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Communicating your farming story in a fun and engaging way is key to a successful farm visit. You need to give your visitors a memory of your farm that lasts and some knowledge about farming they will always remember
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LEFT Engaging with the public is best done through farm visits where they can see the cows close up and experience the sights, sounds and smells of a real farm.
on the other side.
Getting your message across The purpose of hosting a farm visit is to connect visitors with the
SPEAKING OUT TOP TIPS
• Keep it personal – don’t feel you have to talk on behalf of the industry. Talk about what you do and your farm – it’s easier to talk about and more memorable
• Keep it positive – even when you are asked a negative question, turn it around to talk about the good things you are doing
• Keep out the jargon – headland and drill mean something different; an agronomist is a crop specialist; a heifer a young cow; an acre is just over half a football pitch
• Be aware of body language – keep arms open, look your audience in the eye and smile
• Create a circle and try to stand so that no one has your back to them
• Be aware of background noise – pick a spot where everyone can hear you
things not just through what we see. The more senses you can engage the more memorable the visit. Encourage visitors to engage all their senses while on your farm, taking time to look, listen, touch and taste their way round. Visitors could taste your milk, feel a cow and smell the sweetness of silage.
Health and Safety
Health and safety is important, but you should not let it overshadow your visit. A few simple precautions are all you need to take.
Insurance – tell your insurer that you are hosting a farm visit and remember to complete a risk assessment beforehand. Layout – segregate parts of the yard where livestock will gather, such as collecting yards and prevent access to these areas as well as manure heaps and slurry pits. Walkways – clear the routes you want visitors to use and ensure no bedding protrudes onto walkways. Handwashing – if your visitors come into contact with your livestock, you must provide hand washing facilities. You will
need to provide: running water, liquid soap (not hard soap) and paper tow- els (not towelling hand towels). Anti-bacterial gels and wet wipes should not be used. Also, provide a tap and brushes for visitors to clean any muck off boots before leaving the farm. Keep it clean – when you are conducting a tour of the dairy, keep public areas washed down and free of faecal matter. In herringbone parlours you could consider having one side as a clear viewing gallery with cows milked
40 THE JOURNAL AUGUST 2015
transformation of ‘sunshine into food’ and answer their questions regarding the science and technology of producing milk on farm. Being positive and inspiring people about your industry is key. Keep it personal to you and your farm. Your visitors are far more likely to remember stories about you, your animals and why you love farming, than how many acres you farm and the number of cows you milk.
Inspiring others
Dairy farmers have a wonderful story to tell and people really are interested in hearing it. Reaching out to your customers and sharing with them the pride and passion you feel about your industry could be more rewarding than you think. A great place to start is to get involved in Open Farm Sunday – the industry’s annual open day. We provide host farmers with lots of free support and resources and your event can be a simple farm walk or a larger open day. Next year’s Open Farm Sunday takes place on the 5th June 2016. Put the date in your diary now and get involved. For more information, visit
www.leafuk.org.
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