Co-Design Day: Resilient on-farm training centres to support the shift to agroecology in the North

Park House Farm, the home of Torpenhow Cheese is one of three Farm Learning Hubs launching across the North of England as part of the Northern Food and Farming collaboration!

Join us on 3 December, at Park House Farm, to find out more and get involved.

This Farm Learning Hub will focus particularly on on-farm training and education for resilient regenerative live-stock food production. Whether it’s calf-at-foot dairies, agroforestry, or cheese (or gelato) making, or something else, we want your input to co-design a training and education programme that will meet the needs of Northern farmers.

On 3 December, we’ll gather to co-design how best to set up an on-farm training centre - this will shape the strategy taken at Park House Farm, and will also be of interest to other farms interested in becoming Northern centres of agroecological learning.

The morning will include welcome and introductions, news about Northern Food and Farming and a tour of Park House Farm.

After lunch the co-design session will explore:

• What are the main challenges farmers are facing when considering a shift to agroecological dairy food production? What training, education and support would be useful?

• What does a resilient on-farm training and education centre look like? Particularly around the legal structures, governance and funding to make it work?

• How can we design programmes that meet Northern needs and how do we best reach those who would be interested in accessing training and education?

The co-design event will be a chance to:

• See Park House Farm’s calf-at-foot, pasture-fed, organic, agroforestry system, and hear their insights that have shaped the journey

• Share your experiences and input to a programme of training and support for agroecological dairy production which will meet farmers’ needs in the North

• Explore the viability of on-farm training centres, for Park House Farm, and also for your own context

Please let us know that you are planning on attending, and any dietary or access requirements that you have, by registering here.