FAQs

Q - What video platform do we use?

A – You can use any digital video platform that suits both the farmer and the teacher. The majority of our pairings use Facetime, Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet.

Q - We have little to no signal on our farm. How can I work around this?

A – little or poor signal poses a barrier. However, if you have a farm office or Wi-Fi in the farmyard, you can still connect with a class and meet here for your live connection, updating them on what is happening and answering questions. You can film short snippets of video from out and about a bit further afield and send these in prior to your live calls. You may find that some fields on farm have better signal than others – we suggest making a note of these and orchestrating your calls from these areas at some point.

Q – Can I be connected to my local school / farmer?

A – We have a safeguarding procedure in place which advises against this. It is for this reason you are likely to be connected to a school / farmer in a different geographical location. This allows for conversation points such as landscapes and geography, as well as comparing the Farmer Time farm to one that might be visited on a school visit or one the children might drive past on their way to school / on holiday etc.

Q – Does Farmer Time include a farm visit?

A - Farmer Time is a virtual conversation between a farmer and a class of children; the connection is virtual, and the farmer and school are purposely located in different parts of the country for safeguarding reasons.
If you are interested in farm visits, please contact [email protected] and you will be pointed in the right direction.

Q – How many calls will I be expected to make if I sign up?

A – Farmer Time is an ongoing digital connection, and therefore ideally the connection will last the full academic year. The exact number of calls will depend on what is agreed between the farmer and the teacher. However, on average, calls happen once a fortnight during term time.

Q – How long will the calls last?

A – On average, each call lasts around 20 minutes but this varies to suit both the farmer and the teacher.

Q- How much does it cost to participate in Farmer Time?
A - Farmer Time is a free initiative supported by our sponsors and we are very thankful to the farmers who voluntarily give up their time.

Q – I have been sent the details of my matched farmer / teacher. What are the next steps?
A – Follow the instructions in the email you received. Make contact with your matched farmer / teacher and introduce yourself. From here, you can arrange a time to chat things through before the first call with children involved.

Q- I have contacted my paired farmer / teacher and have had no response. What should I do?
A- Contact the Farmer Time coordinator to discuss the best option. It is likely you will be paired up with a new farmer / teacher.

Q – What age group are the students likely to be?
A – We have all ages involved in Farmer Time, from 4 – 18. If you would like a specific age group, please contact the Farmer Time Coordinator.

Q – What types of farm are involved in Farmer Time?
A – We have all areas of agriculture represented by our farmers. If you would like to be matched with a specific type of farm, please contact the Farmer Time coordinator.

Q - Are farmers DBS checked?
A – We ask schools to follow their own safeguarding procedures, including not leaving their students alone during Farmer Time. We ask all farmers involved to ensure a teacher is present throughout any calls. As the farmer will never be left alone with the students, there is no legal requirement for them to be DBS checked.
All farmers and teachers that have signed up to participate have agreed to our Safeguarding code of conduct.

If you have any further questions or would like more detail on anything listed above, please contact our Farmer Time Coordinator: Tabitha Salisbury: [email protected]