Have you herd, you can have an udderly free day down on the farm this June, with Open Farm Sunday
On Sunday, June 9th, 2024, hundreds of farms throughout the UK will open their doors, or perhaps I should say gates, for members of the public to explore real working farms and participate in the showcasing of British farming as the 2024 Open Farm Sunday event kicks off.
Teams of volunteers will be on hand, at this free event, and they'll take this fantastic opportunity to talk to you about how farming works and answer any questions you may have. They'll be able to give you information on that particular farm’s individual story and its history and show you how the farm runs.
What can you do?
As part of this family-friendly event, you'll will be able to explore a working farm and take part in activities that range from farm tours, machinery displays, tractor trailer rides, demonstrations by host farmers, nature walks and nature trails, interaction with animals such as dairy cows, pigs and sheep, plus more.
It's a great opportunity for you and your family to experience the real-life workings of a farm and a better understanding of the huge range of jobs within the farming industry and help your family gain a greater appreciation of the work farmers do, as well as get better educated about animal welfare, British produce and how British food is produced.
The national event is organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), a national charity that helps farmers improve their farming by encouraging them to adopt Integrated Farming techniques. LEAF aims to help to create a better public understanding of farming through their national network of Demonstration Farms, Innovation Centres, LEAF Education work and initiatives like LEAF Open Farm Sunday, which is the farming industry’s annual open day.
They bring farmers and consumers together to raise awareness of how farmers are working in harmony with nature to produce good food with environmental care and to promote sustainability.
Watch highlights from the 2023 event.
What does it cost?
The event is free, although some farms may ask for a small donation, which is donated to charity. The events get very busy, and so many farms ask visitors to book their visit in advance as visitor numbers have increased steadily in recent years.
You can see which farms are opening up locally by visiting the official Open Farm Sunday Website. Enter your postcode to find a farm you can visit and book tickets if applicable.
If you can't make it to a farm, you can watch videos that let you follow four farms and see what they get up to throughout the farming seasons.
The events are kid-friendly, so if, like my son, your kids are interested to see what happens on a farm and would like to spend time hanging out with farm animals and real farmers, get some fresh air, and of course, discover all the smells you would expect on a farm, then what better opportunity can you think of to go and explore!
Maybe pack a picnic, take your wellies, and have an adventure! We had a very well spent afternoon, at our local event, taking part in lots of fun activities, although we did spend a fortune at the farm shop.
This year we are heading to Tuesley Farm, near Godalming, Surrey, which is part of the Hall Hunter Partnership and is a fruit farm and we'll get to experience:
Farm Machinery displays
A children's play area
Strawberry picking
Fresh fruit for sale
Delicious food and drinks to enjoy
We've been there before, as my partner's extended family is involved with the farm, and it's an amazing experience; I'd never seen so many strawberries before in my life!
Further information about the Leaf Open Farm Sunday can be found on the Open Farm Sunday Website.
