On Sunday 11th June 2017 hundreds of farms across the UK will throw open their gates to welcome the public and showcase the fascinating world of farming.
LEAF Open Farm Sunday gives visitors the opportunity to see first-hand all that farmers do and the impact their work has on the public's lives.
This so often misunderstood industry has a vital role in not only producing safe nutritious food, but also using the latest science and technology to farm sustainably – that means increasing production whilst managing the environment for wildlife and enhancing natural resources for generations to come.
Since the first Open Farm Sunday in 2006 over 1.8m people have visited a LEAF Open Farm Sunday event. This year, farms across the country, from Cornwall to Orkney, will provide young and old with an opportunity to see farming in action.
The mostly free events will offer a range of activities from tractor trailer rides, farm walks and bug hunts, to feeding lambs, sheep shearing and milking demonstrations.
The technology and science behind farming and food production will also be a focus; providing visitors with an insight into the world of farming.
'Impacts all of us'
Open Farm Sunday is managed by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming); an organisation delivering more sustainable food and farming.
Annabel Shackleton, Open Farm Sunday Manager at LEAF commented: “Modern farming is incredibly diverse and impacts on all of us - from the clothes we wear to the medicines we take and the food we eat.
“Farming plays a vital part in each of our lives. LEAF Open Farm Sunday gives us the rare opportunity to see farming in real life and to learn about the hard work, care and pride that goes into the work farmers do, which is so vital to the environment, our lives and the economy."
Caroline Drummond MBE, Chief Executive of LEAF, has wrote an open letter encouraging involvement in this year’s Open Farm Sunday.
