses are based on land within family farm, run by Stuart and his father Bill, which compromises of 430 acre of cereals.
The Lennox family run two agritourism businesses on their 1,500 hectare working hill sheep farm located on the banks of Loch Lomond.
Bobby, Anne and Kay work full time on the farm with Anne running Shantron Farm self-catering and Kay & husband Dougie managing Shemore Farm self-catering.
The farm is owned by Luss estate and Kay is the 10th generation of the Lennox family to work on the farm.
Agritourism Monitor Farm Meeting Dates
| Monitor Farm | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| West Central - Storytelling | Tuesday 10th March 2020, Time: 10am - 4pm | Kilmarnock Millennium Hall, Gartocharn, G83 8NF |
| Virtual Meeting - Getting Market Ready | Thursday 2nd April 2020, Time: 10am | This will be an online meeting via Zoom. Register via Eventbrite to receive the online meeting link. |
| East Central - Family Succession | Wednesday 3rd June 2020, Time: TBC | TBC - depending on Government guidance surrounding COVID-19 |
| West Central - Farm Tours in Practice – What’s working and making money? | Wednesday 24th June 2020, Time: TBC | TBC - depending on Government guidance surrounding COVID-19 |
| East Central - TBC | Thursday 13th August 2020, Time: TBC | TBC - depending on Government guidance surrounding COVID-19 |
| West Central - TBC | Tuesday 1st September 2020, Time: TBC | TBC |
| East Central - TBC | Thursday 1st October 2020, Time: TBC | TBC |
| West Central - 2-day Pricing Strategy Workshop | Monday 16th & Tuesday 17th November 2020, Time: TBC | TBC |
| East Central - Business Bootcamp Review progress in 2020 Christmas Meal | Thursday 10th December 2020, Time: TBC | TBC |
To register for any of the upcoming meetings stated above, please click here.
Please note venues and times for meetings may change.
