6,000 take a peek inside the workings of one of the Ely area’s most important enterprises as G’s host another successful Open Farm Sunday

An estimated 6,000 visitors turned up to G’s for Open Farm Sunday and enjoyed – for free- what effectively has turned into a spectacular mini county show.

Cambs Times: Open farm Sunday at G's of Barway. An estimated 6,000 visitors flocked to G's at Barway near Ely for Open Farm Sunday. They were treated to an amazing range of activities and provided with an insight into environmental and conservation issues connected with modern day farming. Open farm Sunday at G's of Barway. An estimated 6,000 visitors flocked to G's at Barway near Ely for Open Farm Sunday. They were treated to an amazing range of activities and provided with an insight into environmental and conservation issues connected with modern day farming. (Image: Archant)

G’s opened their gates at Barway to numerous attractions that appealed to visitors of all ages with outdoor stalls and activities and a massive indoor display featuring their own and local suppliers.

Everything from marinated beetroot (the chilli is popular) to small packets of Fen celery with a dip (a new innovation being trialled) to local companies offering everything from gin to chocolate was on show and for sale.

For those interested in environmental and conservation issues these were on display in abundance. Of special significance is the compostable approach to packaging mushrooms – G’s proudly showed examples of their new compostable punnets and the award it has recently won.

A G’s spokesman said: “Thank you to everyone who attended our event - it was great to see so many of you turn out to join us.

“Thanks also for all of the wonderful reviews that we have received. If you have any feedback from the event we would be really grateful if you would message us - we’re always keen to improve the event year on year, so would welcome any comments/feedback that you have.”

G’s farms around 6,000 hectares, around 4,000 of them in East Anglia, and produces much of the produce on show on Sunday.

These included mushrooms from May Farm, Soham and radishes from Feltwell, onions from Suffolk and the Fens (but packaged in Ramsey), beans, spring onions and asparagus from the west Midlands and Chinese leaf lettuce from Wissington.

Councillor Mike Rouse, the mayor of Ely, was among the guests who described G’s as “a great company that has a huge pride and passion for what they do and that comes right from the top and is all the way through.”

He said G’s was “a great innovator and a leader in the environmental farming campaign” and he was delighted that Charles Shropshire took him round the wildlife meadow and to see all the conservation work being done there.

“This is the future of farming and no wonder Michael Gove was there recently,” said Cllr Rouse.