Having a field day in April - need ideas

[rv@L&R]

We've been building our herd for 3 years now (Simm and Sim-Angus cattle), and plan to do a field day open house to tell folks in our area we are here (and want to sell some cattle). If any of you have done this with success or lessons learned, I'm all ears. Appreciate any thoughts.

 

[6M Ranch]

Think food!!! Grill some burgers using your beef. Are you going to show them in a pen or out in the pasture? Make sure your place looks professional. Weeds, corrals hip deep in manure, etc. doesn't make me feel like buying cattle.

 

[Avalon]

Have a judging contest.
Guess the weight.
Plenty of prizes donated by you sponsors.
and yes you can get some of those.
Depending on what kind of potential customers you will invite. have a couple informative sessions to be given by a breed rep or feed rep etc...

 

[CowCop]

~

PLEASE have enough seating, chairs, haybales, etc for folks to sit down on--in different locations-- to view your cattle, chat, eat or what ever.

Have gone to several open houses and beef workshops this year and there was never any seating.
Many of the older farmers and their wives were clearly distressed.

Cold drinks and a SIMPLE handout explaining your farm, cattle and goals are a must do.

Got any photos of your cattle you could show us now ?

Love those Simmental and SimAngus~!

 

[grannysoo]

A place to sit

Shade to sit under

A port-a-pottie or something like that

Cold water

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Many good pointers here.
Get semen companies, feed, equipment dealers, pharmaceuticals, etc. to set up display or give a talk. Also, state beef specialist or breed rep.
Can get a professional fitter to give a demonstration.
Pick out things that you think your "group" will be most interested in - don't "over-do". People like time to VISIT.
Have some cattle up close (like for a judging contest or weight guessing contest - whatever you have that is MOST IMPRESSIVE!) so people can see some without leaving the main site, and have haywagons for trips around the farm.
I ALWAYS print up a sheet listing all my calves data with a price list. (I keep them on hand at all times for any "drop-in" visitors.)

 

[rv@L&R]

Thanks for the good ideas ... extremely helpful.

Cowcop .... here's a couple of pics I posted in the past. The calf was born a couple weeks ago (3/4 Sim/Red Angus) ... the heifer is half blood, bred and due early 2008.