Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
looking for a 'true' food experience; and (ii) those that want a day in the
country and who would not classify themselves as foodies but are interested
in the farm experience. The majority of the population would fall into the
second group.
This group needs more than the food experience; they need to be enter-
tained on the farm and during that experience hopefully they will learn more
about local food production. This is where agri-entertainment comes into its own.
Target market
The key target market is young families and therefore the facility needs to
be child friendly, but what exactly does that mean? Penrith City Council
6
in the UK developed a child friendly strategy for the city and their guidelines
also work for farmers:
•
Engagement - utilizing a range of activities to engage with children
directly;
•
Health and wellbeing - emphasizing the importance of fun and engaging
activities, and services and places that are accessible to children;
•
Safety - including fostering positive attitudes towards children;
•
Personal development - focusing on stimulating, interactive environ-
ments where there is a range of opportunities for free and independent
play on the farm;
•
Community development - including the importance of strong connec-
tions with local communities and schools;
•
The farm is a place where children can engage in healthy and active play;
•
Children are independently mobile and able to move safely around a
designated farm area;
•
The farm provides opportunities for exploratory and imaginative play;
•
Children have access to nature, the farm and green spaces;
•
It is a safe and secure environment for children, which also reduces the
stress of parents.
Agri-Entertainment Activities
Entertainment on the farm can either be a year-round activity, seasonal
or
1-
or
2-
day events. Year-round events need to be covered as usual
business activity and be planned with the local government as per any
business activity.
More and more farms are being used for short period events and these
events need to be organized well in advance.
When budgeting for an event the following need to be considered:
•
Public liability insurance;
•
A temporary event notice;
