Harvesting for the Future Project

November 2011

‘Harvesting for the Future’ was set up in 2010 to provide advice and training to people in land-based businesses around Holsworthy.  Our continuing focus is to provide the opportunity for business leaders and their employees, whether looking to improve their existing skills further or to develop new skills, to receive training and advice locally at a convenient time and also at an affordable price.  Funding for the project has been secured through the participation of local businesses (including Cornwall Farmers), local authorities and the local council and I must take this opportunity to thank them all for their valuable assistance and time in getting this project off the ground.

The first courses were aimed at meeting local demand for training in new legislation impacting on Agriculture – a number of farmers received basic instruction on electronic sheep tagging at Holsworthy Market and this was very well received.  It proved that the market was key in delivering our goal; it is easy to get to, there is plenty of parking and there are also plenty of facilities trainers can use.  What is more, you do not need to take your wellies off to attend a course at the market.  The involvement of Bicton College now enables us to provide a much wider selection of training opportunities which will provide the attendee with marketable qualifications and, ultimately, help to improve expertise and safety.

Having grown up in this remote rural area I feel very strongly that geography should not restrict someone from being able to learn a new skill or develop their expertise.  To this end I see the ‘Harvesting for the Future’ project as a gateway through which anyone who works or who is looking to work on the land can get access to the training and certification that they need in order to fulfil their role.  Ultimately this will increase their value as a business leader or employee.  A number of courses are now being timetabled for the Winter and Spring of 2011/12 these are heavily subsided and are held locally at Holsworthy Livestock Market

To find out if we are running the training course that you would like to do, or for any other information, please contact Katie Bone at Kivells on (01409) 253279  or (01409) 253275.