How hosting an Open Farm Sunday event can help your business

It’s a vital tool to educate the public, but there’s also a tangible benefit from taking part in Open Farm Sunday, says George Bennett.

About 1,000 visitors typically come to the Bennetts’ 40ha organic Sandy Lane Farm in Oxfordshire, where enterprises include vegetables, pork, lamb and laying hens.

Years ago, George’s father Charles ran his own open days at Easter and on August bank holidays, but Open Farm Sunday now provides the ideal opportunity to be part of a much bigger, national event.

See also: Open Farm Sunday first-timers share their experiences

“We saw we could benefit from the initiative’s momentum and there would be less advertising required on our part,” George says.

The public are drawn by the chance to see crops and livestock, take tractor-and-trailer tours and to meet the people who farm at Sandy Lane.

Customer loyalty

“Of the 1,000 people who attend on Open Farm Sunday, 800 might just come for a wonderful family day out, and that’s great – but 200 might really buy into what we’re doing,” George says.

“They might then support us again, either through the veg box scheme we run with Ten Mile Menu, our farmshop or by shopping with us at a farmers’ market.”

“We always look for ways of engaging with the public and OFS is a great way of doing this.”

George Bennett © Mark Lord

A former software product manager, confessed “veg geek” George is a big believer in the power of Facebook and Twitter, but reckons it’s also important to have face-to-face contact with customers.

“Given the turmoil that could hit farming in the next couple of years, it’s really important that people believe in what you’re doing. Customer loyalty will be ever more vital and Open Farm Sunday is a chance to forge a personal connection with your customers.

“Visitors get an all-round insight into what a traditional, mixed farm is like. They can see how it all fits together. It’s a real feel-good day for us and for everyone who comes to visit.”

Big attraction

In Lincolnshire, Uncle Henry’s Farm Shop, Butchery & Café is another enthusiastic supporter of OFS.

Visitor numbers at this mixed farm between Lincoln and Scunthorpe have grown tenfold since it first took part in 2008, topping the 4,000 mark.

“We thought it would be a good way of highlighting what happens on the farm, as well as telling people about our farmshop, which we opened in 2006,” says Steve Ward.

“There aren’t a huge number of people living in this part of the county, so we like to find reasons to encourage people to visit – and then make sure it’s exciting for them when they do.”

Steve Ward (centre) with his family.

A lot of people who come for OFS then return to visit Uncle Henry’s summer maize maze.  

“Open Farm Sunday helps us build our brand and keeps our name in people’s minds. We sell our award-winning sausages in Lincolnshire Co-op stores, so people go away remembering us and might be more likely to buy our home-produced meat products when they see it on the shelves.”  

The educational aspect is also important at this venue which, alongside arable and pig enterprises, has strong environmental credentials.

“People go away with a better appreciation of what farmers do,” Steve says. “It’s about giving them a chance to peek over the hedge and see that we’re producing food efficiently and in an environmentally friendly way.

“We explain, for example, how our anaerobic digesters combine pig manure with silage from the maize maze to reduce our reliance on imported electricity and heat Uncle Henry’s.”

Involving other organisations in the OFS offering is part of the recipe for success at Uncle Henry’s. Whether it’s the Rotary Club, Young Farmers, the church or wildlife groups, their presence creates a more varied offering, spreads the workload and potentially raises money for them or their chosen charities, Steve says.

“There can be a lot of work in the run-up to Open Farm Sunday, but it’s well worth the effort. I often drive the tractor-and-trailer rides and I’ve usually lost my voice by the end of the day, but it’s great fun.”