FARMERS learned how a landowner had transformed his land into the location of one of the most famous rock festival venues in the world.

Michael Eavis told Lothersdale Agricultural Society Discussion Group how Glastonbury festival had evolved on his farm in Somerset.

He entertained the audience of more than 70 people with his stories of an abandoned Rolls-Royce left behind when the event ended and of the £35 million that entered the bank in the 25 minutes after tickets went on sale.

Michael spoke about his 30-hectare unit which caters for 385 Holstein Friesian cows and his recent investment in a GEA robotic rotary parlour which is due to be installed and up and running by April next year.

Members went on to host Mr Eavis on three farm walks, the first being at the Booth family's Broom House Farm where David, his wife, Margaret and daughter Jennie milk 130 cows.

Next they moved on to Pasture House Farm, part of the Gledstone Estate, where Phillip and Trish Ormerod and their two sons Joe and James milk 1,100 British Saaneen X Toggenburg goats twice a day

At Skelda Farm, where Neil Bancroft is the fourth generation farmer, Michael learned that since 2009 the family had increased their sheep flock from 400 to 750 mainly Mule ewes with some homebred Suffolk cross ewes.

He was also particularly impressed with Neil’s focus on growing rotational wheat to aid grassland management and utilisation, especially in conditions much more challenging than he is used to in the West Country.