National Trust’s Wimpole Home Farm seeks online farmers
Jessica found this and I have to say I think its an absolutely cracking idea in terms of innovation and education in relation to farm education.
The report explains: “For a £30 annual fee, 10,000 farm followers will help manage Wimpole Home Farm, in Cambridgeshire. The National Trust says its “MyFarm” project aims to reconnect people with where their food comes from.
It was partly inspired by the online Facebook game Farmville and follows the example of Ebbsfleet Football Club which is run on a similar basis. Decisions about the running of the team in Kent has been in the hands of “MyFootballClub” subscribers since 2008. Wimpole Home Farm, which is converting to organic, is currently commercially self-sustaining.
The 1,200 acre site is home to rare breeds of sheep, cattle, poultry, horses and goats and produces meat, eggs, wheat and oil seed rape.” I did reflect however that when they reach their target of £300K they will be running on possibly 20 times more annual income from subscriptions alone than many small upland farms.”
I wonder if we could transfer this idea to public services in terms of “MyLibrary” or “MyMuseum”. Talking of which I can think of few better examples of a cracking innovative museum than the Museum of East Anglian life.