Farmer Time Coordinator Marie Burke with husband Rob Farmer Time for Schools proudly announces the successful completion of its second year, connecting New Zealand school students and teachers with farmers nationwide. Student participation increased by eight percent from 2022, to nearly 1100 students. Despite challenges in 2023, including adverse weather and the impact of Covid19 and teacher strikes, Farmer Time for Schools persevered, introducing more young New Zealanders to rural life and the farmers behind our food. Farmer Time for Schools National Coordinator, Marie Burke says "Being invo ..read more

Farmer Mairi Whittle and Family Farmer Time, an education programme that connects New Zealand school students (Years 1 – 8) and their teachers with farmers and growers across the country, proudly announces a highly successful completion of its first year. Over 1000 students participated in the initiative during 2022, with the programme receiving an enormous amount of positive feedback from participants. Farmer Time National Coordinator, Marie Burke says “It’s been amazing to be a part of this programme from the inception and see it grow so much. Our hard work to match teachers with farmers an ..read more

Farmer Mairi Whittle and Family Farmer Time, an education programme that connects New Zealand school students (Years 1 – 8) and their teachers with farmers and growers across the country, proudly announces a highly successful completion of its first year. Over 1000 students participated in the initiative during 2022, with the programme receiving an enormous amount of positive feedback from participants. Farmer Time National Coordinator, Marie Burke says “It’s been amazing to be a part of this programme from the inception and see it grow so much. Our hard work to match teachers with farmers an ..read more

This article first appeared online in The Gisborne Herald, From The Land - May 2023, Issue #27 Marie Burke has a dream to see Farmer Time as a regular part of children’s education across the land and she is constantly moving closer to making that a reality. She’s thriving as the national coordinator for the programme that connects farmers with year 1-8 students, bringing everyday farming to life for youngsters who may have never gone rural. Year 2022 was the pilot for the programme that originated in the UK and now it’s really starting to gain traction in a country where farmers are celebrate ..read more

This article first appeared online in Dairy Exporter, May/June 2023 Ashburton dairy farmer, Stacey Stewart Hundreds of kilometres from an Ashburton dairy farm, a group of primary school students are kept up to date on the farm’s busy activities. By Anne Hardie. Every couple of weeks Ashburton dairy farmer Stacey Stewart uses her phone to video what is happening on the farm and sends it to a small urban primary school in Wainuiomata where students are transfixed by life on the dairy farm. Students from Pukeatua Primary School have watched the cows being milked, hooves being trimmed, straw bale ..read more

This article first appeared online at Rural News on 12 July, 2022. Kit Artkwright, CEO Beef + Lamb New Zealand Inc. Farmers across the country are being asked to go back to school as part of a new educational programme for children called Farmer Time. The initiative, which originates from the UK, links farmers with primary and intermediate school children through virtual classroom sessions using video call technology. Students regularly chat live with their matched farmer, gaining an understanding of farming across the seasons and providing real-world examples of what they’re learning during ..read more

This article first appeared online in Small Bites, December 2022 Issue Jess Turnbull, Hakataramea Valley, Canterbury “A simple but brilliant way to show kids in urban areas what farm life is like” “Once in your life you may need a doctor, a lawyer, a polcieman …. but everyday, three times a day, you need a farmer." Nadia Lim quoted in an interview recently. But are our tamariki aware of where the food they eat at each meal originates from, who grows it and the journey of kai from paddock to plate? Farmer zTime is an exciting educational programme connecting students directly with their own fa ..read more

This item first appeared on Country TV on 11 July 2022. Farmers across the country are being asked to go back to school as a part of a new educational programme for children called Farmer Time. Its a UK idea which links farmers with primary and intermediate school children through virtual classroom sessions using Zoom. Students regularly chat live with a farmer, gaining an understanding of farming across the seasons and providing real-world examples of what they’re learning during the school year. Beef + Lamb Inc CEO Kit Arkwright is driving the initiative, is keen to see food producers from a ..read more

This article first appeared online in the King Country News on 14 November 2022. CHILDREN from Orewa Beach School during a Zoom session with Aria farmer Wendy Coup. An educational programme is looking to pair city schools with farmers who can teach students about the industry. FARMERS are returning to the classroom in a new educational programme – but not as the students. This year farmers from around the country began beaming into primary school classrooms for video calls once a fortnight as part of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand-driven Farmer Time initiative. Among them was Aria sheep and be ..read more

This article first appeared online at Nelson Weekly Rural News on 19 October 2022. Photos courtesy of Cosmo Kentish-Barnes An educational programme is looking to pair city schools with farmers who can teach students about the industry. An educational programme aiming to connect farmers with city schools is looking for more people in the Nelson Tasman region to sign up. Farmer Time links farmers with primary and intermediate school children through virtual classroom sessions. Students regularly chat live with their matched farmer, gaining an understanding of farming across the seasons and a ..read more