FARMS across the North East will throw open their gates this summer to show visitors where their food really comes from.
In the wake of food scares such as the horsemeat scandal, Open Farm Sunday is a chance for farmers to showcase real food production. And it offers both rural communities and city families the chance to get an up-close look at farm life.
The project, which has been running since 2006, will see farms in Tyneside, Northumberland, County Durham and Cumbria welcoming visitors on June 9.
Activities will include farm walks, a nature trail, tractor and trailer rides, pond-dipping, activities for children, a mini farmers market or picnics.
But each farm’s event is different, with farmers basing their days around their own individual story.
Gail Anderson, regional coordinator for Open Farm Sunday, said: “The aim of this free event is to get the general public to appreciate farming and understand where their food comes from.
“This is even more important at a time when (yet another) food scare has been so prominent. People want to understand how food is produced, instead of just popping to the supermarket to buy a nicely packaged bit of meat.
“It allows communities to ask questions about their food and get to grips with the farming industry.”
The Journal already runs the ‘buy, use, eat local’ campaign which encourages people to support local producers and take an interest in how their food gets from farm to plate.
Now Gail is trying to encourage more farmers in the region to get involved.
“A lot of farms up here are quite small – it may only be the farmer and his wife,” said Gail, who grew up on her parents’ farm in Bishop Middleham, County Durham.
“Sometimes people think they can’t offer much but the events can be any size – whether you want to attract 1,000 visitors or just invite the local community.
“It is also a really good opportunity to promote farm shops, which a lot of farms are diversifying into.”
The first Open Farm Sunday, organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) in 2006 saw more than 300 farms across the UK open their gates to the public.
By June 2012, nearly one million people had visited a farm as part of the project.
Farms taking part in this year’s event already include: Cut Thorn Farm, Gibside, Gateshead; Cherryburn, Mickley, Northumberland; Wheelbirks Farm, Stocksfield, Northumberland; Broom House, near Witton Gilbert, County Durham; RSPB Geltsdale, Brampton, Cumbria; The Croft, Carlisle, Cumbria; and Bell Foot, Penrith, Cumbria.
An information day for farmers is being held at Farnless Farm in Bishop Middleham on April 22.
Contact Gail on gail.anderson@durham.ac.uk or 0191 377 1428, or email emma.pritchard@leafuk.org to reserve a place. For more details on Open Farm Sunday for visitors, visit www.farmsunday.org
