From LEAF Farmer Duncan Farrington
June Newsletter
May has has been a busy month of publicity
at Bottom Farm. We have upgraded our website to include this column, and have been telling the Mellow Yellow story to people coming to see the unmistakable yellow fields of rapeseed at this time of the year. Firstly it was two days of filming for a television programme coming out later in the summer about country lives, and working on the farm. Then we had the excitement of a press day, where journalists from around the country came to hear our story. We couldn’t organise the weather, which was aptly wet, but this didn’t stop us going out on a farm walk, before returning for a delicious lunch in part cooked by our friendly Michelin starred chef – Adam Gray, ably assisted on the barbeque by neighbouring farmer – Nick How with his Gloucester Old Spot sausages. Later in the month, and with better weather, there were more journalists, photographers, and even a couple of LEAF visits to fit in, to talk about the wider issues of farming, food and the environment. All this publicity can sound a bit blasé, but it does have an important role as people are more interested in where their food comes from. This was evident at the first Kimbolton Food Festival – a great success, where the visitors were keen to sample, and learn about the delicious products on offer from local producers of everything from honey, rare bread meats, vegetables or home-made cakes to name but a few. It is a great time to be in farming again, and more farmers are willing to promote their goods and share their experiences with the public. There is no more better way of seeing what happens on a farm, than visiting one, and the main event of the year is LEAF Farm Sunday, this year held on 1st June. Last year over 400 farms around the country opened their gates to an estimated 150,000 visitors. On one farm the gates opened at 2pm, and the farmer had to deliver a calf at 2.15pm, to the delight of the surprised visitors. This certainly was a demonstration of how nature doesn’t wait for anyone. If you missed farm Sunday this year, you don’t have to wait until next year to visit a farm. We have a wonderful network of footpaths and bridle paths around the countryside, and I personally think May and June are the best months to enjoy the English countryside, as everything around us is bursting with life. In between all the visits, I did manage to get on a tractor for a day to mow all our footpaths making them more pleasant to walk. Finally, Andrea, who has been my ‘right hand man’ in the office for Farrington Oils is leaving us for pastures new. I would like to thank her for all her support over the last year, and look forward to Jo joining us, who will no doubt organise me instead.
