Royal Northern Countryside Live 2022

---

AN 'OPEN FARM SUNDAY' - FAMILY DAY OUT 

WHEN: SUNDAY 29TH MAY 2022

WHERE: Mackie's of Westertown, Rothienorman, AB51 8US

Adults £10, Children Under 15 Free   

Proceeds of the event will go to Muscular Dystrophy UK, Maggie's Aberdeen & Charlie House (Aberdeen). 

Main Sponsors: Lely UK (Kilmarnock Centre), NatureScot

Come along to Royal Northern Countryside Live and enjoy a family day out at Westertown dairy farm, home of the famous Mackie's ice-cream and chocolate!

A wide range of activities will provide a fun day out and a taste of life in the countryside for families of all ages. 

• Visitors will gain a unique insight into dairy farming, ice cream and chocolate production through specially installed viewing windows. A video demonstration will show the cows using the voluntary access milking system. 

• Come and say hello to a majestic display of Clydesdale Horses from Strathorn Farm Stables. Strathorn hope to display their highly skilled drill riding team (ground conditions permitting) – an impressive display of the power, grace and elegance of their formation riding. 

• Guided tour of the surrounding fields by tractor and trailer – learn about the wind turbines, solar panels and slurry lagoon. 

• Alongside the Mackie’s herd of dairy cows and calves, visitors will get the chance to see other breeds of cattle and sheep, sheep dressing and shearing demonstrations and sheepdog trial demonstrations. 

• Auctioneers from Aberdeen and Northern Marts – including some of the stars from TV series “The Mart” - will be conducting mock auctions throughout the day in which the public can participate. 

• A display of vintage and new agricultural machinery will allow visitors to see the advancements in agricultural equipment. 

• Learn about grass and arable crop production on Scotland’s farms with GPS soil mapping and drone technology. 

• Visit Mackie’s own arboretum, home to a collection of 112 different species of tree! Learn about beekeeping, honey production and other important aspects of Scotland’s biodiversity. 

• For all the foodies, there will be butchery demonstrations and farmers’ market stalls. 

• A Children’s education area to help link farming and food production to the foods which appear on our tables, run in conjunction with the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative. Have a go at milking the cow, grinding porridge oats and on the smoothie-making bikes! 

• Aberdeenshire Council’s Zorbing and Climbing Wall – if the children have any energy left to burn before heading home! 

The event will be well signposted and ample car parking will be available.