On Sunday 8th June, the Gregory family supported by the Marshwood Vale Farmers Cluster and the Melplash Agricultural Society’s Discover Farming team, opened their farm gates free to the public for Open Farm Sunday. The event attracted over 1400 visitors to their organic dairy farm at Home Farm, Sadborow near Thorncombe, where 360+ cows are raised across 1000 acres using regenerative farming principles.
The day was filled with a diverse range of activities. Guests were given the opportunity to see and talk about what machinery worked the land, take a tractor ride around the farm to learn about composting and soil health, herd management and animal health as well as to find out how the milk gets from the dairy to the fridge from Arla, who buy the Gregory’s organic cow milk. They were also able to witness first-hand how the dairy cows are looked after and milked. In the yard, the Discover Farming area offered families the chance to make butter, grind grain, and birth a cow. Local farmers had brought along some of their sheep and hens and local organisations including Dorset National Landscape, AHDB and the Dorset Wildlife Trust all added to the memorable farming experience.
A new classroom on the farm was officially opened to enable the Gregory’s to host school visits, workshops and community events and continue to bring people together to talk, learn and think about food, farming and the future!
Commenting, farmer Sophie Gregory said ‘What a fantastic day it was… the event definitely met and exceeded our expectations. It was a real pleasure to welcome everyone to the farm and to share what we do. Open Farm Sunday was a brilliant chance to throw open our gates and bring people a bit closer to where their food comes from. We were blown away by the turnout — and the enthusiasm of everyone who clambered aboard the trailer tour! From curious questions about the cows to great conversations around compost, it was fantastic to see such genuine interest in the workings of the farm. It’s days like this that remind us why we love what we do and how important it is to open those gates to connect people to the land and the food they eat.’
LEAF Open Farm Sunday – the UK’s annual celebration of British Farming is in place to give those not involved in farming the opportunity to learn more about farming and the countryside, and farmers the chance to talk about what they are so proud of: British Food and farming!
