Open Farm Sunday 2016 at Abbey Lays Farm, High Legh

This is our third year of taking part in Open Farm Sunday. Visiting that is, not hosting. Hubster is still saying no. I am going to have to take the powers of persuasion up a notch.

I like to go somewhere new each year so we decided on Abbey Lays Organic farm in High Legh, Cheshire.

I had no idea what to expect but, when I saw that they keep chickens on the website, I had my heart set on it.

When we arrived, I was so pleased to see cows though. The farmer was bemused when I took a selfie but by far, cows are my favourite farm animal. I love the feel of their tongues when they lick you and the lovely look in their eyes.

The chickens were free range and Boo, despite being a farm girl, is not keen on feathers so she walked gingerly behind the pram.

We were met by a lovely volunteer from the Kindling Trust which strives for sustainable production, sustainable living and sustainable activist, in a just and ecologically sustainable society. You can read about them here.

One of their volunteers was planting either pumpkin or sunflower seeds with kids.

Boo had a go and I really hoped she would pick a pumpkin seed to grow but she didn’t.

We got to see chicks, just hatched out of incubators, chicks who were a little older and a whole range of other animals and poultry.

Abbey Leys regularly holds farmers markets which is a great way to find fresh, locally produced food, straight from the producer.

The farmers market was also on and we got some lovely meat, bread and vegetables.

The stall holders were lovely and I particularly liked this lady (I didn’t catch her name) from Larkton Hall Cheese. Her husband keeps the dairy herd and she makes cheese from the milk. How exciting is that?

There was also a farm shop, apple pressing and loads of other activities throughout the day.

The good thing about Open Farm Sunday is that not all the farms are used to having their doors open for the public to visit.

They are not farm parks, they are farms-businesses and you get to see real farming, not petting farms.

By supporting Open Farm Sunday, you are educating yourself, whoever you take with you and the people you will no doubt talk about it to later.

We live in a brilliant place agriculturally and farmers really need the support and understanding of consumers to continue.

If you didn’t manage to get to a farm this year, then please mark it in your diary for next year.

Today, thousands of people got to experience life on the farm.

It really is an incredible day. I live on a farm and I still love it-that’s how good it is.

Don’t you forget next year. You never know, I might have convinced Hubster. Put it in your diary-June 11th, 2017.