By Cameron MacDuff
Federated Farmers is supporting Open Farms 2023 to help connect urban Kiwis with the people and places that grow their food. Unfortunately, the wet season and the two cyclones have thrown a very big spanner in the works.
Inspired by the ‘Open Farm Sunday’ idea in the UK, Open Farms 2023 – which will be third such event on our shores - is being held on Sunday March 12 this year.
Organiser and founder Daniel Eb is resigned to the fact it’s not shaping up to be the best yet. With the very wet season he’d already had some farms reluctantly pull out as hosts, particularly around key target Auckland urban populations. The two subsequent cyclones just added to farmers’ woes.
“We’re probably looking at 20 to 25 farms taking part this time,” Daniel says.
He’s hopeful farms in the lower half of the North Island and the South Island might see their way to stepping up.
“In the two years we’ve run Open Farms, more than 7,000 people have visited 82 farms, including sheep and beef stations, orchards, dairy farms, honey producers and more,” Daniel says.
All kinds of farms are encouraged to be hosts. Hosts are supported with event planning, marketing, and registrations. There’s a private event format available designed for first-time hosts, plus a $150 subsidy available to help reimburse for time spent being involved.
Read more about being a host online at openfarms.co.nz/host-an-event.
Previous years’ events have shown interest is high and places for farms taking bookings fill quickly.
“If you’re a farm within an hour of Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch I guarantee you’ll get booked out.
“We’ve seen farmers use their open day to build team morale, hire new people or market a direct-to-customer business model.”
Federated Farmers Meat & Wool chair Toby Williams says his first time hosting was a positive experience.
“We had about fifty people turn up and took them into some bush we were placing into a QEII Trust.
‘We discussed the impacts of farming and how we’re trying to improve by fencing off waterways and the like and what it costs.
“I tried to be honest and just put some numbers in front of them.
“The response we had was amazing. We’d definitely host again.”
Federated Farmers Meat & Wool Executive member and Marlborough farmer Richard Dawkins agrees.
“We’ve hosted twice. There’s never been any negative connotations, everyone who comes is really interested in what we do.
“We had a shearing demonstration, trailer rides and a swim down at the river. People were surprised how pristine the water is.”
The concept behind Open Farms is not new in New Zealand; privately organised events have been held at some farms and in some provinces around the country. One such event near Te Puke attracted over 1000 visitors and ran annually until the host farm changed ownership.
Open Farms takes this idea and augments it with some nationwide cohesion and marketing support to maximise its reach to urban New Zealanders.
Richard hopes the concept can continue and encourages farmers to give it momentum by getting involved.
“I’m a strong believer in improving our public perception. It’s probably not every day these people have the opportunity of sitting down and having a yarn with a farmer.”
Across two post-event research projects, visitor feedback shows people feel more connected to farmers, view sustainability in farming more positively and better understand the complexities of farming after an open day.
“In a time when consumers want to get closer to what they purchase, Open Farms provides the perfect mechanism for our local communities to hear, touch, smell and feel what it’s like on a farm,” Federated Farmers Vice-President Wayne Langford says.
Open Farms is backed by three partners, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge and the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures Fund.
