Farm Visits learning log This week was very different to a normal Friday class. This week we were off campus visiting two local farms, Strandhead and Mossgiel. Mossgiel Farm was a family business which had been passed down through generations. When compared to Strandhead farm, Mossgiel was a hands on, manual labour farm. Where the workers worked long and  hard days, seven days a week. The way the cows were treated in this farm was a vast difference to the way the cows were treated in Strandhead. Cows at this farm are outside for the most part of the year and only brought inside when the weather becomes horrendous in the latter months of the year. The cows are well treated and produce nature food.

Strandhead Farm is seen as a more up to date, modern farm as equipment for running the farm is very much technology based and not as much manual labour is required than Mossgiel farm. The farmer explained that these cows are always kept inside. However the barn where they are kept have no walls and so the cows were still getting to enjoy the fresh air and natural weather showing that the cows were getting  good treatment as any other types of cows who are outdoors most of the time. As this is a very technology based farm the cows were given fresh hay daily using a machine that would go round setting down a fresh batch every so often so the cows wouldn’t go without. The cows were also milked using a machine. The farmer also explained that this machine was one where the cows were not forced to milk and that they could choose whenever they wanted to go and use the machine.

This weeks session was very engaging and enjoyable. This trip showed me that it would be useful and beneficial to take children on a school trip to a farm like these to show how different farms can be and the different aspects to each one. It would also be a good learning point to show the how dairy products are made naturally.