Open Farm Sunday is off to a great start
Open Farm Sunday 2009 is off to a great start, with over 120 famers across the country having already registered their events - ready to show consumers how much they care about the food they produce and land they nurture.
Organiser LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), is delighted with the number of registrations to date and is encouraging farmers to get involved on 7 June 2009; to help to make this year’s Open Farm Sunday bigger and better than ever. The day provides a great opportunity for farmers to engage with their local community and communicate the excellent work they do whilst learning new marketing skills, building staff moral and gaining new contacts. Feedback from farmers participating in 2008, and their visitors, clearly demonstrated that Open Farm Sunday really does raise people’s awareness and value the link between food, farming and nature – whilst uniting the industry.
Principle sponsors for Open Farm Sunday 2009 include Claas, Defra, Frontier, HGCA, LEAF Marque, National Grid, Natural England, Scottish Natural Heritage, Regatta, Warburtons and Waitrose; with many more organisations supporting this important initiative. The collaboration of so many organisations across the food chain highlights the commitment across British Food and Farming industries
To find out more about organising events, LEAF is inviting farmers across the country to attend half day workshops during March and April 2009. Workshops for farmers and helpers proved invaluable in spreading the word and planning events in 2008. For 2009, LEAF has planned more workshops than ever to train and support host farmers and helpers. These are scheduled as:
• 4th March - Balliefurth Farm, Grantown-on-Spey, Highlands
• 5th March - Aik Bank Farm, Calthwaite, Penrith, Cumbria
• 11th March - Hardwick Park Farm, Doe Lea, Chesterfield, Nottinghamshire
• 12th March - Manor Farm, Kelfield, Nr York, Yorkshire
• 17th March - Overbury Farms, Overbury, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
• 18th March - Rectory Farm, Great Easton, Market Harborough, Leic’shire
• 24th March - West Craigie Farm, South Queensferry, Edinburgh
• 25th March - Blagdon Farm, Seaton Burn, Newcastle, Northumberland
• 30th March - Kenniford Farm, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, Devon
• 31st March - Collings Hanger Farm, Prestwood, Great Missenden, Bucks
• 2nd April - Manydown Company, Wootton St Lawrence, Basingstoke, Hants
• 6th April - Shotford Hall Farm, Harleston, Norfolk
• 7th April - College Farm, Grange Road, Duxford, Cambridgeshire
• 16th April - Reed Court Farm, Marden, Tonbridge, Kent
• 17th April - Boyton Farms, Warminster, Wiltshire
• 21st April - Hill Farm, Sound, Nantwich, Cheshire
• 22nd April - Osbaldeston Hall Farm, Osbaldeston, Blackburn, Lancashire
• 28th April - Caerlan Farm, Penrhiwfer, Tonypandy, South Wales
• 29th April - Cannon Farm, Llanerfyl, Welshpool, Powys, Wales
The new look campaign website, www.farmsunday.org, holds a wealth of information from event ideas to health and safety guidance, as well as hints and tips on promoting events. A new range of publicity material is also available to order online including road side banners, posters stickers and clothing.
For further information on organising events or to register workshop attendance please contact Roly Puzey at LEAF on 02476 413911.
