Farms open doors to public across Sussex

Cockhaise Farm on Monteswood Lane in Haywards Heath will take part in Open Farm Sunday so people can get ‘up close and personal’ with their animals.

Farmer Dan Burdett, 36 said: “It’s a chance to show people what farming is all about.

“People drive past farms and get a funny smell or get stuck behind a tractor, that’s all they know, but this will give them a fantastic time.”

Cockhaise Farm will display sheep shearing, and host talks with a vet, farm walks, tractor rides and a BBQ.

“We’ve got groups of kids from schools coming, we’re putting on kids activities,” Dan continued. They’ll get up close and personal with the animals on trailer rides to see the calves.”

Cockhaise Farm has 230 cows which produce 25 litres of milk a day in autumn and 17 a day in summer.

“We try to improve the soils as that’s the basis of life,” Dan added.The life is in the soil, healthy soils make healthy cows, healthy cows make healthy milk and healthy milk makes healthy people.”

The cows produce 6,000 litres of milk per cow per year, meaning that the farm produces over one million litres of milk each year.

He lives on the farm with his wife Emma and children Lizzie, 5, Molly, 3 and Tom, 1 and his parents, Jeremy and Jacky.

“The best thing about living on the farm is seeing my family grow up here,” he said.

“My kids get to see their dad at work, and they can help out when they get a bit older!”

The farm boasts 600 acres and produces organic milk, much of which is exported to France.

Dan said: “We don’t have as many cows as mass producers, we don’t use artificial fertiliser and use more expensive food for the cows. I’m the third generation of my family on the farm, it’s a beautiful part of the world.”

Find out more about Open Farm Sunday at www.farmsunday.org