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Kathryn Smith

Post from Ian Dillon, Hope Farm Manager

Open Farm Sunday, organised by LEAF, is a great time to visit farms to see what goes on around a farm whether its growing crops or raising livestock. It is also an ideal opportunity to see and hear what wildlife live on farms and what farmers may be doing to help wildlife thrive.

Visitors to Hope Farm on Open Farm Sunday. Image: Ellie Crane

Over 380 farms took part in Open Farm Sunday in 2016, with over 216,000 visitors. Will you be one of the visitors to a farm on 11th June this year? I would strongly encourage you to do so.
RSPB Hope Farm has taken part in Open Farm Sunday since 2014 and we have had great success with lots of visitors learning about what we do here by taking part in guided walks or a nature treasure hunt, watching bird ringing and making dragonflies from pipe cleaners and acetate. It is a great occasion for the whole family, and I will always remember the young boy who enjoyed it so much that he told his mum he didn’t want to leave – a top endorsement.

Learning about the running of Hope Farm at Open Farm Sunday. Image: Kathryn Smith

We will be taking part again this year and the gates will open at RSPB Hope Farm, Knapwell, Cambridgeshire, CB23 4NR on Sunday 11th June from 10am through to 2pm. We have a range of new activities to take part in this year:

  • Tractor and trailer rides across a part of the farm to see and hear about the crops and wildlife and what we do to encourage so much wildlife on the farm
  • An opportunity to see sheep and cows, kindly being brought to the farm by a neighbouring farmer
  • A machinery display – go easy on the horns this year though....
  • Bird ringing demonstration, if the weather allows, and moth trapping
  • Building a hotel for bugs and all sorts of creepy crawlies
  • A nature treasure hunt with prizes at the end
  • Making dragonflies beside our garden pond where dragonflies live for real
  • Stands by Fair to Nature and Operation Turtle Dove (one might even pop in during the day)
  • Barbeque and refreshments
  • A stall selling Hope Farm rapeseed oil and wares from the Tomato Stall
  • Lots of friendly RSPB staff and volunteers to speak to and help you enjoy your visit

But this is not the only place where you can meet RSPB staff during Open Farm Sunday in eastern England, other staff will be out on farms across the region:

  • Andrew, Samantha, Kerry, Katy and Emma will be at Park Farm, Thorney, Peterborough, PE6 0SY on Saturday 10th June
  • Andrew will be at G’s Fresh, Hainey Farm House, Barway Rd, Soham, Ely, CB7 5TZ on Sunday 11th June
  • Kerry will be at Park Farm Drive, Stanton, Suffolk, IP31 2DL on Sunday June 11th
  • Katy will be at Park Farm, Thorney, Peterborough, PE6 0SY on Sunday 11th June

They will be helping the farmers run the events at these farms but also there to help you see, hear and learn about the amazing wildlife that can be found on farms.

If you are a farmer taking part in Open Farm Sunday I would encourage you to consider telling your visitors about all the wildlife on your farm. You could point birds, mammals, plants and insects out during a guided walk for instance, showing what you have done to manage for them around your farm. You could have a whiteboard up in the farmyard with all the wildlife seen on the day written on it, and you could perhaps do a nature trail where visitors have to look out for specific species. Make it as interactive, informative and enjoyable as you can.

Bird ringing display at Hope Farm on Open Farm Sunday. Image: Ellie Crane

If you are visiting a farm do look out for skylarks, yellowhammers, lapwings, kestrels, peacock butterflies, hares, deer, dragonflies and lots of other wildlife to be found on farms. Ask the farmer to point wildlife out to you, and ask them what they are doing to encourage more of them on their farm.

For both farmers and visitors alike we would love to hear back from you about what you saw on the farms you visited and what the farmers were doing to help wildlife on the farm.

Enjoy your Open Farm Sunday, and if you do visit us at Hope Farm do make sure you hello – we are really looking forward to seeing you all.