A trip to the farm is a brilliant way to keep the family entertained for a few hours.

There's all the cute animals to coo over, the beautiful rural surroundings to enjoy, and perhaps even a lovely cafe where you can treat yourself to a cake and a cuppa.

And, on Open Farm Sunday, you'll find lots of extra activities happening too.

The annual event is the farming industry’s national open day and is organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming).

It enables visitors to find out about the story behind our food and how farming affects our everyday lives.

Open Farm Sunday takes place this year on Sunday, June 9, and there's a wonderful array of Leicestershire farms taking part.

Take a look at our list below to find out what's happening where.

Time Line

Leicestershire farms you can visit for Open Farm Sunday

  1. Oakley Grange Organic Farm, Shepshed Road, Hathern

    Oakley Grange Farm is more than 200 years old, and has been run by the Mee family for the past two generations.

    Richard and Inger took over the farm in 2001 and since then have farmed organically, raising beef cattle, pigs, sheep and laying hens alongside wheat, fruit and salad vegetables.

    Local beekeepers also house hives on the farm, to both pollinate the crops and provide delicious honey for the cafe.

    There will be guided farm walks where you will learn about the Lincoln Red cattle, Exlana sheep, outdoor pigs and the wildlife and their habitats at Oakley Grange.

    Fun activities and games will include welly wanging and potato and spoon races. You will also have the opportunity to have a look inside the polytunnel, where lettuce is grown, and is picked daily and served with lunches in the café.

    There will be food and refreshments available, including make your own pizza. The café will be open 8am-5pm as usual.

    • Open 12pm - 4pm. Free entry.

  2. Manor Organic Farm, Main Street, Long Whatton, Loughborough

    Manor Organic Farm is a roughly 300 acre organic farm that has a range of animals and crops. There's plenty of friendly animals to meet, as well as a picnic area, play area, farm shop and bakery.

    • Open 11am - 3pm. Free entry, but other charges apply (such as food)

  3. Charnwood Forest Farm, Charley Road, Loughborough

    This is a dairy farm with a pedigree Ayrshire cow herd.

    There will be milking demonstrations, milk tasting, tractor and trailer rides, quizzes to follow round the farm, the chance to meet the animals, farm produce for sale, children's activities and lots more.

    • Open 11am - 3pm. Free entry, but other charges apply.

  4. Bawdon Lodge Farm, Nanpantan Road, Nanpantan

    Bawdon Lodge Farm and Charnwood Forest Farm (situated opposite each other) are joining together again to bring visitors a fun-filled day of farming and local suppliers and produce. 

    At Bawdon Lodge Farm between 11-4pm, you can enjoy activities including woodland walks, games and giveaways, pay to play miniature golf, clay pigeon shooting and rodeo, as well as local artisan food, drink and craft stalls.

    At Charnwood Forest Farm (open 11am-3pm due to milking) you can expect to find milking demonstrations, a magical unicorn, the chance to meet the animals, tractor rides, woodland games, welly wanging and even cow hairdressing and cow pedicure demonstrations!

    There will be car parking at both farms - follow the signs and car park attendants.

    • Open 10am - 4pm. Free entry, car parking £3 (proceeds to local causes) and cost for some activities.

  5. Hawley Fields Farm, Green Lane, Seagrave

    Head to this dairy farm and see robots milking the cows, plus see the small animals and allotments, visit the plant sale and enjoy refreshments including ice cream and a barbecue.

    • Open 11am - 3pm. Free entry.

  6. Little Markfield Farm, Forest Road, Markfield

    You'll be able to see sheep being sheared, wool being spun, as well as cows, pigs and chickens with their babies.

    You'll have the chance to feed the lambs, go on farm walks, and see cookery demonstrations by two professional chefs.

    There will be hot dogs and beef burgers using farm produce, Bakanalia Border Morris Leicester, locally brewed beer, Fosse and Watling Land Rover Club display, modern and vintage farm machinery, more than 40 crafts and food stalls, a Civil War re-enactment and much more.

    • Open 10.30am -4.30pm. £2 entry fee per adult, children under 16 free.

    The event is raising money for Gems Charity, Shuttlewood Clarke Foundation, St Michaels and all Angels Church Markfield.

  7. Brooksby Melton College, Brooksby, near Melton Mowbray

    Brooksby Melton College is a specialist Landex Further Education provider. It has arable and livestock farming, and offers a range of courses including Agriculture, Countryside Management, Horticulture, Equine and Land-Based Engineering.

    Visitors will find a plant sale and lots of family-friendly activities including farm tours, a barbecue and refreshments, a chance to meet the animals, a treasure hunt, face painting and more.

    • Open 10am - 3pm. Free entry.

  8. Hill Farm, Spring Lane, Packington

    Hill farm is a mixed livestock and arable farm. It has rare breed animals along with Canadian bison and red deer.

    You’ll be able to meet the animals including Canadian bison, red deer, alpacas, rare breed pigs, cattle, sheep, shire horses, donkeys and Shetland ponies.

    You can also see the farm machinery, plus there will be children’s play area.

    Cream teas, a barbecue and farm produce will be available.

    • Open 10.30am - 4.30pm. Free entry.

  9. Bouverie Lodge Bison Farm, Nottingham Road, Nether Broughton

    See the many bison and deer, and learn about how they are cared for on the farm. You can also pay a visit to the farm shop.

    • Open 10am - 4pm. Free entry.

