LEAF once again organised Open Farm Sunday to great acclaim this weekend.

In Norfolk more than a dozen farms opened their gates and the crowds that streamed in showed that the event has become a runaway success.

Two farms in particular, Harrow Farm, at Whissonsett and the Houghton Estate Organic Farm, provided and interesting and educational day out for families.

At the Whissonsett farm, owned by the Stangroom Brothers, there is one less usual crop, herbs. Spring and winter barley, oilseed rape and winter wheat apart nearly a third of the land on this 2,000-acre farm is taken up growing herbs such as parsley, coriander, mint, chives and tarragon.

They grow 300 tonnes of parsley and coriander alone, a crop which is sold fresh and dried around the world.

The supposed British dislike of ‘wonky’ vegetables was underlined by a display of Norfolk Peer new potatoes grown by Heygate farms on free-draining Breckland soil.

William Gribbon said that to appear of a supermarket shelf they had to measure between 30-42mm, although the smaller 10 per cent that miss the cut are not wasted for they are quickly snapped up by smaller shops.

The over 42 mm unwashed ‘dirty’ potatoes appear to be a favourite with the older generation, he said.

There were massive pieces of machinery to wonder at but also hands-on opportunities to stroke sheep, cattle and day-old chicks and turkeys.

At Whissonsett the day had been organised by Malvin Bridgeman.

He said the farm was environmentally friendly by leaving wild the edges around fields, managing the hedgerows and trees to encourage wildlife and putting up bird-nesting boxes whilst solar panels provide 850 kilowatts of green power on a sunny day.

“We are environmentally sensitive. We are very careful about the plant protection products that we use,” he said, adding that he was very pleased with the public response to the day.

At Houghton, an Open Farm for the first time, the star attraction was a new organic dairy with a state-of-the-art milking parlour which next year will be coping with a 500 strong herd of Jersey cows.

One of the co-organisers, Nicole Tolan, of the Evolution Farming, a consultancy company that specialises in farm management, said the day had been such a success that they hoped it would be repeated next year.

Vintage tractors we on show by the Stradsett Vintage Rally Club showing how the small machinery on farms of only 50 years ago has grown to monsters such as combine harvesters powered by engines approaching 400 horse power.

The day also showed some of the smallest creatures that are vital to the health of the countryside.

The West Norfolk and King’s Lynn Beekeepers Association was on hand with a glass-fronted observation hive. Member Judy Heal said: “An organic farm is a good place for bees. “There is a wide range of forage for them.” There are more than 250 species of wild bees in the United Kingdom and to help them find food the association was giving out packets of bee-friendly wild flower seeds.

Nicole was delighted with the day. “It was our first one and we didn’t really advertise it yet it was really well attended,” she said.

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