Free events for Open Farm Sunday at Terrington St John, Holkham Estate and West Walton

The gates will swing open at North West Norfolk farms this weekend for free events as part of the national Open Farm Sunday campaign.

Visitors will have the opportunity to discover what goes on behind the scenes at farms in Terrington St John, Holkham Estate and West Walton.

At Myrtle House Farm at Church Road, Terrington St John, there will be a chance to see how top quality fruit for the UK is produced.

Farmer John Porter will be giving guided tours of his orchards, which includes a newly-planted innovative pear orchard. He will be explaining how the fruit he grows ends up in local supermarkets and the challenges he faces along the way.

The farm also has growing tunnels which are trialling growing stone fruits such as plums and apricots in the UK.

On the day, Sunday, June 9, there will be several activities lined up for families, such as orchard scavenging. Visitors are welcome to bring along picnics, but no dogs are allowed.

The farm is open from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

At Holkham there will be a display of large, modern farm machinery and a chance to talk to the farming team about what it's like to operate the machines. There will be tractor tours and a chance to see animals on the estate.

There will also be a display of vintage tractors and children's activities. Entry to the event, which runs from10am to 4pm, is free but other charges apply.

Priory Farm in West Walton, a member of the Co-op Farming Group will also be welcoming visitors to look around on Sunday to find out more about its food production and meet the people who are involved with running the business and managing the countryside.

Youngsters who may be visiting a farm with family and friends will be encouraged to share their Open Farm Sunday experience across social media using the hashtag #OFS19.

Sioned Davies, undergraduate agri-marketing co-ordinator at Co-op, said: “This free event will give the local community a unique look at what our farmers do and showcase their role within the farming industry and as a supplier of quality British produce.

"As well as a fun day out guests also learn what it takes to be a successful farmer, and 92 per cent of previous visitors became more appreciative of the work that farmers do as a result of going to a farm.

“Visitors to Priory Farm will also learn that farming today is much more than just about growing food. It’s about being a sustainable business that cares for the environment, protects local wildlife and raises awareness about food.”

For more information on Open Farm Sunday visit www.farmsunday.org