LOOK OUT FOR Spring barley establishment advice p56 FarmLife Six farm pick-ups battle it out p64 &Rural Living Hunt is on for next Farmers Apprentice p82 Edited by Oli Hill l 020 8652 4928 l [email protected] Open Farm Sunday: Why you should get involved Now in its 12th year, Open Farm Sunday gives all farmers the opportunity to educate and engage with the British general public at a muddy boots level. Melanie Jenkins looks at the benefits of getting stuck in

pen Farm Sunday has ers welcome the public onto their Working towards Leaf’s vision of become one of the largest farms and offer insight into what it a more sustainable farming future, cross-farm events in the is truly like to farm in the UK. Open Farm Sunday helps farmers farming calendar and is Run by Linking Environment show the public what their day-to- the industry’sO annual open day. and Farming (Leaf), the event sees day lives involve. It has been opening farm gates all types of producers get involved, Many host farm walks, tractor and visitors’ minds since 2006, from large arable estates in the east and trailer rides, demonstrations Trailer rides are a popular part of giving farmers and the public a to mixed units in the depths of and talks, often with a number of the Open Farm Sunday events held chance to connect. , as well as farm parks, hop associated industry representatives at Gatcombe Farm in Devon Every June, hundreds of farm- gardens and llama farms. also getting involved. CHANGING PERCEPTIONS ADVICE FROM Abi Reader, Goldsland Farm, neighbours, the NFU and Young PARTICIPANTS , Wales Farmers all helping out. Getting involved with Open Adam Reeves, farm manager, Farm Sunday has been a real HUGE SUCCESS Quicke’s dairy, Newton St Cyres, eye-opener for Welsh farmer Abi “At the end of the day there were Devon Reader, showing her the massive visitors hanging around and they A family farm for more than 450 difference that opening just one asked me what they could do to years, Quicke’s creates handmade farm to the public can make. help and support me. All I could say cheddar using milk from a 600- Milking 180 cows on Goldsland was to buy British, Welsh and Red cow herd, on just under 120ha Farm in the Vale of , Tractor foods.” of rotational grazing. They have Abi farms in partnership with her Following the event, in November been participating in Open Farm father John and uncle Robert on 2014, Abi was on a train to London Sunday since 2011 and the event the 324ha mixed enterprise, which when she was approached by a has grown each year. also runs a flock of 200 Poll Dorset woman and her two young sons. Abi Reader is set to hold her fifth event Q Do a risk assessment. “The sheep and grows barley and maize “They had recognised me from biggest thing is to take health and for feed. the event and said that as a result come and contribute in any way safety seriously, but do not let it She has taken part in Open they only ever bought British and they can,” she says. put you off,” says Adam. Use blue Farm Sunday for the past four Red Tractor foods. I realised just “I put an advert on Facebook for rope to create passageways and years and although she initially how important it is to connect to local stall holders to come along safe zones, with educational got involved through guilt, she the public and the difference that and sell for free and we have a lot of notices for children and plenty of has found the event to be a huge opening just one farm can make.” stalls now.” handwash. success. Since then, her farm has held These range from the local flying Q Make use of resources. “Be “I was on a leadership course at an event every year, with visitors club to a man with an owl, a local art sure to use the resources that the time and was heavily involved jumping to 1,000 in 2015 and to group, cooking demonstrations and Leaf makes available.” with the NFU, and could see that 3,000 in 2017. “I am not afraid now. a local author. Q Engage with children. “Make a the key to success in farming was It is stressful but absolutely worth “It creates wellbeing in the question trail to encourage kids to letting the public know what we it,” she says. community and people get a lot out go see everything on the farm.” do.” The day has become quite a of it,” she adds. “The villagers from Q Plan ahead. “Bear in mind that In the first year Abi wasn’t sure community gathering, with the Wenvoe come year after year to be you might have more people than what to expect: “I was scared to Wenvoe Wildlife Group – which is a part of it and each time bring their you expect, so plan car parking.” death, worried about what people very involved in a number of nature friends.” Q Do it for free. “Don’t worry would see and that they would projects on the farm – holding If farmers are worried about doing about making money – it’s about hate it.” wildlife farm tours. it on their own farm, Abi suggests making the visitors love farming.” Despite only being listed Other local farmers attend to give helping at another event. “I cannot Q Just do it. “The one thing that on Leaf’s website and simply talks on beef, do sheep shearing fault Leaf for developing such an staggers us every year is that dropping off leaflets at local and baling demonstrations, and amazing event. If more take it up someone new from our village, schools and shops, the farm’s give tractor and trailer rides. “It is in the future and we can all change who has never been to the farm debut event had 300 visitors, with surprising just who is happy to one person’s mind, we can go far.” before, comes along. It is brilliant.”

80 FARMERSWEEKLY  19 JANUARY 2018 ‘The amount farmers get in BPS GET IN TOUCH EMAIL [email protected] TWITTER @farmersweekly cash is no measure of wealth’ ONLINE www.fwi.co.uk/farm-life INSTAGRAM @farmersweekly Stephen Carr Opinion p27 FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ WHATSAPP 07881 803 480 farmersweeklyuk

OPEN FARM SUNDAY VISITORS HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY

THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPATING FARMS PEAKED IN 2009

Robert and Julie Reed, Gatcombe Farm, Seaton, Devon Calving all year round and using five Lely robots, the Reed family have hosted an Open Farm Sunday event on their 340-cow dairy farm for the past two years. After visiting the USA and Canada and seeing how open doors they are, Robert wanted to take the opportunity to welcome visitors to his farm. Q Get neighbouring farmers and trade representatives involved. “Visitors want to chat and talk to IN 2017, THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF VISITORS PER FARM WAS 762 them,” says Robert. Q Keep the farm tidy. This will make life so much easier. Q Have demonstrations. “The vet does a demonstration of a cow’s organs by using face paint on a cow. A local farmer does sheep shearing and his wife does wool spinning, while another demonstrates foot trimming on the cows each hour.” Q Have catering facilities. “The local farm shop does the catering and a local brewery and vineyard also attend.” Q Do not charge but do donate to charity. “Pick a good local charity. Last year we donated to Devon Air Ambulance and this year to Devon Blood Bikes.” HOW TO GET INVOLVED Q Trailer rides. “These are the highlight of some people’s day.”  Open Farm Sunday will be held first time. All host farmers are given event that they wish to hold. Q Allow well-behaved dogs. “The on 10 June 2018. a range of free resources plus help For more information on Open first year we said no to dogs, which Organisers say that to date and support. Farm Sunday 2018 or to register we found was wrong. We had more more than half of all farmers who It is free to participate and all your farm’s participation this year, misbehaving children than dogs.” have registered to take part in the farmers are encouraged to join, visit www.farmsunday.org/open- Q Don’t be afraid to ask for help. day this year are doing so for the whatever the size and scale of the my-farm

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