Farm Diversification

The University of Essex's report: Care Farming: Evidence and Opportunities  surveyed 76 UK care farms in 2007 and found that about 5,900 care farm visits per week were being made by participants (privately run care farms had lowest levels of attendance with 29 visitors per week compared to 230 at city farms and 46 at farms linked to institutions and charities.  These care farms were offering a variety of servioces including:

• the development of basic skills (87%)
• development of work skills (70%)
• development of social skills (65%)
• some form of accredited training or education (63%)

In a recent NCFI Briefing paper Dover (2008) "The potential development of Care Farming in the UK. Projections from November 2007 Dutch research" estimates that, if there are similar developments made in the UK care farming sector as in Holland, in 10 years there may be over 460 Scottish care farms generating annual combined income of over £24 million.

Many farmyards will not be arranged that will automatically make them suitable for care farming participants.  If the group is small and the participants are relatively independent then there may be no need for adoptions to the farmyard.  However, when groups are larger and there is a higher level of guidance then a number of alterations may be required (such as canteen, toilets, indoor space).  Accessibility is paramount and this may mean paving (or tarmacing) the yard, having sliding doors, and workbenches and light-switches at appropriate heights.  Catering facilities may be needed once the group reaches a certain size to enable working and private life to remain separate and provide a degree of privacy for the far family members. Toilets will be needed when there are larger groups and sleeping quarters with showering facilities will be needed for any short-stay or residential participants.  There will also need to be additional security on the farm (locks on gates, doors, marking of restricted areas in the yard, etc) and it will be essential to consider all health and safety aspects of the farm. With regards to machinery generally no adaptations are required but some tools may require adaption and in some instances additional tools will need to be purchased.  There may be a need for coloured labels, lists with detailed actions using photographs or pictograms to ensure activities are done correctly (e.g. feeding livestock, collecting eggs, etc).  There may also be a need to provide work clothes and safety equipment.

The type of care farming undertaken will largely determine the extenet of changes that will need to be made to facilities, infrastructure and daily activities on the care farm.  The Handbook for Dutch Care Farmers suggests that there are six categories of care farmers:

1. The farmer welcomes participants on the farm where they shadow the farmer, interacting with animals, experience farming life and undertake activities on a voluntary basis. The farmer undertakes his / her daily routine and the presence of the participants requires minimum time investment.  Guidance is completed by external guides. On this type of care farm some facilities may have to be installed to ensure physical accessibility for participants and / or security. There may need to be minor amendments made to the daily work routine of the farm.
2. This is a commercial farm operation where 3 to 4 participants at a time help out with the daily farming activities.  These participants are able to work relatively independently under the guidance of the farmer.  On this type of care farm farming activities remain the primary income source, there are no special facilities provided for the participants and there are minimal adaptations made to the farm's work programme.
3. This is a commercial farm where the care functions are more integrated with the agricultural activities.  If the number of participants increases then the farm needs to supply separate toilets and may need to provide canteen facilities. Participants undertake daily farming chores and as such require guidance and occasional help.  Under this model the care farmer undertakes the daily farming activities whilst another member of the family (e.g. spouse, worker, etc) guides and assists the participants.  This type of care farming may be suited for multifunctional farms with an array of different activities for the participants to experience.
4. Although efficient agricultural production remains important in this type of care farm, farming activities have been adapted to enable optimal involvement by the participants.  Here there are more than 6 participants at a time and their guidance is the responsibility of the farmer or external guides.  Separate toilets should be provided as should canteen facilities.  In this type of care farm income generated from care farming and from mainstream farming are about the same.
5. On this type of care farm the primary focus is on care and the farming activities have been fully adapted towards care activities. Thought will need to given as to the specific types of farming activities that can be undertaken whilst still offering the participants a variety of experiences.  If the activities can help produce sound commercial products then so much the better.  Here there are more than 6 participants at a time and they are overseen and directed by specialist guides who interact with the care farmer.  The care farmer can also help guide the participants.  Separate toilets and a canteen will be needed and an office space may also be required for discussion / training.  In this type of care farming the primary income comes from care farming with minimal agricultural income.
6. This type of care farm is part of a care institution and the farm is not seen as a separate venture, rather an integral part of the institution.  Clearly the focus of the farm is on care and the farming activities have been fully adapted to maximise the opportunities and experiences of the participants.  Nearly all the income generated from this type of care farm is generated through caring.

