FaceTime a Farmer gives kids a look at life on the farm

Tom Martin, aka Farmer Tom. Photo / Twitter

Now here’s a field trip with a difference. FaceTime a Farmer sees schoolkids getting an insight into life on the farm without leaving the classroom.

Tom Martin, aka "Farmer Tom", is passionate about telling non-farmers "what happens on the other side of the farm gate."

The Country's Jamie Mackay caught up with the social media-savvy Martin at the Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue 2018 in Düsseldorf and Amsterdam.

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Martin told him about an educational initiative he set up for schools in the United Kingdom called 'FaceTime a Farmer'.

"We pair one farmer with one class and they will interact via FaceTime or Skype often on a fortnightly basis throughout the school year and that really ties in with what they're learning at school."

Listen below to hear Farmer Tom talk about his family farm, his time in London and whether you can make any money farming in the UK.

Martin takes part in the initiative himself, and regularly contacts an state-run inner-city school.

"I'll put myself somewhere on the farm that's appropriate to what they're studying and we'll have a short call ... It's really exciting."

Not only the children are benefiting from the initiative says Martin, who reports that the 100 farmers taking part have appreciated communicating with the schools.

"The farmers who are part it have been really enjoying just getting to grips with what the children are learning."

Listen to Farmer Tom tell Jamie Mackay about "FaceTime a Farmer" initiative below:

Farmer Tom grew up in Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom and worked in London for several years, before returning home to his family farm.

He is a crop protection advocate and sits on UK advisory committee Linking Environment And Farming (LEAF).

Find out more about Farmer Tom on his Facebook and Twitter pages.