Open Farm Sunday brings field to fork online

With the date for Open Farm Sunday pushed back to September, organisers Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) did not want the original date – June 7 – to pass unmarked.

So between 8am and 8pm there is a full schedule of farms from arable to livestock, soft fruit and dairy which people can visit from the comfort of their own home.

Dairy farmer Eddie Andrews, from Our Cow Molly on the outskirts of Sheffield, is one of the farms taking part and Mr Andrews said he was really looking forward to it.

“We have taken part in Open Farm Sunday for the past six or seven years and for the past two or three around 2,000 people have visited the farm during the day.

“It is loads of work but everyone loves doing it, a whole day which is dedicated to talking about what we do.

“It is the only day when we show people behind the scenes and we try to make it as varied as possible.

“We have had representatives from British Sugar with someone making candy floss and then showing people the sugar beet which looks a bit like a turnip and they can’t believe one comes from the other.

“We give the children jars of cream and get them to shake them to make butter, everyone enjoys it and a lot of parents can’t believe that is how it is made. It shows how disconnected people have become from the food they eat and how it is produced.”

Out Cow Molly will be online at 12pm on Sunday, June 7 with Mr Andrews streaming live from the fields with his cows.

“It will be a great day, people will be able to log on and watch what is going on at lots of different farms. It is a great idea.”

Manager of LEAF Open Farm Sunday, Annabel Shackleton, inset, said: “It is sad that the on-farm events cannot run as usual,” she said.

“But this will be a great opportunity for even more farmers to get involved online. Families will also be able to get an insight into a whole range of farming enterprises across Britain in one day, in a very accessible way.”

The ‘open farms’ will be taking over the LEAF Open Farm Sunday Facebook channel and hosting virtual tours which will showcase what is involved in producing food, enhancing the environment, and some of the amazing science and technology involved.

“This virtual format will also mean viewers can interact live and ask questions. We would love the farming community to post short film clips and images on their own channels using the hashtag #LOFS20,” Mrs Shackleton said.