Open Farm Day Attracts Thousands

The fifth annual event, held on Sunday 13th June, was launched by Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) to give the public an insight into how food is produced. Farm shops across the UK took part in the open day, hosting events including tractor rides, cooking demonstrations and animal displays.

“We take part in the celebration every year. It’s a great way of raising awareness of the food we produce on the farm and then sell in the shop,” said Lisa Newton, events co-ordinator at Whirlow Hall Farm Shop in Sheffield. The business organised a teddy bear’s picnic and barbecue for the event, serving a selection of the farm’s freshly-made beef and pork products.

“At Whirlow Hall we’re really dedicated to educating children about where their food comes from. We offered visitors the opportunity to go into our hen hut and collect freshly laid eggs, and then taste them in our café. Hopefully the event will encourage people of all ages to take a more active interest in food provenance,” she added.

LEAF is also keen to emphasis the financial benefits of taking part in national celebrations like this. “There are real business benefits for farmers who choose to host events –  it can help you improve sales, learn new marketing skills, improve staff morale and build a sense of pride. You can also gain new contacts, or simply improve relationships with your local community,” concluded Tom Allen-Stevens, event manager of Open Farm Sunday.