You Too Can Organize a Farm Tour

in five short months

CNG presentation

By Justin Ellis

February 2013

Background

Began collecting information for formation of a farmers network in October 2011.

Held first meeting January 25th, 2012

Format is > FARM TOUR > POTLUCK > MEETING

Conducted phone survey of what farmers wanted to see a farmer’s network accomplish. Used feedback to

populate a list of priorities.

Possible Activities for a Growers Networkor what would you like a Growers Network to accomplish?

Cooperative Marketing efforts (8 VOTES)Example- Develop systems for bulk deliveries to ATL area, restaurants, etc.

Coordinating Bulk Orders (7 VOTES)To increase availability and reduce shipping on amendments, supplies, seeds, potatoes, onions)

Share up-to-date Contact Lists (6 VOTES)That includes other farmers, but also restaurants who buy local, local suppliers, technical experts, etc.

Host Farm Tours (5 VOTES)Specifically for GROWERS (focused on sharing information)

Acquisition and Sharing of Equipment (5 VOTES)Such as compost tea sprayers, bed shapers, others?

Obtaining or Producing Organic Feed (5 VOTES)It is difficult and costly to obtain organic feed easily.

Organization of Crop Mobs (4 VOTES)Labor assistance. Bringing volunteers to your farm to have them work on a project or weed for an afternoon.

Create Forums for more frequent Farmer Communication (3 VOTES)Possibly launch a Yahoo Group or website so that we can post information for each other to see.

Developing Marketing as a Group (2 VOTES)Co-branding regional products like a logo, identity

Organizing specific and technical workshops (1 VOTE)Bringing in experts from other areas

Hosting Public Events (THIS WASN’T AN OPTION AT TIME OF VOTING)

Increase customer base / awareness

11 priorities

Growers Network PRIORITIESor what would you like a Growers Network to accomplish?

#1 - Host Farm ToursWe’ve hosted 4 grower tours/potlucks.

#2 - Coordinating Bulk OrdersOne bulk order – February 2012

#3 - Create Forums for more frequent Farmer Communication The website / blogsite has been key! There have been over two dozen posts often copies of e-mails I send out. Announce tours, events, post information. Facebook not useful for most farms, but great for interaction with the public

#4 - Hosting Public Events – The Georgia Mountains Farm Tour helped create a sense of unity of purpose and pride in our region. Goal is to increase customer base /

awareness

#5 - Cooperative Marketing effortsLittle or No interest in wholesale markets. Focused on internet market expansion into Gainseville (nearest urban market)

Share up-to-date Contact ListsStill haven’t done this yet

Acquisition and Sharing of EquipmentStill haven’t done this yet. Discussed potato harvester

Obtaining or Producing Organic Feed Still haven’t done this yet. No progress.

Organization of Crop MobsStill haven’t done this yet. No progress

Developing Marketing as a Group Still haven’t done this yet. No progress

Organizing specific and technical workshops

Still haven’t done this yet. Most interested in Business trainings.

The Top 5

How to get started

• Steal every idea you can

• Started with Dates / Times

• Start a list of every Farm

you’d like to participate

• Number of Farms

• What to Charge?

• How to know they’ve paid

FOCUS ON BROCHURE

• 80% of the event is planned during the layout of the brochure

• Did all layout myself using Adobe InDesign

• Brochure, Poster, other promotion pieces took me close to 40 hours

• Paid $150 for truck farmer artwork

FOCUS ON BROCHURE

• Had farmers submit their own descriptions, directions, products, and amenities.

• Edited to fit (might should give them a word count limit).

• Farms only did Saturday or Sunday alllowing them to visit each others farms.

• Had problems with accurate directions.

HOW TOUR WORKS

• $30 per vehicle – get a brochure and a sticker.

• Sold 15 of 50 passes in advance through a web payment system. (mailed brochures)

• Partners are key for advance sales. Farmers markets, restaurants, creamery distributed and collected money.

HOW TOUR WORKS

• Used 3 red balloons (w/out helium) to hang at farm entrance (need signs).

• Tour Hours were 1-6pm(due to markets on Sat.)

• Encouraged to bring coolers.

• Meal Stops Each Day by local chefs.

• No pets, no smoking, no picking, etc.

• Our tour had 18 farms

• Completed Map Last

• Segmented Tour into southerly farms on Saturday and northerly farms on Sunday.

• Each farm was required to have 3 volunteers. One person to help direct cars and receive guests, another to welcome them at a staging area and one to give the tour.

LIABILITY

• We had no liability coverage. Each farm understood that they were taking a risk.

• Did require a liability waiver be signed at each farm location (not sure how well enforced that was at each location)

PROMOTIONSWebsite with brochure PDF, photo slideshow, press release and where to purchase.

PROMOTIONS

• Sent Press Releases to close to 20 newspapers, magazines and radio outlets within a 10 county area.

• Posted on Georgia Tourism website, and any other online calendar I could find.

• Sent to every e-mail list I knew existed. Probably 10 or more. Also Facebook cross postings with Chamber of Commerce, city’s, etc.

• Printed 100 posters and put them everywhere – as far south as Gainseville

PROMOTIONS

• Press could come for free• Had four articles – one front page, and one

front of Lifestyle section

RESULTS

Sold 50 passesAttendance was about 150

Gross income was $1,415Expenses were $ 780TOTAL INCOME $ 633

Principal expenses were:Artwork - $150Printing costs - $350Bumper stickers - $100

MAJOR POTENTIAL TO BOOST INCOME THROUGH

SPONSORSHIPS

Only 7 gift certificates redeemed

FOLLOW UP SURVEY

FOLLOW UP SURVEY

Suggestions

• Schedule in Early June

• Concise directions to each farm from more than one direction

• More items for sale at the individual farm locations. Many farms had little or no products for sale

• Involve some restaurants in Clarkesville.

• Many suggestions for earlier in the day (but this is difficult)

• Meal stops before or after tour hours.

Positive Feedback

• “One of the best weekends I've had in a long time.”

• “Wonderful and wholesome way to spend a weekend with our family!”

• “Great experience. Looking forward to seeing it grow and succeed in the future.”

• “Informative, inspirational and Fun.”

LESSONS LEARNED

• TOUR sponsored volunteer at each farm location (handle money, describe event, provide continuity) with T-shirts?

• Help farms that have never given a tour before. Some struggled a bit.

• 1-6 is five hours. Five volunteers may be better especially at busy farms so folks aren’t worn out.

• Farms could have sold more onsite.