Telling your farm’s stories via social media
/by Lisa Ashworth
Just as the winter months are a good time to focus on some continued learning, as we discussed in last month’s column, it’s also a great time to work on your online presence. Posting to social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok is a great way to promote your products, tell your story, educate the public about local agriculture and production practices, and underline the importance of supporting local businesses.
The pandemic forced us to pivot last year’s Open Farm Day to an online event. While we can hope we’ll be able to meet in person on our farms this fall, some of us may want to continue with the online aspect as well. Indeed, many farms are using social media channels very effectively all year long.
PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCTS
While farm-gate sales may have been the furthest income-generating idea from our minds a year ago, it may be something you’ve thought about more since COVID-19 arrived in our lives. Diversifying to include farm-gate sales – whether it’s beef from the freezer, jams, microgreens, fresh-cut flowers, eggs, excess potatoes, or something else completely – an online presence can help boost farm-gate sales.
Letting the general public know what happens on your farm can be closely linked with increasing farm-gate sales. Even if you’re not doing direct sales, your social media presence and the stories you tell can give the public an inside look at a farm’s operations. You’re breaking down the barriers, much as we do with Open Farm Day.
WHERE ARE YOUR STORIES?
You may be thinking, “Oh, no one cares about what happens on my farm.” But this is no time for modesty. The chores we may find mundane can be some of the best stories to tell the general public.
Where do cattle get their water in the winter? How soon can you begin working in the field in the spring? How are microgreens grown? Where do the chickens sleep? How are potatoes stored? How does the manure get cleaned from around the cows in the barn? What does the inside of a tractor look like?
When you begin to think of telling short stories about your farm, there are ideas around every corner.
SUPPORTING LOCAL
If COVID-19 has taught us anything from a business point of view, it’s the importance of supporting local entrepreneurs, including farmers. Use social media to tell the story of how your operation supports the community.
Did you donate beef for the steak darts at the legion? Supply the eggs for the fundraiser breakfast for the family that lost their home to a fire? Take flowers to the local nursing home? Help arrange a milk donation to the kids’ soccer league? Adopt a family in need instead of holding a farm staff Christmas party?
Your social media presence gives you a chance to both promote the event and show your pride in being part of the event. Other means of promoting support of local businesses include mentions and shout-outs to other local entrepreneurs. Tag the local hardware store, feed supplier, or your neighbour whenever possible.
GETTING STARTED
Chances are, you’re not going to break anything, so don’t be afraid to play around with social media platforms. Make a couple of posts and try it out. Check out the settings and follow other accounts that interest you or are doing something you enjoy.
A great resource to get you started is the Social Media Toolkit: A guide for farmers, fishermen, and producers of New Brunswick. It provides detailed information on popular social media channels – including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and LinkedIn – with advice on how to set up accounts and grow your audience. There’s a section on website building platforms. There’s a list of helpful social media tips and tricks for hashtags and social media schedulers, calendars, and analytics. And there’s advice on the best times and number of times to post.
You can access the guide at www.fermenbfarm.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Socialmediatoolkit2018EN.pdf. And if you’re looking for some inspiration, visit www.fermenbfarm.ca/events/open-farm-day to see what others did in 2020.
(Lisa Ashworth is president of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick.)
