UK POTATO growers are being invited to take part in the Open Farm Sunday (OFS) 2025 event, with organisers offering an improved support package.
LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) organises the event annually with the aim of connecting more growers with consumers to bridge their knowledge gap by educating them about natural growing methods. Farms are invited to open their gates to the public all over the country.
This year, two free in-person workshops were scheduled for March, a series of nine Zoom webinars is running from now until May, and a handbook is available to growers, offering guidance and ideas.
The five-hour workshops will be held in Yorkshire and Berkshire, providing direct, hands-on learning and shared experiences from past hosts and the webinars will address a broad range of topics for running successful events, including logistics, publicity, visitor engagement, and safety protocols.
The 2025 OFS date is June 8th, and Open Farm Sunday Manager, Annabel Shackleton, encouraged more potato growers to take part, alongside those who’ve hosted previous events.
“By connecting with consumers and inspiring the public to appreciate the sustainable farming practices that nurture nature, we can show how we produce food they can trust, while protecting the environment,” she said. “Open Farm Sunday provides a powerful platform to connect, engage and enlighten the public about the amazing work growers do – whether that’s on a small family farm through to large scale farm enterprises. We’re here to help make their OFS journey as straightforward as possible and support even more farms to get involved.”
The event’s 2024 impact report indicates that 96% of visitors left with a greater appreciation of the work growers do, while 91% visitors were motivated to buy more British produce.
“Making farming relatable and relevant to people depends on having access to farms to see for themselves what’s involved. Open Farm Sunday can really help bring that to life and cultivate positive connections,” Annabel said.
For additional information about Open Farm Sunday and details on how to become a host or to book your place at the upcoming workshops and webinars, please see our online calendar or visit the organiser’s website.
