Graham and Liz Jarnell, Wolds Farmers
This month sees a new trend in opening working farms to the public so that families can see where and how their food is produced… Open Farm Sunday on the 1st June is organised by LEAF & the NFU, and Wolds farmers Graham and Liz Jarnell thinks it’s a great idea!

The UK’s farmers are dreadfully undervalued, and the nation’s children, even those living in rural counties such as Lincolnshire, have a severely limited knowledge of where and how their food is produced, raised in an age where food is simply picked up from the shelf of their local supermarket, and in which food just magically appears shrink wrapped or in tins.

There’s a shocking lack of appreciation for the effort, expertise, science and art that is modern farming, and where once schools could visit farms, an increase in health & safety fears and risk assesment have rendered a visit to a local farm too much trouble for most schools.

Now though, an initiative by the NFU and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) aims to encourage people to visit their local farm in order to find out just how much work goes into producing arable crops and breeding lifestock.

One farmer who thinks the initiative is a great idea is Burgh-le-Marsh’s Graham Jarnell, whose 450 acre farm on the National Trust’s Gunby Hall estate is open to the public on 1st June as part of a county-wide scheme.

 “It’s the first time we’ve taken part in the event, which is a relatively new idea.” Says Graham. “It’s really important to connect with the public and show that the farming industry is answerable to its consumer and is willing to show the public how much effort goes into producing the country’s food.”

The farm has 100acres of grassland on which Graham has recently started a herd of Lincoln Red cattle. At present he has seven heifers which will be kept for breeding and six steers for finishing. He also has 14 limousin cross heifers which will be bulled with a Lincoln Red next year. In addition, he has 120 cross bred ewes with 180 charollais lambs at foot. Elsewhere is 260 acres of wheat and 60 acres of oilseed rape, plus two stewardship schemes, one which has been started eight years and the other for six years across the farm’s 450 acres.