Meetings and top tips
Book to attend our face to face or online Zoom meetings and get more top tips for your OFS event.
Join us for top tips and support!
Whether you are a first-time farmer or an experienced host who is opening the gates with Open Farm Sunday, join us for a Zoom meeting to connect and bring inspiration to your event.
Online Zoom meetings:
- Where to start! (planning)
An introduction to Open Farm Sunday and guidance on planning your event. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Wednesday 27th March @ 12:30 pm
Friday 5th April @ 10:00 am
Wednesday 10th April @ 18:30 pm
- - Managing visitors numbers (ticketing)
Join us for this lunchtime meeting looking at managing visitor numbers at your Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Monday 11th March @ 12:30 pm
- - Our new OFS resources (support)
A look at the range of resources available for you to promote your Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event, and to help share your farming story on the day. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Thursday 18th April @ 12:30 pm
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- How best to promote your event (marketing)
Join us for this evening meeting focussing on marketing your Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Tuesday 30th April @ 18:30 pm
- - Inspiring your visitors (activity ideas)
Join us for this lunchtime meeting focussing on sharing your farming story and some engaging activity ideas for visitors to your Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Thursday 9th May @ 12:30 pm
- - Last-minute questions and support
Join us for this evening meeting to answer any last-minute questions on hosting your Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event. [30 minute presentation + 15 minute Q&A]
Wednesday 22nd May @ 18:30 pm
Can’t wait? If want to talk through your Open Farm Sunday event today, get in touch — all contact details are here.
Share your support!
Encourage your farming contacts, friends and networks to get involved and join in the LOFS conversations on social media:
- Twitter: @openfarmsunday #OFS24
- Facebook: @openfarmsunday
- Instagram: @openfarmsunday
Top tips from our OFS Ambassadors:
Rebecca Dawes — OFS Ambassador, Scotland
“Never be afraid to ask for help, it is such a rewarding day for everyone involved. Your vet, local feed merchant, machinery dealer, agronomist or farm advisor could give a small talk about what they do and maybe bring a few props like animal feed or wheat seed. A “Farmer Question Time” always goes down well at our event, where local farmers each volunteer to do a 15-minute slot to answer questions.”
Anne Mair-Chapman — OFS Ambassador, North East
“Make your event fun, friendly and forget the farming jargon! After the year we’ve all had, your event needs to feel like a bit of light relief in the fresh air. An informal introduction as people arrive is sometimes all it takes to get the questions going — remember your audience and think of other ways to describe the work you do, farming terms are not always self-explanatory!”
Rona Amiss — OFS Ambassador, South West
“Get lots of help from neighbours, friends and anyone else you can think of! It makes it much more fun and everyone enjoys themselves.”
Helen Chappell — OFS Ambassador, North West
“This is the year to host! The public are wanting to connect with farms and the environment — not just to learn about the farming life but also for the health and wellbeing benefits. The support and guidance is easily accessible and the ambassadors are here to help. The general public are just as apprehensive as the farming community, but they too are determined to embrace the new normal, Covid safe way of doing things.”
Andy Guy — OFS Ambassador, Midlands
“Plan ahead
The most successful events are those where the hosts have planned for every eventuality. Think about car parking, helpers and volunteers, health and safety, activities for kids and families, promotion and what you can do if it rains. If its all sorted before the big day you will have a stress-free event.
On the day.
Brief your helpers in advance so everyone knows what they are doing and what your visitors can see and do. Once the first visitors start to arrive all you need to do is activate your plan and enjoy the day! If you’ve planned well and have contingencies for things like weather it should all go smoothly.
After the event.
Thank your helpers, tidy up and crack open a beer/cup of tea and relax. Share memories of the day with your helpers, update your Facebook page with some photos and start thinking about the next one!”
If you would like to talk through your Open Farm Sunday event ideas now, get in touch with a LOFS ambassador today — you can find the OFS team’s contact details here.
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