The farming industry’s annual open day, LEAF Open Farm Sunday (LOFS) is set to return for it fifteenth year on Sunday 27th of June, and the organisers are calling on farmers to take part and help promote the British food and farming story.
The open day, which encouraged farmers across the British Isles to open their farm gates, follow social distancing regulations, and welcome visitors onto farms to find out about the world of farming, Sunday will look slightly different this year, with a focus on smaller events.
Every participating farmer that takes part will have full autonomy to decide on the type of event they would like to offer, for how long and for how many people.
LEAF has also put a greater emphasis on using a free ticketing system, such as TryBooking or Eventbrite, to record and manage visitor numbers with both systems offering an easy, automated solution.
And whilst the main promotion will focus on the 27th, farmers can choose any Sunday in June to open their gates and still benefit from LOFS branding and resources.
LEAF Open Farm Sunday Manager, Annabel Shackleton, said they are actively encouraging smaller events this year: “A simple farm walk for 30 people is both rewarding and manageable for all involved. We know there may be some nervousness around Covid and we want to ensure both host farmers, and visitors attending, feel safe and confident to go ahead.”
All farmers who register their LOFS event at www.farmsunday.org will receive a comprehensive handbook and free resources, and there is a network of regional LOFS ambassadors and the team at LEAF available to discuss plans and offer guidance. Farmers do not need to be members of LEAF to take part, but they do need to register their event.
