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10
Jun 2023
Ripon educational farm features on Channel 4 series
A Ripon farm has featured on a new Channel 4 television series.
Bland Close Farm, on Whitcliffe Lane, was chosen to take part in presenter Sarah Beeny’s new series called New Country Life.
The programme follows couples and families who leave city life and start new ventures in the countryside.
Grace and Dannie Foster-Lilly run the 120-acre family farm on the outskirts of Ripon.
The couple sought to turn the working farm into an educational facility, which helps schoolchildren to learn about agriculture and animal welfare.
Grace told the Stray Ferret that the farm had been in Dannie’s family for three generations, but needed to be kept open if it were to survive.
She said:
The couple, who are former teachers from County Durham, dropped out of the profession after 10 years in teaching.
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They sought to change the use of the farm, which is where they now live and got married.
The farm is now the home to alpacas, pigs and chickens and teaches children about animals and where food comes from.
In the past year, Grace and Dannie have overseen 25 school visits from areas such as Ripon and Darlington.
Channel 4 series
In an effort to increase the profile of the farm, Grace responded to an Instagram post from Channel 4 filmmakers looking for families to take part in a new series.
The crew were immediately interested and the couple embarked on 11 days worth of filming.
Dannie with some of the pigs on the farm.
Grace described the process as a whirlwind.
She said:
The series has been broadcast every day since May 29 and will continue throughout June, Monday to Friday.
Grace said the farm has received a good reaction since the episode have been out.
She said:
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