Join us for top tips, help & support
In-person farmer workshops:
Our FREE in-person workshops are run by LEAF’s qualified Education Specialists; they’re a great opportunity to up-skill and network!
Expect a day full of inspiration and ideas, to feel a sense of community, and to build connections with other like-minded farmers.
Online webinars:
Whether you are interested in hosting your first Open Farm Sunday event, or an experienced host looking for new ideas, our programme of online webinars is designed to support you along your journey. Hosted on Microsoft Teams, they are a chance for you to connect with like-minded farmers and industry professionals.
All the webinars feature host-farmers sharing their OFS experience and stories, so pop along to get inspired by the OFS community and get any burning questions answered in the Q&A! They will be recorded and uploaded here soon after the event – see below and register to join us.
Large Event, Planning & Support
Thinking about taking your Open Farm Sunday event to the next level?
This session is all about how to welcome more visitors while keeping your event safe, engaging and memorable.
You’ll hear from experienced hosts who successfully run large-scale OFS events, sharing their top tips, challenges, and behind-the-scenes stories.
Sector Specific Webinar: Beef and sheep
13th January | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Are you a beef or sheep farmer thinking about opening up for Open Farm Sunday?
Join us for this friendly, one-hour online session to hear from experienced hosts about how they plan and deliver their OFS events.
Sector Specific Webinar: Arable
28th January | 11:00am - 12:00pm
Think an arable farm has nothing to show the public? Think again!
If you’ve ever considered opening your farm for Open Farm Sunday but wondered what visitors could see, this session is for you. Join us for a relaxed, coffee-in-hand conversation exploring how arable farms can showcase British farming at its best - from crops and machinery to wildlife and farming with nature. You’ll hear real-life examples and practical ideas to inspire your own event.
Sector Specific Webinar: Fruit & Vegetable
5th February | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
We’re all encouraged to eat more fruit and vegetables, but we need consumers to understand and value the work that goes into producing them.
In this webinar, you’ll find out some simple, creative ways to share your story with visitors on Open Farm Sunday.
Sector Specific Webinar: Dairy
11th February | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Not sure what to share with visitors on your dairy farm?
In this one-hour session, hear directly from farmers who have opened their gates for Open Farm Sunday.
Health, Safety & Insurance
24th February | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
From risk assessments to visitor safety tips, you’ll leave this webinar with the confidence to run a safe, compliant, and enjoyable event for everyone.
Our team will give an overview of key considerations on keeping your farm safe on Open Farm Sunday, and we’ve invited an insurance broker to talk through how to get the right cover in place.
Top tips from our experienced hosts:
Rebecca Dawes - 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 - 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!"
Sign up to our mailing list(s)
You are now subscribed!
You are signed up to the mailing list(s) you selected.
If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, every email we send contains a link at the bottom allowing you to unsubscribe with one click. Privacy Policy.