Open Farm Days - April 23, 2024 Meeting notes

Thank you for your interest in Open Farm Days 2024.

Planning is well underway for this year. Below are the notes from the meeting on April 23. If you have any questions or want to connect about your experience or location, please reach out to one of the Open Farm Days team members.

Open Farm Days – Virtual Meeting

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

OFD Team – Debbi, Amanda, Ashley, Tracey

Attendees

• Tarra – Frontenac Farmers Market, Bloom Farm
• Sarah – Rise Farm – Sharbot Lake Farmers Market
• Annelise – Market at Wolfe Island Commons, Fish Tale and Lured Bake Shop
• Tammara – Collective Joy
• Christina – Pyke Farms
• William – Gunguo Farm
• Tanya – Elements
• Ruth - AFA

Welcome & Updates

Welcome and round table introductions.

Open Farm Days launch for 2024 is Friday, August 16 until the end of September.

Tracey provided an update City of Kingston has joined Open Farm Days as a partner.

Website

• There have been various updates made to the Open Farm Days website.
  1. New Location page for all locations participating that is more about their business. All of their experiences will be linked to this page. These pages will remain and not be archived.
  2. FAQ page with more details and information. If you receive questions or have items to be added, please send them along.
  3. The homepage has been updated with multiple links to experiences, a section for the 3 next experiences, Farmers Market listings for all 5, additional information is being added as content about Open Farm Days.
• The website is still in development and will be shared once live…. anticipated timeline mid-July.
• Positive comments about the location page addition and that it appeared to be easy to navigate.

Website content submission form

https://engagefrontenac.ca/open-farm-days?tool=survey_tool#tool_tab

Please submit your experience and location content through the link above by June 10, 2024.

• June 10-July 15 - Website build out, design for posters, social media etc.
• Week of July 15 - Website live (after the accessibility audit)
• Content can continue to come in and be added but will not be included in any specific marketing.
• Event marketing focus from mid-August to end of September.

Posters/Postcards

• A sample of the posters was shared. The design will use multiple images demonstrating various types of experiences and locations involved in Open Farm Days.
• The Website content submission form also asks about quantity of posters and postcards you want for your business and to distribute.
• Marketing will include quotes from locations this year. Please submit quotes so we can work to make more connections with locations and visitors.

Survey questions.

• We understand and measure success through the data collected. This helps ensure support and funding. When we request funding through grant programs, we need data to demonstrate the success.
• Set up and learn Google Analytics – Meta for analytics….If you are interested reach out to Ashley for resources.
• We will share the survey questions as we get closer to the event.
  1. We ask that each location completes a survey. Some data to consider how you are collecting – numbers of attendees,
  2. spend at your location during event days,
  3. where visitors are coming from,
  4. How they heard about the event,
  5. eNewsletter, website and social media analytics.

Launch Event

• Friday, August 16 at the Frontenac Farmers Market, 3-7pm
• All Markets are welcome to have a table at the event. Amanda will be reaching out.
• If you are interested in participating as a booth, please contact Tarra.
• Similar structure to last year, speeches, welcome, ribbon cutting, music, enjoy the evening.

Round table

• Share your plans for Open Farm Days
  1. Bloom Farm is working on an event and will connect with other farms to encourage participation,
  2. WI Market – the space at the market is available in tandem with market/community events. If interested reach out to Annelise.
  3. Fishtale – space for intimate events/workshops etc.
  4. Collective Joy – Open House – drop in was done last year, considering this again.
     • Connections are of interest if there are events to join.
  5. Pyke Farm – open house/garden tour – considering this again.
  6. Wolfe Island Gardens/KTSH – possible involvement
  7. Elements – switch in timing is good. Will likely participate at the start of program.
  8. Sharbot Lake FM – 2 farm-to-table BBQ’s & workshops
     • Tourist destination
• Reach out if connections are needed or once you determine what you are doing.
• Submit your website content by June 10, 2024 - https://engagefrontenac.ca/open-farm-days

Questions/Comments

• Ruth (OFA) offered to do an email blast to the membership. Deb to send along content and the poster.
• Deb to create a 1 pager on Open Farm Days.
• Tracey updated the group for awareness that the City is working on design of posters, postcards, social media and Digital screen designs for the 5 Farmers Markets. This information will be shared with 5 Farmers Markets for distribution.
• If you want to brainstorm ideas or ask about anything, please reach out and the team will assist.