Many discussion groups choose September and October for their annual trip.
This is a good thing to do as it serves two purposes – the social side of things and also broadening horizons and seeing different systems.
The trip needs to be a balance of both.
When visiting a farm, you need to ask the right questions: grass growth, soil fertility, milk solids output, stocking rate, six-week calving rate and costs of production.
Keep discussion focused and respectively challenge the host farmer so everyone gets the most out of the meeting.