Maine’s Open Farm Day happens, rain or shine, on the fourth Sunday in July. Save the date: The 35th event will occur on July 28, 2024. There is no fee for farms to join the voluntary promotions, but farms must sign up using a Real Maine member account.
Most farms are open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Host farms generally participate because it enhances their farm’s overarching promotional and outreach goals. Recent host farms report that 20-50 visitors are typical. This varies depending on unique farm goals and the proximity of participating farms.
In addition to receiving promotional support, host sites may choose to use planning support from DACF. This includes published resources, attending webinars, and sharing planning ideas with peers.
Visitors’ feedback highlights this event’s value as an agricultural awareness opportunity. Visitors of all ages attend Maine’s Open Farm Day, typically making one to three stops (this varies depending on geography). The most popular reasons people look forward to this tradition include meeting farmers and hearing directly from farmers. They appreciate how welcoming farmers are, and many enjoy learning how to buy local and support Maine farms. Some even make purchases. Visitors share that they enjoy this tradition because learning about farms and seeing them firsthand is a low-cost experience and allows them to see the variety of agriculture throughout Maine.
How to Sign up for Maine’s Open Farm Day
Below you will find instructions for updating your existing account or becoming a Real Maine member and signing up for Maine’s Open Farm Day (you may also read the instructions online).
The sign up steps are different for farms that already have a Real Maine account and farms that are not yet Real Maine members.
Who should attend: Farms that need to step-by-step sign-up instructions with visuals or those that need a reminder to block out this time to complete the task. Tip: If you’re new to the event, this introductory video is a good place to start, in addition to registering for the webinar.
When: 5:00 PM, Thursday, March 14, 2024
How to join: use the webinar registration button (below) to enter your contact information and any advance questions.
Open Farm Day Ideas – Peer Panel Webinar with Q and A
Who should attend: Farms and brands who already signed up for Open Farm Day want to share event planning ideas, network with peers, and get a refresher about planning resources.
When: 4:00 PM, Wednesday, April 4, 2024
How to join: Sign up for Open Farm Day by March 30 to receive an email invite. On April 1, Open Farm Day organizers will email a link to join the online meeting. It’s recommended attendees join live from a computer or mobile device for this interactive online meeting. If you don’t receive your invite on April 1 by 3 p.m., please email organizers for help.
About Open Farm Day Promotions | View List of Farms
If you want to be included in Real Maine’s Open Farm Day promotions, you must opt in by May 1, 2024.
Real Maine offers statewide promotions (print, radio, web and news stories) to encourage visitors to meet participating farms on Open Farm Day.
Real Maine’s summer print publication includes Open Farm Day host farms and the business name, town and contact info View recent publications for reference
You can submit a customized description and event hours to appear on the online event calendar. Most farms are open 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, but they have the option to customize their schedule.
Use the “Submit an Event” feature in the member portal Tip: submit any event requests at least 3-4 weeks – if not sooner – before an event date.
