Thousands enjoy open day at Harleston farm

Thousands of people attended an open day event at a South Norfolk farm.

Tim Lewis, the tenant farmer at Shotford Hall in Mendham Low Road, Harleston, was helped by other local farmers, friends and family to put on its seventh Open Farm Sunday Event.

It was estimated that 3,000 people attended last Sunday's event, held between 11am and 5pm, which included children's activities - with help from the local branch of the National Young Farmers - as well as meet the animals, tractor and trailer rides, machinery displays and refreshments.

Entry was free but any donations made were given local charities, including the East Anglian Air Ambulance. The farm was open from 11am to 5pm, and it is estimated that more than 3,000 people attended, coming from all over Norfolk and Suffolk.

A sheep shearing demonstration also proved to be a huge hit, as did the milking and calf feeding. The chickens and small furry animals were also very popular.

A spokesman for the farm said: 'We were very lucky again with the weather and can only hope for the same next year.'

Open Farm Sunday is a national initiative, which is organised by LEAF - Linking Environment And Farming - and is backed by the National Farmers Union.

LEAF started the event to give people the chance to learn how their food is produced and the work farmers do to manage the countryside.

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