Press
Please email james@ruralcontractor.co.uk for a press pack and more information.
Farmers Club Magazine Feature and Speech
James Vestbirk, founder of RuralContractor.co.uk was featured in the Farmers Club Journal and also did an After Dinner Speech to the Farmers Club U30’s on the Internet and Rural Contractors.
BBC Lincolnshire
James Vestbirk reviewed the papers as the sofa guest (7.20 – 8.00) on Rod Whiting’s breakfast show, discussing the latest news and the legendary black cats of the countryside.
NFU Magazine
The October NFU Magazine featured James Vestbirk, founder of RuralContractor.co.uk
Lincs FM Farming Show
15th August 2010.
James Vestbirk, founder of RuralContractor.co.uk was interviewed with Sally Elkington on her farming show, 7.00am every Sunday, James discussed the new website and what it offers farmers – a free search and find database.
Practical Farm Ideas
Summer Issue 2010
Practical Farm Ideas featured us with the headline “Rural Contractor website is a must for farmers.”
BBC Radio Cumbria
27th July 2010
Founder of RuralContractor.co.uk James Vestbirk was interviewed on the Mike Parr Breakfast show talking about farming and contracting within Cumbria and the improvements in rural broadband.
Mail on Sunday
25th July 2010
Feature on new business within the Enterprise section of the Mail on Sunday reported the launch of RuralContractor.co.uk as an agricultural diversification.
Media Release – July 2010
Farmer Launches Latest Online Venture
Cattle breeder turned internet entrepreneur James Vestbirk has just launched his latest venture in a bid to help other farmers boost their revenue stream. RuralContractor.co.uk, aimed at farmers and contractors, is geared towards putting them in touch with each other to sell and buy services.
The idea is simple. It gives contractors a useful forum to advertise their services and at the same time gives farmers a database they can access to find a contractor for the particular job they need doing.
So, for example, if Farmer Smith has the need for a contractor to plough a 60 acre plot, he can search the RuralContractor.co.uk database for someone offering that service in his locality. The two are then put in touch with each other and can privately negotiate on price and the time scale for the work to be carried out.
The launch of the site is timely given that farming equipment is becoming increasingly costly, and at such a busy time in the farming calendar, outsourcing is a sensible way to keep cost down and offer other farmers an additional income.
James said: “My family has farmed for over 50 years so I understand the pressures faced by the farming community. To me, this seems such an obvious solution for everyone. The farmer can find someone with the right skills and machinery to do a specific job and the contracting farmer earns extra cash. It’s win-win.”
“The cost of farming machinery is a big issue for lots of small farmers. This takes away the need to buy expensive equipment which will be rarely used. Instead a farmer can use someone locally who owns that type of equipment to do the job for him. It also allows farmers who invest in big kit the opportunity to further spread the cost.”
“My aim is for the site to become the UK’s first free farm contractor search and find database, built by farmers, for farmers. This is not about making money. Our aim in the first 12 months is to build up the number of registrations, particularly from contractors. We believe every farmer who owns their equipment and is not operating as a contractor is losing out on revenue.”
James already runs a number of successful online businesses from his family farm in rural Lincolnshire. He first ventured into the virtual world with dating website KissingGates.com and since then has launched LivingExtreme.co.uk. James said: “These businesses are about supporting the farm, the farm will always be the priority. When I came back home after university I knew that I needed to find a way to diversify and with broadband becoming more accessible to rural communities, online projects seemed the way forward.
“Both dating sites are aimed at farmers and those who have a passion for the outdoors. They’re a great way for like minded people to meet – especially when you live in the countryside and the nearest neighbour can be miles away.
“RuralContractor.co.uk is an idea I’ve had for sometime, it was making it work that was key. It’s a very straightforward process for both the contractor and farmer and will hopefully offer an easy solution for those selling services and buying them.”
To find out more visit www.RuralContractor.co.uk/contact
