Last weekend saw Open Farm Sunday hit the country.
Up and down Britain, farms opened their fields to the public as they hosted special events and attractions. One of them was Great Wood Farm at Boothby Pagnell.
Almost 1,800 visitors and various farming and wildlife stalls made up the special day which aimed to highlight the story behind our food and to promote a reconnection to Lincolnshire’s rural lifestyle.
As I’ve often written in my columns, I’m an advocate for bringing locals closer together and events such as this, taken on by locals wanting to explore local history, are a huge part in doing so.
While attractions such as the pet animals and bouncy castle were there to generate some fun and pull in punters the community angle is an important aspect of Open Farm Sunday and should be praised, especially when the number of visitors reach as much as they did Sunday.
The event has gotten bigger every year at Great Wood Farm as more and more are drawn in by not only the quality of the day’s entertainment but wanting to be a part of the community spirit. With local businesses jumping in and supplying raffle prizes, owls to handle and running a children’s colouring competition, there is no doubt that events like OFS breed a tight-knit family.
We need more opportunities like Open Farm Sunday to promote not only rural Grantham but the town and the surrounding areas as a whole.
With success stories like last weekend and last year’s Gravity Fields Festival it is obvious that there is not only enough interest to keep these afloat but to support more fun, informative and inclusive events.