A site visit from Bug Factory Founder, Thomas Constant

Fly2Feed founder David Tavernor stands with Bug Factory founder Thomas Constant

In traditional farming, every manager, owner or farm worker has access to the farms and ideas of friends, ex-colleagues, industry innovators, old-timers, discussion groups, or even people with opposing views. There are no secrets and there is a huge opportunity to share knowledge.

With huge investments and aspirations for ag-tech super-innovations, the insect farming industry could be accused of being a closed book culture. Therefore, I have found that the opportunity to share experience and knowledge to be limited.

I welcomed having Thomas Constant on my farm today. Building trust and relationships is important to me and my own aspirations. I hope Thomas got as much out of it as I did from Thomas!

Here’s what Thomas had to say about the visit:

Sometimes you really can't beat physically meeting people.

This week, I visited David Tavernor, the founder of Fly2Feed. It highlighted the true essence of networking and the immense value of physically visiting people in their fields of expertise. In a world where digital connections have become the norm, we often overlook the profound impact that face-to-face interactions can have on our personal and professional growth.

This visit was not only an opportunity to witness David's impressive insect farm setup, but also a chance to understand the intricacies and challenges of learning to farm insects for livestock feed - which can be an exceptionally demanding process!

Visiting David and immersing myself in the world of insect farming was an eye-opening experience.

A couple insights I gained from this visit:

🔹 In-Depth Understanding: Physically visiting David's farm provided a whole new level of understanding. Seeing the facility in action, observing the carefully controlled environment, and witnessing the lifecycle of black soldier flies.

🔹 Practical Knowledge: Learning how to farm insects is a hands-on endeavour. Being able to witness the techniques and practices employed by David was insightful.

🔹 Overcoming Challenges: Farming insects for livestock feed presents unique challenges. David generously shared his experiences, including the setbacks and hurdles he encountered along the way.

🔹 Building Connections: Networking is not just about collecting business cards or connecting on social media. It is about building genuine relationships with like-minded individuals. Through this visit, I gained valuable knowledge and forged a meaningful connection with David.

This visit to Fly2Feed reinforced my belief in the power of networking and the importance of physical visits.

It reminded me that true connections and meaningful learning experiences happen when we step out from behind our screens and engage with experts in their domains! 🤟

Note for future me... make sure you don't do it when their is a train strike or you might find yourself being stuck on a 4hr bus back to London