Join us for top tips and support!

Whether you are host­ing your first Open Farm Sun­day event or an expe­ri­enced host look­ing for new ideas, we have a fab­u­lous pro­gramme of Zoom webi­na­rs to sup­port you along your OFS jour­ney and to con­nect you with like-mind­ed host farm­ers and indus­try pro­fes­sion­als to bring inspi­ra­tion to your event. All our Zoom webinars fea­ture farm­ers shar­ing their OFS expe­ri­ence and sto­ries. All webinars are recorded and uploaded here soon after the event – see below and register to join us.

Online Webinars:
 

Each Webinar will be 30 minutes of presentations and discussion, followed by 15 minutes Q&A to get your questions answered.

• Large Event, planning and support - 19th November @ 13:00pm - 14:30pm
  • Thinking about taking your Open Farm Sunday event to the next level? This one-hour online 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. Register here.
• 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. Register here.
     
• Sector Specific Webinar: Arable - 28th January @ 11:00am - 12:00 pm
  • 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. Register here.
     
• Sector Specific Webinar: Fruit and 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. Register here.
     
• 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. Register here.
• Sector Specific Webinar: Health, Safety and Insurance - 24th February @ 12:00pm - 13:00pm
  • 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. Register here.

Can't wait? Check out last year's webinars on our YouTube channel, or if you want to talk through your Open Farm Sunday event today, get in touch: OpenFarmSunday@leaf.eco Tel: 02476413911 - more contact details are here.
 

In-person Host Farmer Meetings

Our in-person meetings are pipeline. Hold on and keep your eye out on this page, and we will let you know as soon as possible.

Share your support!
 

Encourage your farming contacts, friends and networks to get involved and join in the OFS conversations on social media:
 

• Twitter: @openfarmsunday #OFS25
• Facebook: @LEAFopenfarmsunday
• Instagram: @openfarmsunday

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!"

If you would like to talk through your Open Farm Sunday event ideas now, get in touch with the Open Farm Sunday team: OpenFarmSunday@leaf.eco or call 02476413911.