Jimmy and Michaela Doherty Launch Open Farm Sunday 2010
With just a few days to go until Open Farm Sunday 2010, farming champion Jimmy Doherty
and his wife Michaela have joined the campaign to help LEAF (Linking Environment And
Farming) launch farming’s national open day to the general public. With over 400 farms
preparing to open their gates on June 13, more visitors than ever before are expected to see
the dedication and skill of those who produce their food and care for the countryside.
Jimmy and Michaela who farm near Ipswich, are strong supporters of Open Farm Sunday.
The couple hosted an event last year, drawing in around 2,000 visitors.
“We’re delighted Jimmy and Michaela are helping us launch Open Farm Sunday to the
public,” said Open Farm Sunday manager Tom Allen-Stevens. “Farmers are putting in a lot of
effort to make sure it’s an enjoyable and successful day, that will help everyone appreciate
the care that goes into making our food whilst caring for the countryside.”
Jimmy presents a short film that promotes Open Farm Sunday, which will accompany this
years research and will be distributed to national and regional media in the week
commencing 7 June.
“We already know that Open Farm Sunday is a proven and successful way to bring
consumers in touch with what really happens on a working farm. Jimmy and Michaela will
help increase its appeal to a wider audience,” Tom added.
To find out which farms in your area are taking part, visit www.farmsunday.org. For up-todate campaign information and to let us know about your time on the farm, follow us on
Twitter - twitter.com/openfarmsunday.
- Ends For further information and images, or to arrange an interview with a local farmer contact:
Naomi Barry
Amanda Wadlow
Open Farm Sunday Press Office
Open Farm Sunday Press Office
T: 01189 475956
T: 01189 475956
M : 07920 098498
E: amanda.wadlow@ceres-pr.co.uk
E: naomi.barry@ceres-pr.co.uk
Notes to editors:
 Jimmy Doherty found favour with farmers following his widely acclaimed BBC series
Farming Heroes, in which he tracked the remarkable achievements of Britain’s ordinary
farmers. Since then a non-stop whirlwind of TV documentaries, such as Jimmy’s Global
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Harvest and Jimmy’s Food Factory, have aimed to engage the consumer through a nonjudgemental portrayal of how food is produced, processed and brought to our plates
Strong advocates of sustainable farming, Jimmy and Michaela joined LEAF in 2009,
shortly after Jimmy was crowned Farmers Weekly Farming Champion of the year. He
features in further farming and food-related programmes due to be broadcast by the
BBC later this year. Jimmy and Michaela married in August last year and are expecting
their first child
LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) www.leafuk.org is a national charity that helps
farmers produce food with care for the environment, while working with their local
community
The fifth annual Open Farm Sunday on 13 June provides a great opportunity for the
public to truly get to know how their food is produced and how the countryside around
them is cared for
Visitors will be able to learn from farmers themselves how natural plant and insect
species are encouraged to thrive alongside crops, they will get a close-up look at farm
animals and see how the needs of wildlife are balanced with modern food production
LEAF organises Open Farm Sunday and supports farmers with putting on an event that is
not only enjoyable, but gives visitors a really fascinating insight into aspects of the
countryside that they would not usually see or experience on an average day out
LEAF supports both LEAF and non-LEAF member farmers by hosting a number of
workshops across the country with practical advice and tips for organising successful
events. LEAF also provides free promotional support materials and an interactive online
event database to register details of farmer events
Food carrying the LEAF Marque logo shows that it has been grown by farmers who are
committed to looking after the countryside and the environment. LEAF farmers are
subject to an independent LEAF Audit, designed to help them meet the change in
demands placed on operations by legislation, the marketplace, community and the
industry.
An increasing number of farmers are signing up to support LEAF to demonstrate how
they are integrating modern farming with environmental conservation
Principal sponsors for Open Farm Sunday 2010 are: ASDA, Defra, Farmers Weekly,
Frontier, LEAF Marque, Love Food Hate Waste and Home Composting, Morrisons,
National Grid, Natural England, Waitrose and Warburtons
The additional sponsors are: DairyCo, Dairy Crest, EBLEX, HGCA, Marks and Spencer,
NFU, GrowHow, Produce World, Soil Association, Duchy College, Farm Stay UK, Wiggly
Wigglers