A farmer's wife, who used a grant to create a successful ice cream business, is about to embark on a second venture.

Clare Bland, from Abbots Lodge Farm, near Penrith, used money from the Rural Enterprise Scheme to restock with Jersey cows after Foot-and-Mouth disease.

She is spending the rest of her �55,000 grant to build a classroom so schools can visit the farm.

She told BBC Radio Cumbria it was important that young people are educated about the farming way of life.

The general public are coming for the ice cream but then they are seeing the farm and they are asking questions

Clare Bland

Mrs Bland said: "I think there is a serious gap in information about farming.

"Unfortunately, it's always the worst few you get to hear about and they are the ones on the news for poor practice.

"The majority of farms are not like that .

"The general public are coming for the ice cream but then they are seeing the farm and they are asking questions.

"They are genuinely really interested."

The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) provides assistance for projects that help to develop more sustainable, diversified and enterprising rural economies.

Its primary aim is to help farmers adapt to changing markets and develop new business opportunities.

A total of �152m EU and Government money has been allocated to the RES for the period April 2001 to the end of 2006.