Lotmead Farm has now reopened for the 2018 season and already has Swindon’s strawberry fans flocking to pick the first of this year’s crop. The Pick Your Own will also be hosting Open Farm Sunday on 10 June, with talks and tours on strawberry and raspberry growing, displays of farm machinery and the dairy parlour open. Talks and tours will start from the farm shop at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Over the winter season, the team behind Lotmead has been busy making changes for everyone to enjoy, and visitors will see great new play equipment, including a strawberry themed climbing trail, as well as new animals and familiar faces in the small animal enclosure, the nature trail and the dairy parlour. John Meaden, manager of Lotmead Farm, said: “We had lots of visitors over our first weekend of opening who had all been looking forward to picking our early crop. This year, we currently have strawberries, rhubarb and asparagus, with our gooseberries likely to be ready the weekend after next and raspberries in July. There will also be blackcurrants, potatoes, dwarf beans, runner beans, green beans, sweetcorn and more later in the season too. “During the winter and spring whilst we’ve been closed, we’ve spent a lot of time refreshing the play area and this year we have a new strawberry-themed wooden climbing frame.” Individual day entry to the play area costs £1.50 per person, or £5 for families of two adults and three children. However the best value comes from the Family Annual Pass at £20 for unlimited access to the extended play area, small animals, nature trail and dairy parlour across the entire season. In line with other Pick Your Owns, Lotmead also operates a pre-payment system redeemable against produce picked. Lotmead will be open seven days a week from 9.30am until 7pm, with last entry at 6.30pm, however fruit availability may affect closing times. For the latest opening and availability information, call the 24 hour hotline on 01793 790137. For more information on Lotmead, visit www.lotmead.co.uk or find them on social media www.facebook.com/lotmeadfarm or www.instagram.com/lotmeadfarm.
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