Richard Bramley, Manor Farm

A visit to Manor Farm on Open Farm Sunday (12th June) offers a great opportunity to discover more about the story behind your food and so much more. Run by Richard Bramley, Manor Farm is also a member of LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), the organisers of Open Farm Sunday. LEAF is a registered charity that assists farmers and producers, to manage their farms as efficiently and sustainably as possible which as a result, helps them to produce good food with environmental care.

Manor Farm is a 550 acre arable farm growing crops including potatoes, wheat, sugar beet and barley, that are used in the production of a wide range of foods. Richard grows potatoes for Walkers Crisps, wheat that is used to make bread for Hovis and Kingsmill as well as barley for animal feed and malting barley that is needed to make beer and whisky. Richard estimates that in total the farm produces enough calories to feed 6,000 people for a year. A slightly more unusual crop is the flax and hemp Richard grows that is used to fill mattresses for a local company!

On Open Farm Sunday, Richard will be leading walks around the farm and explaining all the work he does, to not only produce the crops but caring for the countryside and environment too. This includes looking after the hedgerows and ditches which are important habitats for wildlife, growing the wild flower seed mix for the birds - which was vital over the winter and maintaining the grass margins and grasslands. Over the last two years Richard has been participating in the Environmental Stewardship Scheme, which has resulted in a 20% increase in the number of species of birds on the farm as well as an increase too, in the total number of birds. The RSPB will also be on hand on the day to explain more about all the birds and help identify them.

Contact: Richard Bramley, Manor Farm, Kelfield, York, YO19 6RG
Tel: 07801 016267
Website: www.manorfarm-york.co.uk

For more information visit www.farmsunday.org and for up-to-date campaign information, follow us on Twitter – twitter.com/openfarmsunday

To arrange a visit to Manor Farm or an interview with Richard contact:
David Gough or Laura Bates
Open Farm Sunday Press Office   
T: 01189 475956 M : 07884 353 474  
E: david.gough@ceres-pr.co.uk / laura.bates@ceres-pr.co.uk