Open Farms Connecting farming & food in Frontenac & Kingston

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.

Good morning,

It is so nice to see the sunshine after the rainy weekend. I hope everyone is enjoying spring.

We have been working on Open Farm Days and doing lots of background prep for the initiative.

Meeting

Reminder of the virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 23 at 7pm.

I will send out the meeting link on April 23.

Agenda

• Welcome & updates
• Website
• Website content submission form
  • Timing
  • Insurance, KFL&A Public Health
• Posters/Postcards
• Survey questions
• Launch Event
• Round table
  • Share your plans for Open Farm Days
  • Anything needed?
• Questions

Connection list [attached]

• Thank you to everyone that has shared information for this list at various times.
• If you have content to be added or know someone that should be included, please send the information along.
• The list is intended to be used as a place for you to find connections you need within our community and for us to help make connections.

Engage Frontenac

• The meeting notes, forms and all things Open Farm Days are posted on Engage Frontenac.

Please feel free to pass it along to others that may be interested.

Open Farm Days logo

• Please see attached 2 jpg versions of the updated Open Farm Days logo. (green and black). If you would like the logos for use with your experience, please email one of the Open Farm Days team members.
• There are various logo formats available for print and digital.
• If you need a different format of the logo, please let me know.
• If you have questions about the logo, please let me know.

Open Farm Days team support

• If you are looking to connect with one of the team members or want to brainstorm ideas for your event, please reach out.

Have a wonderful day and we look forward to connecting with you at the meeting!

Debbi, Amanda, Ashley, and Tracey

A huge thank you to everyone that joined the discussion about Open Farm Days 2024!

There was a lot of great information shared with the group….so many exciting event ideas.

Please see attached a summary of the notes.

If I missed something, please send me a note and I will make sure I capture it.

Connections

I am working to put together the connections list to share with this group. The list can also be used on the Open Farm Days website, if you don’t want your information included online, please note it on the form.

Please send back the information outlined in the attached document to Debbi or to request the form. (dmiller@frontenaccounty.ca) to be added to the list. Thank you to everyone that has submitted the form already.

Links

• Engage Frontenac – Open Farm Days – this is where all the meeting notes, dates to remember, event info for farms, businesses and community organizations is located.
• There are links in the notes for the various links we referred to during the session.

NEXT STEPS

Virtual Meeting – Tuesday, April 23 – 7 p.m. Agenda to follow. Please mark your calendar.

We are working on marketing timelines for content submissions as well as the survey questions that we need everyone to complete after your events. We will share this information as soon as it is available.

Thank you for all each of you do in our community.

Debbi, Amanda, & Ashley

A huge thank you to everyone that joined the discussion about Open Farm Days 2024!

There was a lot of great information shared with the group….so many ideas to consider.

If you have thoughts or ideas today, tomorrow, or next week and want to share them, please send them along.

Please see attached a summary of the notes.

If I missed something, please send me a note and I will make sure I capture it.

Connections

• I am working to put together a connections list to share with this group. The list can also be used on the Open Farm Days website.

Please send back the information outlined in the attached document to Debbi (dmiller@frontenaccounty.ca) to be added to the list.

Links

• Engage Frontenac – Open Farm Days – this is where all of the meeting notes, dates to remember, event info for farms, businesses and community organizations is located.
• There are links in the notes for the various links we referred to during the session.

NEXT MEETING

• #2 – Open Farm Days 2024 Planning Session
• Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sydenham, Kingston Frontenac Public Library Community Room
• Agenda to follow.
• Please register so we can plan accordingly.

Thank you for all each of you do in our community.

Debbi, Amanda, Ashley & Tracey

Good afternoon,

We hope everyone has had a great fall season and is getting ready for the holidays.

We wanted to share the update that the Open Farm Days Follow Up Report for 2023 is going to Planning & Economic Development Committee on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

This is the link to the Open Farm Days Follow Up Report 2023.

If you have any additional comments, please reach out to the Open Farm Days team and we would be happy to connect.

Thank you,

Amanda, Ashley, Tracey, Debbi and Richard

Good morning,

Thank you to everyone that took the time to join the Open Farm Days debrief meeting, send comments, call, or complete the survey.

The notes from the October 30 meeting are available here - https://engagefrontenac.ca/35254/widgets/145428/documents/117995

We are currently writing a summary report for Open Farm Days that will include the comments received. The reports are going to the following committee meetings:

• Frontenac County, Planning & Economic Development – Wednesday, December 13. Once the report is online, we will post the link on the Engage Frontenac page and send this group an email so you can also review the report.
• City of Kingston, Rural Advisory Committee – December 4.

