Northern Ireland

NI Open Farm Weekend to take place virtually

Wendy Gallagher and her daughter, Lucy take part in goat yoga at Castlescreen Farm in Downpatrick, Co Down
Wendy Gallagher and her daughter, Lucy take part in goat yoga at Castlescreen Farm in Downpatrick, Co Down Wendy Gallagher and her daughter, Lucy take part in goat yoga at Castlescreen Farm in Downpatrick, Co Down

AN ANNUAL showcase for the farming industry is to be held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Open Farm Weekend is a celebration of farmers which aims to help people better understand how food is produced.

This year, visitors cannot physically attend farms. Instead, activities, including goat yoga in Co Down, will move online.

The event runs from Friday July 31 until Sunday August 2.

Online viewers will get the chance to discover the range of fresh farm produce from around the north and interact virtually with farmers who have been providing food and drink supplies over the last number of months.

Viewers can watch a host of activities including robotic milking, grain harvesting, sheep shearing, virtual farm tours, wildlife watching and potato harvesting.

David Brown, Open Farm Weekend chairman said: "Although Covid-19 has changed the format of this year’s virtual farm weekend, we believe the virtual activities will still capture its spirit and ethos and ultimately showcase our farming industry and the wonderful work our farmers do.

"Having the `live' element is an exciting twist to help farms engage directly with the public and show them what it’s really like to live and work on a busy farm," he said.

Further information is available at www.openfarmweekend.com.