During the third Open Farm Day held across Estonia, 280 farms and agricultural producers were visited more than 120 000 times.
“All the farms that opened their doors deserve a huge acknowledgement and a big thank you, because you are helping carry the Estonian rural life forward,” the Minister of Rural Affairs of Estonia Tarmo Tamm said. “The increasing interest in the Open Farm Day shows that the Estonian people care about rural life and genuine Estonian food. I hope that people will remember this extremely positive experience and will visit farms all year round to buy fresh Estonian food.”
“I would personally like to thank the hundreds of volunteers who helped make this day happen and all the wonderful Estonian people who visited the farms,“ Minister Tamm added.
According to provisional data, more than 120 000 visits were made during the third Open Farm Day. The first Open Farm Day was held in 2015, when 147 farms and agricultural producers were open to the public, with approximately 45 000 visits. In 2016, 234 farms participated and around 85 000 visits were made.
This year, the farm with the most visits was the cheese producer Andre Farm (5600 visits). Konju goat farm in Ida-Viru County was visited by 4000 people. Ihaste stables and Angorabbit in Tartu County were altogether visited by 3000 people. Esko farm was visited by 2400, Loigu farm by 2076, Rebala stables by 2000, the organic producer Mahefarm OÜ by 1800, the cider farm Siidrifarm by 1500, Polli Zoo by 1450, OÜ Voore Farm by 1317, the farm store Saksa Talupood by 1300 and Saidafarm OÜ by 1270 people.
During the third Open Farm Day on 23 July, people could visit businesses ranging from the biggest dairy producers in Estonia to local cider breweries, Estonia’s best organic producers, several large and small animal breeders and grain producers, horticultural producers, fruit and berry farmers, farmers of herbs and medicinal plants, small processors, and tourism farms.
The Open Farm Day is organised by the Ministry of Rural Affairs of Estonia, the Rural Economy Research Center, the Estonian Chamber of Agriculture and Commerce, and the Estonian Farmers' Federation. Local Leader action groups and the Estonian Village Movement Kodukant are also involved in organising the event.
The Open Farm Day is financed through the Estonian Rural Development Plan (ERDP) for 2014–2020 and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.