Jeremy Clarkson said Lisa Hogan has launched Only Farmers, a new downloadable app on Clarkson Farm that lists farm-based activities and attractions for people visiting the British countryside this summer. He said the app is meant to help independent farmers reach visitors when farming income is under pressure.
Clarkson said the platform first launched online in June and is now also available as an app. He said it can point users to activities in the area where they are staying, from walking an alpaca to milking a cow, foraging, or learning to cook.
Lisa Hogan and Only Farmers
Hogan co-manages Diddly Squat Farm with Clarkson and created the app to support farmers who want another way to bring in money. Clarkson said farmers can use Only Farmers to tell holidaymakers what they are doing if they are not going to make any money out of farming this year.
“Now I guess a lot of you are going to be on holiday in the British countryside at this time of year and you may be looking for something to do with yourselves or the kids. Well, Lisa has had a brainwave. She started an app called Only Farmers,” he said.
He added: “I know it's a memorable name. If you go on it, it'll tell you all about the farm-based activities available in the area where you're staying. It might be walking an alpaca, milking a cow, foraging or learning to cook – whatever it might be. I think that's something worth considering.”
Dry Weather Pressure
The launch comes as farmers have warned that this year's unusually hot and dry spring and summer have severely damaged crops, with many expecting significantly reduced harvests. That makes the app’s basic model clear: if farming output falls, the visitor side can still give farms a way to advertise paid activities they already run.
Clarkson said that is why the app matters for farmers who are trying to offset weaker returns. “And conversely, if you're a farmer and you have some activity you're running because you're not going to make any money out of farming this year, I suspect, why don't you go on Only Farmers and tell everyone what it is you're doing?” he said.
He ended his pitch by saying, “So I think it's a cracking idea from Lisa. I really do.” The practical next step for farmers is simple enough: use the app to list an activity, then see whether holiday visitors actually use it.
