Nominee Summary
At Newton Farm Tours, we bring rural Scotland to life through immersive, educational experiences for all ages. From hosting school groups, university students, and youth organisations to offering hands-on farm tours and 'Farmer for a Day' experiences, we foster understanding of food production, animal welfare, and sustainability. Our interactive sessions support the curriculum and inspire future rural careers. We also engage the wider public with nature trails, wildlife photography, and seasonal events, making the countryside accessible and engaging. Passionate about nurturing knowledge, we champion real-life learning that connects people with the land and Scotland’s rural heritage.
The preservation of skills
At Newton Farm Holidays & Tours, preserving and sharing rural skills is at the heart of everything we do. As a working family farm, we offer immersive, hands-on farm experiences, and new craft workshops that connect people of all ages and abilities to Scottish farming, food production, and the countryside. We actively support the next generation through practical learning and rural career pathways. We’ve provided modern apprenticeships to our son and two young women with no prior farm experience, one of whom now works with us full-time, six years on, and employed 2 unemployed young women in agritourism. We offer placements for university vet students, agriculture and animal care college students, and young people considering careers in the rural sector. We work with local schools, and authorities refer pupils for on-farm work placements, including ASN pupils and those who don’t thrive in classroom settings, allowing them to learn rural skills weekly on a one to one basis over time in a nurturing environment. Our volunteer programme supports those seeking confidence, CV experience, or social inclusion, including individuals with additional support needs. Community youth groups such as Beavers, Brownies, Scouts, and Guides and the public regularly visit to engage with land, livestock, and rural traditions. Through tailored, inclusive, and practical sessions,from lambing and animal care to food provenance and land stewardship,we ensure vital rural skills are not only preserved but celebrated. Our work fosters pride, purpose, and opportunities for the next generation, keeping farming relevant, relatable, and resilient for the future.
Increasing awareness
Newton Farm is dedicated to increasing awareness of rural skills through immersive,inclusive, real-life experiences connecting people with farming, food, and nature. Since launching tours in 2017, we’ve welcomed 35,000+ visitors, with 7,000-8,000 expected 2025. Our educational work reaches across Angus, Dundee, Perthshire, Singapore and attracts visitors from the wider UK, Europe, North America, Asia.We educate school and college pupils, university vet students on lambing placements (in 2025 hosting them from London, Edinburgh &locally), ASN students, and young people exploring rural careers, offering placements, apprenticeships, and one-to-one support. In 2025, we’ve welcomed 500+ children on 12 school trips and as a RHET volunteer farmer. We teach children butter & pizza making. We work closely with local authorities to support disadvantaged individuals, including a 16-year-old recently placed with us for two months, and have previously employed an unemployed man and young women with no farming background. Our volunteer programme builds confidence for people looking to gain skills, enhance CVs, or improve mental health. Preschoolers and their parents engage through our “Muddy Munchkins” programme, and youth groups often visit for fun, educational experiences. Our award winning Farm Tours and Highland Cow Experiences have brought in local and global visitors allowing us to raise awareness of rural life and educate whilst combating misinformation about farming. We amplify awareness through community talks, media outreach, and our roles in RHET, ATC, NFUS, and Appetite for Angus.By making rural education engaging, accessible, and meaningful, we’re helping thousands every year understand and value Scotland’s rural skills and heritage.
Ethical/environmental standards
Ethical practice and sustainability are embedded in every part of Newton Farm. We’ve held a Green Tourism Gold Award since 2014, recognising our continued commitment to energy efficiency, waste reduction, and environmental responsibility. Our 9.6kW solar PV system helps power the farm and we are actively adopting regenerative practices to improve soil health, support biodiversity, reduce carbon and manage land responsibly for future generations. We promote slow tourism, encouraging visitors to stay longer, connecting with nature and farming on our farm and wildlife tours, and support local businesses. Through our work with VisitScotland and Angus Council Economic Development, we help drive responsible tourism and seasonal dispersal, supporting the local economy year-round. We are proud recipients of VisitScotland’s Taste Our Best award, sourcing our own and local produce wherever possible, including collaborating with neighbours and fellow Angus farmers. We only use local trades and suppliers, from joiners and contractors to food producers ensuring our investment stays within the rural economy. Farmer Lou actively supports our community through leadership roles across multiple organisations: as Vice Chair of Angus NFU, a board member of Angus Tourism Cooperative, a steering group member of Appetite for Angus, and as Treasurer for Scotland’s Best B&Bs, Strathmore RFC & Forfar & District Small Bore Rifle Club. These positions allow us to champion inclusion, sustainability, and responsible rural development. Newton Farm is not just a business, it’s a model of ethical agritourism, showing how farming, tourism, and education can work hand-in-hand to sustain Scotland’s rural communities.
Noteworthy improvements
Our work is continually improved by the strength of partnerships with schools, regional organisations, and wider agritourism network. Collaborating with RHET and schools has helped us deliver curriculum-aligned farm experiences that are more engaging and accessible, while enabling us to reach hundreds of school pupils annually. Local teachers, support workers, and ASN specialists have helped us shape flexible, inclusive sessions that meet the needs of individuals who don’t thrive in traditional settings. This has allowed us to offer term-long placements and one-to-one learning that builds life skills and boosts confidence for vulnerable young people.Our involvement in Appetite for Angus and the Angus Tourism Cooperative has helped us align our educational and agritourism efforts with regional strategies. Peer learning within these networks has encouraged innovation like our Highland Cow Experience and farm to fork offering, helping us position Newton Farm as a leading example of responsible rural tourism.National collaborations have enhanced our visibility. Working with VisitScotland on campaigns like Coos in Cardigans not only promoted wool traditions and sustainability but brought global attention to Scottish farming, helping us reach even wider audiences. The young people we’ve supported through apprenticeships, volunteering, and placements have directly influenced the development of new tours, digital content, and more flexible offerings. Their enthusiasm, ideas, and long-term involvement have strengthened our succession planning and brought new energy to the farm making workplace a less lonely environment, improving our mental health. These collective efforts have helped Newton Farm grow, diversify, and inspire, proving that rural education thrives in community.
Overcoming Challenges
Newton Farm Holidays & Tours was born out of necessity. As a small, traditional farm, we needed an economic survival strategy to sustain our business and family. Agritourism was a recent concept, we embraced it, learning new skills in educational delivery, and accessibility, whilst continuing to run a fully operational mixed farm and B&B.We faced the uncertainty of limited funding, rural isolation, and the challenges of adapting old infrastructure for modern, inclusive use. Creating safe, accessible spaces for the public, ASN visitors, school pupils, and volunteers required creativity, perseverance, and investment. External factors- weather extremes, livestock disease threats, and COVID-19 brought significant disruption. Tourism disappeared overnight. We adapted quickly, enhancing our outdoor offering and increasing our online activity to maintain awareness, launching new offers in line with market trends for wellbeing and outdoors like wildlife photography tours, farm to fork tastings and highland cow experiences, all which build on the farm traditions. Perhaps our biggest challenge has been balancing the relentless demands of farming and tourism with a small family team. Delivering exceptional, personalised visitor experiences while caring for livestock and maintaining standards behind the scenes has required deep commitment, flexibility, and long hours.Yet from these challenges came strength. We’ve built a trusted, award-winning rural destination that now welcomes thousands annually, creates employment, champions sustainability, and gives visitors a true connection to Scotland’s land and farming traditions. Every difficulty has shaped who we are- resilient, inclusive, and determined to make a meaningful impact in our rural community and beyond.
