LINCOLNSHIRE FARM DIVERSIFICATION
Cultural Enterprise on Farms in Lincolnshire

The Lincolnshire Landscape (photo Francois Matarasso)

Introduction

This report describes a series of case studies of farms in the East Midlands that have used culture to diversify their operations. The research was undertaken and written up by Deborah Harrison and Rebecca Lee for Culture East Midlands, in the context of a programme that aimed to strengthen the role of culture in rural development across the region. The research was undertaken in the winter of 2006-07 and provisional findings were presented in March 2007 at a conference in Leicestershire. The analytical report was reviewed following that conference, in the light of discussions and further input from people involved with farm diversification issues.

Although the agricultural economy has recently shown signs of recovery, at least as far as commodity prices are concerned, it does not necessarily follow that farmers will no longer be interested in diversifying, especially through culture. As the acccompanying report shows, the reasons for diversification in recent years have many causes, including changes in rural society, culture and demographics and the personal passions of those concerned. These long-term trends may be expected to continue, and to affect a number of farm businesses.

Culture East Midlands would like to extend its thanks to Deborah Harrison and Rebecca Lee for the careful work undertaken to identify and research these case studies, and to all the farming families who so generously shared their time, experiences and insights.

To read the full collection of case studies from Lincolnshire, please click on the pdf icon at the bottom right of this email. The full pdf. document will then download.