The public are being invited to ‘Discover the World of Farming’ at Bishop Burton College this month.
The agricultural College is hosting its first Open Farm Sunday event on Sunday, 29th May. The free event, held in conjunction with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), will give visitors the chance to see how a real working farm operates and benefits the environment.
There will be the chance to take a tour of the farm and its facilities, see the livestock and take part in a range of farming-related activities.
Visitors will also be able to find out more about how students at the College, in Bishop Burton, near Beverley, benefit from getting real, practical work experience on the farm as part of their studies, as well as explore the wider campus.
Open Farm Sunday is being run alongside the prestigious British Eventing Horse Trials at the College on the same day, which will see dozens of riders compete in a range of disciplines. The event is the highlight in the equestrian calendar in the region.
College Chief Executive and Principal, Jeanette Dawson OBE, said she is delighted to be able to open the College farm up to the public.
She said: “It is wonderful to be able to open up our farm – and the wider campus – to the general public to showcase all the important, hard work that goes on here.
“There is huge interest these days in farming and how it impacts on people’s lives, through food and nutrition and many other ways. It is also important to be able to show how farming benefits the environment.
“Here at Bishop Burton College we combine traditional agricultural methods with the latest in precision technology and this will be an excellent opportunity for people to find out more about the world of farming.”
Students at the College will be running a number of the activities and explaining how various elements of the farm work. There will also be demonstrations and talks from members of the wider farming community.
Bishop Burton College’s 360-hectare farm is split between grassland and cereal production. It is a real, commercial farm on which agriculture students build up their expertise.
The College will also be opening up its Animal Management Unit, which is home to more than 100 species, and be giving people the chance to ‘hug a bug’ and ‘snuggle a snake’.
Although admission to the event is free, due to limit space there will be a £10, cash only charge for on-site car parking. However, there will be free buses to and from the event and free park and ride operating from Beverley. Money raised from the event will be donated to R.A.B.I (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution), which supports members of the farming community in need and is one of the College’s designated charities.
This year marks LEAF’s 25th anniversary. Open Farm Sunday nationally aims to engage people with farming and food. People are given the chance to discover how their food is produced and the important work farmers do.
• Open Farm Sunday will be held at Bishop Burton College from 10am to 3pm on Sunday, 29th May. Lunch packages and parking can be purchased in advance through the College website www.bishopburton.ac.uk.