  10. March House Farm, Top End, Great Dalby

    This is a family-run mixed livestock farm with on-site butchery and farm shop.

    They rear beef cattle, sheep and pigs and sell the produce through the farm shop and farmers' markets.

    There will be lots of activities, including farm tours, tractor and trailer rides, sheep shearing, tractor displays, a chance to meet the animals including cows, sheep, pigs and the Vine Farm Dairy Cows and their parlour.

    There will be hot food and a barbecue and other refreshments.

    The Farm Shop and cafe will also be open.

    No dogs are allowed.

    • Open 10am - 4pm. Free entry.

  11. Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Allerton Project, Hall Farm, Loddington

    The Allerton Project’s aims are to research the effects of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment, and to share the results of this research through educational activities

    On Open Farm Sunday, it is hosting four walks around the research and demonstration farm.

    Each walk will last approximately one and a half hours and will look at how the farm integrates conservation and farming.

    Sturdy footwear is advised and appropriate clothing for the weather conditions. Light refreshments will be available.

    Booking is essential: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/farmland-conservation-walk-at-the-gwct-allerton-project-tickets-62135691526

    • Walks take place at 10am, 11am, 1pm and 2pm and are FREE.

  12. Cotesbach Estate, near Lutterworth

    This 29 hectare, organically-certified farm comprises arable, woodland and ridge and furrow parkland grazed by Jason’s sheep, which he sells via his butchers shop in the Stable Yard.

    On Open Farm Sunday, the estates will celebrate locally produced seasonal and organic food and the heritage of farming. The gardens will be open, with farm and garden tours, and there will be a forest school introductory session.

    Other attractions include blacksmithing demonstrations, vintage tractors, and the chance to meet a shire horse.

    • Open 11am - 4pm, tours 11.15am, 2.15pm. Free entry.

  13. Manor Farm, Main Street, Catthorpe

    Manor Farm is a small farm rearing rare breed cattle, sheep and pigs for the on-site farm shop. Also grown on the farm are potatoes, asparagus, pumpkins and soft fruit. There are chickens, quails and ducks that lay eggs for sale in the farm shop too.

    You will be able to see the rare breed animals and the other animals at the farm. There will be local producers, offering samples of their products and a chance to meet them in person. The local wildlife trust will be there along with the Rugby Beekeepers Association. 

    Activities will include face painting, pottery painting (charges for these), farm quiz with prizes, games and a chance to learn all about food miles and our carbon footprint, including a tour. 

    Some of the tractors and machinery will be on display and there will also be some vintage tractors and vehicles from the Lutterworth and District Tractor and Machinery Club.

    Food and drinks will be available from the farm shop and tearoom throughout the day.

    • Open 11am - 3pm. Free entry.

  14. Beacon Hill Country Park, Breakback Road, Woodhouse Eaves

    This is a Leicestershire County Council country park with cattle and sheep helping to restore the habitat with conservation grazing.

    The day will feature:
    - ranger led walks to learn about the sheep, cattle and alpacas, 
    - self-led trails, 
    - tractors,
    - children's activities,
    - plus a taste of what come from the new café team. 
    Car parking charges apply.

    The activities will be based around the lower half of the park, accessed from the Breakback Road car park. Parking is also available in the upper car park, off Beacon Road.

    • Open 11am - 3pm, free entry but other charges apply (normal car park charges in place)

  15. Boundary Farm, Stanton Lane, Sapcote

    Boundary farm is a 240 acre mixed farm with a 100 cow dairy herd, a commercial sheep flock and a small arable enterprise.

    You'll be able to see a sheep shearing demonstration and enjoy tractor and trailer rides. Refreshments will be available.

    No dogs are allowed at this farm.

    • 11am - 4pm. Free entry.

  16. Manor Farm, Thrussington

    Manor Farm is a dairy farm on the edge of Thrussington, milking 300 Friesian x Jersey cows, grazing out in the fields from February until November.
    Manor Farm also produces award winning yogurt freshly made each day and sold at the Farm Gate.

    Visitors can see the cows grazing in the fields and watch the milking of the cows in the afternoon from 2pm and see the calves. 

    You can also tour the dairy where the prize winning yogurt is made and sample the products.

    See farm machinery, pet the sheep and lambs, and enjoy a quad bike trailer ride.

    Food available will include farm-made ice cream, barbecue sausages and burgers. Any money made will go to charity.

    • Open 10am - 4pm. Entry free.

  17. Paul Towns Agriculture, Scalford Station, Scalford

    Paul Towns Agriculture is a central grain storage and processing centre, rolling grains for animal feed, dressing oats for the food industry and heat treating specialist grains.

    You can take a look around the grain processing unit and be shown how crops grown locally are processed for animal feed, the feed industry and other specialists markets.
    Sister company Harby Agriculture is also located here and will demonstrate farm waste recycling.

    Tea, coffee and cakes provided.

    • Open 11am - 3pm. Free entry.

  18. Vine Farm, Station Road, Great Dalby

    Vine Farm is a family run dairy farm with a 350+ strong milking herd with Montbéliarde, Holstein and Jersey cattle.

    Vine Farm will be opening their farm yard to the public on Open Farm Sunday. Visitors will be able to see cows and calves, watch a live milking demonstration, find out more about the cows' day to day life on the farm including their feeding routine. Visitors will also be able to see some farm machinery and have refreshments including Gelato made with the farm's own milk.

    • Open 11am - 4pm (live milking 3pm) Free entry.