By Steve Richmond

Are you outstanding in your field? If so, you could put yourself to the test in the unique role of a ‘pasty farmer’.

Ginsters is looking for someone to take on some unusual paid work experience, with responsibilities including looking after the locally-sourced potatoes and onions that go into its pasties.

The unique work opportunity, at Hay Farm in Cornwall, will see the applicant collaborate with the team to sow and cultivate the veg that goes into Cornish pasties.

As well as finding out about the more ‘innovative’ farming techniques like singing lullabies to crops, being a human scarecrow and managing a ‘team’ of worms to ensure only the best quality soil.

Sarah Babb, at Ginsters, which is advertising the work experience role for Spring 2024 [www.ginsters.co.uk/pastyfarmer], for which applications opened on October 9, said: “With the opening of our unique pasty farmer work experience with our partners at Hay Farm, we’re hoping to give the lucky applicant the chance to get stuck into farming life.

“They’ll get the hands-on experience of the effort that our amazing Cornish farmers put into producing our locally sourced veg.”

The new role follows research by the brand which found many city-dwellers would love to get their hands dirty down on a farm growing vegetables.

With more than half (56 per cent) loving the idea of escaping to the countryside and quitting the day job in favour of a more ‘wholesome’ life.

The poll of 2,000 adults found almost two in five (37 per cent) love the thought of growing their own produce. More than a third (36 per cent) would like to get closer to nature and truly understand where their food comes from, from field to fork. Just over four in 10 (41 per cent) believe farmers are one of the hardest-working professions, with 37 per cent not sure they have got the skills to thrive working with farm vegetables.

Sarah added: “One thing is for sure - the lucky candidate will most definitely know how our veg is grown once their work experience has ended.”

The one-off role’s job description said applicants should be willing to get hands, face, arms, knees and toes dirty on a real Cornish farm - as well as be prepared to learn lyrics to vegetable lullabies.