Farming

Go Rural have launched a new venture offering guided farm tours this summer.

Tours at Balluderon Farm near Dundee will give visitors the chance to learn about life as farmers and the role they play in producing food.

A new documentary highlighting access to land issues across Europe is available to watch online. 

The 'Land for our Food' film follows the journey of Gavin Bridger, a grower from the Community Supported Agriculture project of Farnham Local Food in England, through various European countries in his quest of accessing land for agroecological farming.

The 34-minute 'road trip'  film was produced by the Access to Land network, a European network of grassroots organisations securing land for agroecological farming.

Know a farmer or farm business that deserves recognition? Enter or make a nomination for the British Farming Awards 2016 by 15 July.

Now in its fourth year, the awards recognise the hard work, innovation and determination of farming and showcase the achievements of farmers working in the UK agricultural industry.

Sarah Hyslop, Ayrshire LEADER Programme Manager, shares her experiences and reflections from the recent Swedish Rural Parliament event which took place in Visby, Gotland, Sweden from 27 to 29 May 2016.

A report has been published looking at options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Scottish farms.

The ClimateXchange report considers 20 options to reduce emissions including changes in management of fertiliser, soil and manure, livestock feeding and energy use.

Some of these changes require an investment in new tools, equipment or other installations on farm.

Twenty farms across Scotland will be opening their gates as part of Open Farm Sunday 2016.

This year's Open Farm Sunday takes place on 5 June. The annual celebration managed by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) sees farms across the UK welcome visitors to their farms.

The Amsterdam Rural Forum and National Rural Networks meeting brought delegates from across Europe to Amsterdam on 11 and 12 May for presentations, workshops, performances and even milk tasting!

This inspiring event was a chance to hear about innovative rural development projects making use of the arts and to reflect on how we, at National Rural Network Support Units, can be more creative in our work.

An East Lothian farmer will be supporting the rural charity RSABI later this month by driving a tractor around the North Coast 500 route in just three days.

John Meikle from Hoprig Mains will be tackling the 500-mile journey around the north coast of Scotland between 13 and 15 June, hoping to complete the route at the grounds of Inverness Castle on the afternoon of 15 June.