Handbook for Dutch Care Farmers suggests that he type of care prvided can be:

• Day spending: where participants well being is improved through visiting the farm to enjoy nature and the countryside and to rest – or to undertake farming activities (without demands being made on the quality or speed of work).
• Stay, weekend relief and holiday-relief: where participants visit the farm to stay, for weekend relief or holiday relief.  Stay and weekend relief both relate to two days (in succession) and holiday relief is for one or more weeks during school holidays. In daytime the participants can enjoy the farming environment or participate with the daily farming chores. As participants are staying there is a higher level of guidance required, particularly in the management of their private and social lives.
• Residential stay: where participants can live and work on the farm and are provided with a therapeutic social climate, a protected environment or constant supervision. The level of of guidance required means that this from of care farming can have a significant impact on the private life of the farming family.  As with weekend and holiday relief management of participants' private and social lives will be required as will organisation of family visits, holidays, medical care, etc.  There are also greater legislative barriers to overcome.
• Learn-work trajectories: where participants learn to work in practice and learn while working with the aim of improving their chances in the labour market. This types of care is targted at those that want paid employment but have experienced difficulty in finding a paid job.
• Offer facilities: where a farmer can choose not to organise the guidance of participants himself, but to leave it entirely with external guides. The farmer simply makes land and buildings available that the participants and their guides can make use of.
• Nursery: where regular nursery on farms is offered. With the care of nursery children there is considerable legislative constraints but there may be financing structures in place to make this an attractive option.

The capital will vary considerably depending on the type of care farm.

As with all investments appropriate rates of depreciation and maintenance costs will need to be established.

Some capital costs that care farmers may need to consider are:

• Tarmac / paving entrance and farmyard
• Toilet / shower provision
• Accommodation provision and furnishings
• Catering facilities and fittings
• Office / learning space
• Disabled access
• Office furniture / learning space furniture
• Adapted transportation
• Additional /adapted tools
• Additional security

Any outside carers may need to be paid by the care farmer if they are not supplied by a sponsoring institution.

Other running costs to consider include: heating and lighting costs, telephone costs, travel expenses, administrations costs, food and drink costs, marketing costs, housekeeping costs

Insurance costs will inevitably increase.  As with other forms of diversification potential care farmers should inform insurers about proposed care farming activities since the "care" element may not be seen as part of the normal farming tasks, meaning the farm's traditional third party and employer liability insurance may not be adequate.  Damages caused by the participants may not also be covered and that should also be investigated (if participants come from a care institution they may be covered by liability insurance - but may not be covered by insurance for damage)

According to SAC's Care Farming in Scotland Scoping Study funding is the biggest challenge facing the existence and spread of care farming in the UK.

In many instances the traditional farm output may decrease as time and effort are focused on the care farming activities.  However in some cases, depending on the target group and their ability to undertake mainstream farm chores, additional income from agricultural production may be achievable.  Care farmers can chose to let part of the farm and its facilities to an institution, or he can be employed by the institution to provide guidance and get a per hour per participant wage, or alternatively the farmer can operate independently and institutions and individuals can buy places on the farm. 

The survey conducted in 2007 as reprted in the University of Essex's: Care Farming: Evidence and Opportunities found that whilst some care farmers do not charge for their services at all the most frequent charge is £30 per participant per day (ranging from £25 to £100 per day).  They also report that sources of outside funding are important and come in various forms, such as: gift aid, trading activities, venue hire, local authorities, charitable trusts, etc.

A recent study in the Netherlands (2008) revealed the average revenue from care activities in 2005 was about £52,000 per farm involved.

Financing may be available from a variety of institutions which would like the

Someone will need to be a trained first-aider.

Access to housed animals may need to be restricted to timess that participants are fully supervised by someone from the farm.

Dangerous substances and pesticides must be stored according to legal standards and be inaccessible for participants.

If there are too many activities on the farm (e.g. main agricultural activities alongside a farm shop, bed and breakfast and self catering cottages) there is a risk of fragmentation of focus, meaning that the care farming does not get enough attention.  Farms with a lot of diversification may lead to easy distraction or regular disturbance of the care participanrts and their guides.

University of Essex's: Care Farming: Evidence and Opportunities found that 43% of the 76 care farms surveyed received some funding from charitable trusts, with 33% receiving client fees from the local authority.  Other funding sources include

• Big Lottery Fund
• Public Donations
• European Social Fund
• Local Housing Authority

Grant funding is available through the SRDP Rural Priorities to assist with any capital costs involved in setting up a care farm, providing facilities, infrastructure or indeed establishing a new enterprise. There may also
be funding available through the LEADER programme which may assist with everyday costs including additional labour to work within the care enterprise.
Other sources are through service level agreements with local authorities, with statutory care providers such as the National Health Service (regionally and nationally), with charities which have the express purpose of providing for “their” client group (such as homeless, special needs, specific illnesses etc), and through agreements with other government bodies such as Department for Work and Pensions, Job Centre Plus, and education, justice and health.