A recent social media survey of UK farmers has revealed some of the funniest things they've overheard and been asked by the public about what they do.

One farmer heard a couple of ramblers discussing why his ewes had coloured paint on their backs. 

“The farmer won’t be happy, someone’s done graffiti on them sheep,” said one. 

But the other had a different idea. “It’s to stop anyone stealing the wool.” 

Agritourism may be helping people from non-farming backgrounds get a better understanding of farming and the countryside, but there is still a long way to go.

Our top 10 favourite comments and questions are:

1. At a sheep show, one farmer was approached by a woman who asked: “Where do sheep live before they’re captured and taken to live on a farm?”

The farmer asked if she meant before they were domesticated.

“No, I mean where are they born, before they’re caught?” came the answer.

2. “Rearing farm animals is free as they just eat grass so the animal is 100% profit.” 

3. “There must be five babies in that udder,” is a favourite from a dairy farmer who took part in the survey.

4. How many times can you harvest beef from a cow? 

5. What type of cow produces semi-skimmed milk? 

6. Are the numbers sprayed on to lambs the order in which they will be killed? 

7. Do pigs make cheese? 

8. What happens if you forget to milk your cows, do they explode? 

9. Eggs are classed as dairy, right? 

10. “Is that fence really electric?” one walker asked a farmer, while reading the warning sign. 

“Yes,” the farmer answered. 

“Isn’t that illegal?” the walker replied.

Commenting on the survey, Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, said that whereas the popularity of farm-based staycations was certainly on the rise, there are clearly still a lot of misconceptions around what farmers actually do.

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He said: “More and more people are discovering the joy of staying on a working farm and for many, this is as much a learning experience as it is a holiday.

“In many ways, it is a great opportunity for the farming community to engage with a captive audience and show and tell them first-hand how food is produced.

“Farmers are the best ambassadors for what they do and farm-based caravan and campsites provide a great platform from which to inform and educate visitors.

“Having a greater understanding of farming and the working countryside often leads to a more enjoyable and rewarding holiday, meaning people who book on farm-based campsites are more likely to return year after year.”