A List of Marketing and Program Development Ideas from the Spring 2011 Workshop

Why Offer Farm Education Opportunities?

 

 ·     Reconnects people with their food supply

·      Develops awareness of natural world

·      Cultivates land stewardship

·      Empowers people to feed themselves

·      Peak oil  in the future- promotes resilience of  

       communities

·      Authentic learning experiences promotes  

       experiential learning

·      Reclaiming lost skills/honoring history/connections  

       with elders

·      This types of learning can take place anywhere-  

       any farm, any space, it's adaptable

·      Addresses health and obesity issues, promotes  

       healthy choices and exercise

·      Supports local farms and local economies

·      Promotes sense of ownership and responsibility  

       with youth

·      Provides opportunities to be on the land

·      Educates parents and food and farms through kids

·      Promotes Citizen engagement

·      Teaches history of agriculture

·      Promotes interactions with animals

·      Supports vulnerable populations

·      Promotes future business skills

·      Addresses hunger issues, teaches about food  

       insecurity

·      Addresses different learning styles

·      Teaches cooking skills

·      Addresses climate change

·      Teaches natural systems and cycles

 

Marketing Strategies ~ Tips for Success:

-       Send out a weekly newsletter

-       Write frequent press releases (tips: be enthusiastic,         send frequently, include images!)

-       Find a "farm friendly" reporter with local  

      newspaper- foster a relationship with them for  

      future articles

-       Encourage people to write reviews on trip advisor

-       Find a good location for your adds in a local  

      newspaper

-       Establish strong community relationships

-       Make use of digital media/social networking  

      (including: blogs, facebook, twitter, constant  

      contact)

-       Join the VT Farms Association, your travel council  

      and tourism organizations (or other networking  

      organizations)

-       Get on "Front Porch Forum"

-       Keep your database with contacts up to date!

-       Construct a dynamic website (tips: include  

       testimonials and articles, link your website with  

       others, and update frequently)

-       Advertise using radio commercials/interviews

-       Table at conferences

-       Check out kickstarter.com

-       Invite your local teachers association to your farm

-       Connect with your local recreation and tourism  

      departments

-       Keep your contacts database up to date

-       Table at parent/teacher night at local school

-       Provide incentives for additional visits (free  

      "birthday party" passes, come in October and get      

       10% off,  etc.)

 

Types of Farm-Based Education Programs 

·      Camps- half day, full day, overnight

·      Field Trips

·      Farm immersion programs with older youth

·      Multi-day/service learning programs

·      After School Programs

·      CSA Pick Up programs

·      Vocational programs

·      Family Programs

·      Adult Programs

·      Signature Events (harvest festivals, Growers    

        Dinners, flower festivals, pumpkin festivals)

·      Workshops- for adults and kids

·      4-H programs

·      Partnership programs

·      Mobile Programs- going into classrooms and  

       into the community

·      Young adult programs

·      Self Guides Programs

·      Volunteer Programs

·      Internship programs

·      Corporate programs

·      Private School Programs

·      Correctional Facility Programs

·      Farm as place to rent to host an independent  

       program

·      Creative Arts Programs

·      Returning Veterans Programs

·      Refugee Resettlement programs