Equine barns have a unique ability to be a community hub. Each equine facility has the space, the wanting for supportive people and the ability to light a fire of love. The benefits of creating strong and resilient communities are numerous, and often lead to a better quality of life for everyone involved.
Here is a list of the top 6 ways an equine facility can turn into a community hub:
⭐ Pot lucks and BBQ
Invite a way range of community members to expand the reach of your facility.
Encourage community members to bring a dish or a beverage to the event.
Run the event for set hours to allow for boundaries around facility use.
Create a designated area for the event to prevent wandering visitors around your property.
⭐ Movie nights
Grab a sheet and a projector to create a showing of a movie.
Set up in a dark area for easy viewing.
Bonus: Sell $1 popcorns, candies and small drinks for that drive-in feel.
⭐ Community Gardens
Invite your barn members or other friends to participate in a community garden.
Find a plot of unused land and some old fencing to garden in.
Start your garden from seed in the early spring to keep start-up costs down, and split costs amongst the group members.
Create a easy rotational schedule for chores such as watering, weeding and harvesting the garden.
Divide the harvest amongst the group!
Bonus: Use the garden goodies to supply a dish for a barn potluck!
⭐ Fun days and holiday events
Pick a theme and make an event out of it!
Invite members of your community, including those that don't normally participate in farm activities.
Encourage picture taking during the event and posting to social media to bolster your reach in the community.
⭐ Off property field trips
Invite your barn members to plan a group field trip.
Meet at the barn and carpool to a local event, park or cafe.
Enjoy your barn friends outside of the barn and build stronger relationships.
⭐ Bake offs
Host a bake off with barn members and community members.
Have tables for everyone to display their items.
Make the bake-off item human or horse related; ie - best horse treat or best human snack for outdoor adventures.
Bonus: Add a $5 entry fee and a prize for the winner. Designate all proceeds to a facility cause, such as new fencing.
These community building events can help spur co-creation, reduce loneliness and build a stronger network. If you decide to try any of these, leave a comment on this blog to showcase how the event went!
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