Fewer southern food and fibre producers are showing their businesses to the public and celebrating national open farm day as there is no rural-urban divide in the region, the event organiser says.
Open Farms founder Daniel Eb, of Northland, said the annual event was launched in 2020, aiming to reconnect New Zealanders with their source of food and bridge the urban-rural divide.
Two properties were hosting events in Southland and Otago on March 9.
Both of the southern hosts were in Dunedin — a small market garden in Ocean View and a small farm, running alpacas, sheep, beef and goats, in Saddle Hill.
Mr Ebb said he had struggled to recruit any large commercial enterprises to host in the South since launching the annual event.
A reason was there being no divide in the South compared to urban areas, such as Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington, as farming was a "way of life" in the South.
More than 20 New Zealand farms are hosting events this year. About 40 food and fibre producers hosted in the first year and now about 25 farms host each year.
The businesses opening their gates this year include sheep, beef, carbon farming, dairy, honey and mushrooms.
Anyone growing food or fibre was welcome to participate, he said.
He would welcome more southern farmers to participate next year.
"In my dream world, every single farm would open up on the day.
"Especially those within an hour’s drive of a major city."