During the debrief meeting, we asked the group if there was interest in a January in-person meeting to discuss 2024 and make connections. We did talk about some ideas for what else the meeting could include.

We have tentatively scheduled the meeting for Tuesday, January 24 from 9 am to 12 noon. Details to follow.

We do want to hear from you:

• What do you need or want from the session?
• Are there questions you have?
• Are there resources that would be helpful for your location to support the work you are doing on Open Farm Days?
• Please send along your comments/questions or ideas for the session by Friday, November 24 so we can discuss and determine next steps.

We will continue to email updates to this group about meetings, next steps or to check in with you about planning.

Thank you for the amazing work that you each bring to our region.

Amanda, Ashley, Tracey, Debbi & Richard

Good afternoon,

Thank you to everyone that hosted or participated at an event, promoted, and was involved in Open Farm Days 2023 – Celebrating farming & food in Frontenac & Kingston!

It is hard to believe that six weeks has come to an end. It feels like just yesterday we were meeting online to hear from you what you wanted to see for 2023.

As we wrap up the event, please be sure to share your feedback, so we can report to the Frontenac County, Planning & Economic Development Committee.

Survey for your feedback

• Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and offer your comments.
• If you did not host an event this year, or you cancelled your Open Farm Days event, we still want to hear from you - please complete the survey.
• The survey will now remain open until Monday, October 23 at noon. Open Farm Days 2023 - Feedback Survey (surveymonkey.com)

Wrap Up Meeting

• Mark your calendars – Monday, October 30 at 7 pm for a wrap up meeting about Open Farm Days.
• Please plan to attend if you participated in 2023 or if you chose not to participate. It is important for us to hear from everyone.
• I will send out a reminder with the online meeting link the morning of October 30.

If you have any comments you want to discuss or want to meet with one the committee members individually, please let us know.

Thank you for all you do in our community, every day!

Amanda, Ashley, Tracey, Richard, and Debbi

Good afternoon,

We hope everyone is having a wonderful fall and enjoying the beautiful sunshine.

Open Farm Days – Celebrating farming & food in Frontenac & Kingston is continuing and we wanted to connect with you to share some updates and reminders.

Events

• Open Farm Days is on until Sunday, October 15 and you still have time if you want to host an event on your site.
• It could be a ticketed event, or a free drop-in event. Submit your events here.
• Same structure as we have used for 2023, the benefit of having a website, we can add and update events throughout.
• All of the marketing will continue to be directed to www.OpenFarms.ca
• The Core Goals for Open Farms are here.
• If you have questions or want to discuss a possible event, please reach out to Debbi at dmiller@frontenaccounty.ca

Marketing

• Please keep posting on your social media channels and be sure to tag partners in your posts.
  • Tag @visitfrontenac @visitkingstonca, @frontenaccounty @southfrontenac, @city.of.kingston
  • Some suggestions for hashtags to use #OpenFarmDays, #InFrontenac, #VisitKingston, #YGK, #SouthEasternOntario, #OntariosHighlands, #ExploreON, #OntarioTravel
• Please share each other’s posts. We are stronger together and need to support each other.

Survey

• It is important to the Open Farm Days team that we hear from the farms, businesses, and community organizations about their events with Open Farm Days.
• Please take some time to complete the survey and offer your comments once your event is over. If you didn’t participate, please take some time to complete the survey and let us know why.

Survey will remain open until Wednesday, October 18.

Follow up with your participants

• If you have asked your participants for feedback through a survey or poll and are able to share, please send it along to Debbi so that we can include it in the wrap-up report to the Planning & Economic Development Committee.

Wrap Up Meeting

• Mark your calendars – Monday, October 30 at 7 pm for a Wrap Up online call about Open Farm Days. Please plan to attend if you participated or if you chose not to participate in 2023. It is important to hear from everyone.
• Link will follow as we get closer to the date. I will send out a reminder the morning of October 30.
• If this date doesn’t work for you, we will share the notes after the meeting. Please feel free to set up a time to connect by phone or send your comments along.

Thank you for everything each of you are doing to celebrate farming & food in Frontenac & Kingston.

Richard, Amanda, Ashley, Tracey and Debbi

The May 9, 2023 Meeting notes from the virtual Open Farm Days meeting can be seen here.

County of Frontenac

• A recommendation report is one the agenda for the Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting - Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
• The report is available here - Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Report - Open Farms 2023

City of Kingston

Open Farms was included in the Rural Advisory Committee Meeting report on Monday, April 3, 2023.

The report is available here - Rural Advisory Committee Q1 Update Report