Figures show Open Farm Sunday value

Despite Scotland’s agricultural abundance, a survey by the environmental organisation, Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf) found one in five visitors who attended Open Farm Sunday events had never previously set foot on a farm.

Open Farm Sunday will take place on Sunday June 11, when farms throughout Scotland will welcome visitors to put on their wellies to learn how food is produced.

More than 350 farms around the UK will open their gates, all intent on showcasing farming and food production, to give the general public an opportunity to understand more about how and why farmers do what they do. Each farm offers something different, but activities include going on farm walks, watching milking, feeling the texture of sheep’s wool or tasting the freshest of fruit straight from the fields.

Scottish co-ordinator Rebecca Dawes has been involved in Open Farm Sunday since its inception, opening her family farm on 10 occasions and supporting the campaign in Scotland since 2013.

“There is a real appetite in Scotland for Open Farm Sunday with over 20,000 people visiting farms across Scotland during last year’s event,” she said.

“We know the impact of the day is helping both the consumer and industry with 91% noting they appreciated farmers more because of their experience on this one day, while 73% went one step further and confirmed they would actively look to buy British produce,” she said.

“As a country, Britain consumes 11.7 billion eggs per year, but only 12% of these are purchased direct from the farm, butcher or small independent.

“Therefore, a staggering 88% are selecting their eggs straight from the supermarket shelves with little or no knowledge about how those chickens have been reared.

“Open Farm Sunday provides the opportunity to see what the hens eat, where they graze, find out how many eggs they lay each day, where the eggs are sold and maybe pick up some good tips on how to cook this staple food.”

Most of the events are free to attend or ask for just a small donation towards charity. They include the James Hutton Institute in Dundee who showcase their cereal crops, potatoes, vegetables and fruits, flowers and plants and focus on environmental stewardship.

New for 2017, East Cadder Farm near Glasgow is inviting visitors to learn more about their 1,500-acre mixed arable enterprise, growing wheat, barley, oats, rye and grass. They will also focus on forestry, sporting and fishing which all take place on the estate.