IT’S a craze sweeping rural France to farmyards in Brazil – and it’s now on its way to Cumbria.

‘Felfies’ are an agricultural twist on the modern trend of ‘selfies’ – a self portrait photo taken on a mobile phone, and usually shared on social media such as Facebook and Twitter.

Farmers worldwide are now uploading snaps of themselves – often with cattle – to a dedicated website called www.felfies.com .

It shows a humorous side to farming and allows people to vote on their favourites.

Amanda Owen, 39, who farms at Ravenseat, Keld, near Kirkby Stephen, sent her picture to the site.

Despite being a busy mum-of-seven who helps runs the 2,000-acre farm, she posed with adorable bearded collie, Fan.

She believes it is a good opportunity to educate the public about farming.

Amanda, whose stock includes 900 sheep and 100 cows, said: “It’s a bit of fun and puts a face to the farm and people like looking at photos of owners with their animals.

“It gives people a chance to see how things are on a farm and how things are looked after.”

Closer to home, Graham Wadsworth, 42, of the 160-acre Raines Hall Farm at Sedgwick, near Kendal, uploaded a picture of himself.

The farm is better known as the Lakeland Maize Maze but less well known is that it is home to 12,000 hens. Mr Wadsworth said he liked the idea but was not sure about his picture.

“I’ll have to try to get some better ones when weather is nicer!” he said.

Hannah Storton, 17, from Natland, is a member of Grayrigg Young Farmers. She enjoys visiting her family farm and her boyfriend’s farm.

She said: “I first noticed these on a social networking website and then people started uploading them to Facebook.

“I generally just take them for fun when outside on the farm and then I share them on social networking sites. Taking Felfies can take a while as the animals are usually camera shy or trying to eat my jumper or phone!”

Cumbrian farm worker Jim Beaty already has 135 ‘favourites’ for his photograph.

Jan Davinson, chief Officer of Cumbria Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs, said: “It is a bit of fun and demonstrates to a wider audience that farming isn’t only the domain of the over fifties!”

* Have you taken a 'felfie'? If so, please email your photograph to ellis.butcher@kendal.nqnw.co.uk