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*The Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative (OMSCo) has launched a free guide for its members who are interested in welcoming schools and local children’s groups to their farms. The initiative kicked off this weekend with Lesley Hurford, a Bristol based OMSCo member, hosting a visit for the local Brownie Guide pack. *

The Farm Visits Pack is a step by step guide to hosting visits and includes advice on everything from how to make contact with local schools to preparing the farm for visitors and suggestions for activities on the day. It also contains health and safety information and details on which organisations to contact for funding.

OMSCo Marketing Manager Rosie Palmer commented: “Recent research has found that lots of children are so out of touch with the countryside that they have absolutely no idea where milk comes from let alone how it is produced. Opening up your farm as an outdoor classroom can be hugely rewarding and is a great way to provide children with a memorable first hand experience of farm life.”

Opening your farm to schools: A guide for organic dairy farmers can be downloaded from www.omsco.co.uk. Packs can also be ordered by calling OMSCo’s freephone careline on 0800 3894998 or by emailing gill.crane@omsco.co.uk