FARMS across the area opened their gates to offer visitors the chance to get up close and personal with livestock and farming routines.

Hanley Farm at Tidenham, Hopes Ash Farm near Ross and Oaklands Park at Newnham were among those taking part in Open Farm Sunday.

More than 3,000 people are estimated to have visited Hanley Farm, on the A48 between Chepstow and Lydney.

Among the attractions were vintage tractors and horse drawn ploughs and even the chance to ‘see’ inside a cow, thanks to the artistic skills of vet Bryony Kendall and some children’s face paint.

There was also a chance to see the Tidenham Landshare project, a community growing scheme on land owned by farmer Lyndon Edwards.

He said: “It really was a fantastic opportunity for everyone, young and old, to discover at first-hand what it’s like to be an organic farmer these days.”

Oaklands Park, which is run by the Camphill Village Trust (CVT), offered the chance to look around the 150-acre farm and there was also music, children’s activities and crafts.

A spokesman said: “Our farm is managed bio-dynamically – an organic way of farming which treats animals, soil and crops as part of the same system.

“We give CVT community members opportunities to engage in meaningful

activities through our farm, wood workshop and weavery.”

•See this week’s Review for more photographs.