Open Farm Sunday at South Farm Rodmell
A free family day out in the South Downs 14th June 2026, 2pm–5pm
On Sunday 14th June we're opening our gates for Open Farm Sunday - a national event that gives families across the UK the chance to step onto a real working farm, for free.
South Farm Rodmell sits in the heart of the South Downs National Park, just outside Lewes in East Sussex. For one afternoon, you're welcome to come and see exactly what life on a working farm looks like - the animals, the machinery, the landscape and the people behind it all.
What's on on the day:
Meet our calves and lambs out in the fields - though please no feeding as they're all on specific diets. Watch our herd of pedigree British Friesian dairy cows come in to be milked on our Lely A4 robot milking system — the cows decide when they come in, so there's no set milking time. Take a look at the farm machinery that keeps South Farm running through the seasons. Light refreshments available from our coffee box, or bring a picnic and make an afternoon of it in the South Downs.
Why it makes a brilliant family day out:
Getting children away from screens and into the real world is one thing. Getting them genuinely excited about it is another. Open Farm Sunday does both.
There's something about standing next to a full-grown dairy cow, or watching a lamb find its feet in a field, that no screen can replicate. At South Farm you're not looking at animals through glass — you're on a real working farm in one of England's most beautiful national parks, with rolling South Downs countryside stretching out in every direction.
It's free, it's outdoors, it's educational without feeling like school, and it's the kind of afternoon children talk about for weeks. Free parking on site, picnics welcome, and a relaxed 2pm start means no scramble to get out of the house.
Getting here
South Farm Rodmell is easy to reach from across East Sussex. We're just outside Lewes, around 25 minutes from both Brighton and Eastbourne. Use postcode BN7 3FE for sat nav, or What3Words ///factually.fallen.tourist to find the exact entrance.
About South Farm Rodmell
South Farm is a working family farm nestled in the Cricketing Bottom valley within the South Downs National Park. We're a mixed farm - arable crops, beef cattle, sheep and a herd of pedigree British Friesian dairy cows. Open Farm Sunday is one of our favourite days of the year. We love sharing what we do with the people who live around us.
2026 Maize Maze Coming Soon
Open Farm Sunday is just the beginning. Later this summer, South Farm's maize maze returns - two mazes cut fresh into the crop, stunning views across the South Downs and a proper day out for the whole family.
Dates and tickets for the 2026 season are coming soon.