British farmers produce more than half of all the food we eat, so Open Farm Sunday is the perfect time to celebrate all that they do to feed the nation. SIMON PARKIN highlights where the barn doors are being thrown open.
Open Farm Sunday is now an annual which has seen hundreds of farmers across the UK opening up their farm for one Sunday each year. It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone, young and old, to discover at first hand what it means to be a farmer.
Gressenhall Farm
Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse, June 8, 10am-5pm, free admission to farm, £2.50 to visit the rest of the site, 01362 860563, www.museum.norfolk.gov.uk Take a tractor and trailer ride, meet the Suffolk Punch horses and watch them working. Find out how farming methods have changed over the years with Norfolk's Last Horseman, Ray Hubbard. Sheep shearing and step inside a Norfolk Farm Shepherds Hut.
Manor Farm
Gayton Road, Grimston, Kings Lynn, June 8, free admission, 07738 734315, lakehj@hotmail.com A wide range of attractions including meet and greet the animals sessions with cows, calves and sheep, machinery displays, tractor and trailer rides, tours of the farm.
Park Farm
Swanton Morley, Dereham, June 8, 11am-3pm, free admission, 01362 637457, office@huntershall.com Pull on your wellies (and hopefully your shorts) for fun family fun at Park Farm including guided walks around the farm, tractor rides and activities and games for children.
Old Hall Farm
Westfield, Dereham, June 8, 10am-4pm, free admission, 01362 695732 Learn about the conservation work that has been done to improve biodiversity. Guided farm tours, pond dipping, sheep shearing, machinery on display and cattle, pigs and sheep to see.
Bowes Farm
Saham Hall Farm, Saham Toney, Thetford, June 8, 10am-4pm, free admission, 01953 883366, www.rspb.org.uk Find out how the RSPB farm is working with wildlife. Tractor trailer rides, nature trails, sheep shearing, competitions and livestock including cows and calves, ewes and lambs. Pheasants and chicks will hopefully be hatching.
Woodlands Farm
Swannington, June 8, 11am-3pm, free admission, 01603 754437, www.swanningtonfarmtofork.co.uk Livestock farm will be open for the second year and will include pigs, sheep shearing, cow and calf, vintage farm machinery, nature trail, food stalls and tour of their on-farm butchery.
Cavick House Farm
Cavick Road, Wymondham, June 8, 11am-3pm, £1, children free, 07760 233885, www.cavickhousefarm.co.uk Meet the happy hens and find out how free range eggs are produced. Meet the other farm animals and pets, explore the farm machinery, plus children's activities. Whitehouse Farm
Oxborough Road, Stoke Ferry, June 8, 1pm-5pm, free admission Activities include sheep shearing and the story of wool, watch the working sheep dogs, explore the tractors, follow the meadow trail and see piglets, cows, lambs and chickens.
Lodge Farm
Felmingham, North Walsham, June 8, 10am-3pm, free admission, 01692 404601, www.lfpapworth.co.uk Meet cattle, sheep and horses. Displays of vintage and modern farm machinery, guided farm tours and tractor and trailer rides rides.
Cornerways
Cornerways Lane, Wissington, Stoke Ferry, King's Lynn, June 8, 11am-3pm, free admission, pre-book 01366 500999, www.cornerwaysnursery.com Cornerways Nursery is the UK's largest tomato grower. They are running guided tours of the nursery/greenhouses by appointment (first at 11am, last tour 3pm).
Place UK
Church Farm, Tunstead, June 8, 11am-4pm, free admission, 01692 536225, www.placeuk.com Take a tour around the farm to look at strawberries and raspberries being grown with an opportunity to pick some strawberries to take home.
Claxton Manor Estate
Claxton, June 8, 12pm-4pm, free admission, 01508 480721, www.claxtonmanor.com Open Farm event running alongside Fare on the Yare (see right) with trailer rides, the BASC speaking about the conservation, Hereford cattle and calves and farm machinery.
Samphire
Sycamore Farm, Pristow Green Lane, Tibenham, June 8, 11am-4pm, free admission Well known Norfolk smallholding seen on TV, producers of award-winning, ethically produced food. Meet the rare breed sheep and pigs, pure breed chickens including a magnificent flock of Brahmas, and Indian Runner ducks and geese.
The Grange
Fleggburgh Road, Rollesby, Great Yarmouth, June 8, 2.30pm, free admission, 01493 740236, www.thetacons.co.uk Join the walk around this fruit and vegetable farm. Visit the growing crops of asparagus, strawberries, potatoes and more. Enjoy bird spotting and a walk in the country.
Chapman Farms
Clarkes Farm, Staithe Road, Martham, June 8, free admission, 01493 748990 Guided tours, tractor and trailer rides, walk through the woodlands, sheep shearing, machinery displays, competitions, stalls, local food including barbecue.
Holkham Farm
Holkham Estate, June 8, free admission, 01328 713103, www.holkham.co.uk Displays of small tractors, farming staff talking about their work, trailer rides, find out how sugar beet is made into sugar, sheep shearing demonstrations and sheep dog trials and meet the cows and pigs on the estate. There will be fun and games for younger visitors too.
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