by Chris Jefferies
Woodland theatre, sausage eating competitions, local cider and rare-breed pigs – it’s all part of another sensational summer at Jimmy’s Farm.
TV personality and farming enthusiast Jimmy Doherty has been busy transforming his land into one of the country’s most unique farms for the past ten years, since his 2002 BBC TV series shot him to fame.
And this year, Jimmy is ready to welcome hundreds of Caravan Club members to his farm as part of a two-week temporary site (26 Jul – 11 Aug).
With so much to see and do, the trickiest decision is choosing when to visit, with the annual beer and sausage festival (27-28 Jul) proving as popular as ever, while the Red Rose Chain will be bringing Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Taming Of The Shrew to the woodland theatre (23 Jul-25 Aug).
CaravanTimes caught up with Jimmy to find out why these events are proving so popular and what caravanners can expect from a stay on this fantastic farm.
Farming fanatic
Growing up in the Essex countryside with childhood friend Jamie Oliver, Jimmy has always had a keen interest in wildlife and agriculture.
A true outdoorsman, he gave up his dream of joining the Marines to found a rare breed pig farm on the outskirts of Ipswich.
“I wanted to do something I was passionate about, instead of think about it, not do it and regret it,” he explains. “Food culture is changing massively, with the rise of farmers’ markets and farm shops, so it seemed like the right time.”
The early years were tough, and Jimmy lived in a small caravan with his girlfriend Michaela, three dogs and one piglet.
But in 2002 things really kicked off, thanks to the BBC Two TV series Jimmy’s Farm, which catapulted him into the spotlight.
In the past ten years Jimmy has been working tirelessly to highlight the wonders of rare breed pork, whether that’s in sausages, bacon or simple chops.
And in 2012, he was reunited with Jamie Oliver for the Channel 4 TV series ‘Jamie and Jimmy’s Great Food Fight Club’, which is due to return to our screens later this year.
Jimmy and Jamie are still thick as thieves; in fact Jimmy is trying to convince the celebrity chef to add a pig to his small collection of livestock.
Summer of sausages
Jimmy’s Farm has come a long way from the early days of one man and his caravan, and the Caravan Club has recognised this by setting up a temporary site for this summer.
Visitors will be able to pick from 280 grassy pitches, with electric hook-up and water – the perfect vantage point for enjoying the many activities that are coming up.
Jimmy is particularly excited about the annual sausage and beer festival, which features local breweries and sausage producers from all across the UK.
Food fanatics will be able to pick up tips on cooking with cider and beer, or if you have a particularly huge appetite, you can take part in the sausage eating challenge, in which you have to eat a five-foot long banger as fast as possible.
The current record stands at four minutes, but the winners might take you by surprise, as Jimmy explains:
“You’d think it would be a huge man, but nearly every year it’s some tiny lady who wins.”
The lure of caravanning
Jimmy is very happy to be welcoming hundreds of caravanners onto his land this summer, and he believes that there is something very noble in this pastime.
“There is something quite pioneering to be able to set off with a holiday home behind you, exploring a new place but having the familiarity of home,” he continues.
And he expects he will become a fully-fledged member of the caravanning community, when his daughter Molly is old enough to travel the country.
He hopes to pass on the childlike wonder for the countryside that he had in his early years.
“I remember when I was a kid, my biggest dream was to sit inside the caravan while it was being towed and make a cup of tea, but for some reason my parents wouldn’t let me,” he tells us.
Don’t miss out
If this takes your fancy, then the Caravan Club is now accepting bookings, but with just two weeks until the farm opens, pitches are expected to get snapped up very fast.
Prices are set at a flat rate of £20 per night, although you will need to be a Caravan Club member to reserve a space.
Len Short, Event Manager at the Caravan Club, explains: “Jimmy’s Farm is proving to be very popular, particularly over the first weekend for the Beer and Sausage festival.
“The site has excellent road links from the A14, and it’s also very easy to access to other attractions in Suffolk.”
Facilities on-site include six-amp electric hook-up, fresh water points and waste disposal, but there are no shower or toilet blocks, so make sure your washroom is up to the job before hitching up.
Jimmy’s Farm will be open to Caravan Club members from 26 July to 11 August, for more information, visit the Caravan Club website.
