Farm shop signage
Your customer is doing 50mph on a country road and has perhaps three seconds to spot you and brake. Everything else about your signage comes after that.
Do the sum for the road.
At 50mph a car covers about 22 metres every second. Using the common trade guide of about 25mm of letter height per 3 metres of reading distance, a sign with 500mm letters can be read from about 60 metres. That gives the driver less than three seconds.
Three seconds will carry three or four words. So the sign is not a place for your story.
- Good: FARM SHOP, then an arrow, then OPEN.
- Weak: Your name in a fine script, a strapline and a list of what you sell.
Place a sign well before your turning, so drivers have time to slow down safely. See text size for long-distance reading for other distances.
Check before you put a post in the ground
Rural signage is one of the areas where well-meaning people get into trouble. Signs on verges and on highway land are normally not allowed, and signs on your own land can still need advertisement consent. Brown tourist signs are a separate process through the highway authority. Speak to your local planning authority and highway authority before you order, and get a neighbour's permission in writing if you are using their fence or gate.
Fixed sign, changing strip
Part of a farm shop's appeal is that stock changes through the year. Build that into the sign.
| Part | Message | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Main panel | Farm shop, arrow and your name | 3mm Dibond, to last through weather |
| Seasonal strip | Asparagus, strawberries, pumpkins, Christmas turkeys | Corex, bolted or cable-tied below it |
| Field or fence banner | Pick your own, or Christmas tree sales | Mesh if the site is exposed, or PVC |
Having a few strips on the shelf ready means that anyone on the farm can swap them in minutes. Muddy gateways and wind are hard on signs, so fix them at both top and bottom, and keep them clear of hedge cutting.
Inside the barn
The story belongs here, where people have slowed down. Print large photographs of your fields, your animals and the people who work there, on boards above the cabinets. They cost little compared with the trust they build. Short labels naming a farm, a village or a breed help too. Use your own photos: a phone shot taken in good light can be fine at modest sizes, and our guide to enlarging a phone photo shows how far you can go. Chiller doors and cold rooms can run damp, so choose a sealed board there. Any claims about organic status or welfare need to be accurate and backed by your scheme, so check them first.
Guide prices at 60in x 40in
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| PVC banner print | £45 |
| Corex mounting | £30 |
| 3mm Dibond mounting | £55 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Signs that travel well.
Your questions.
Will a rigid sign survive strong wind on an open site?
Dibond is strong, but the frame and fixings matter just as much. Have posts set properly, and ask us about the size and exposure so that the board and fixing match.
Can we print our own farm photos for the shop?
Yes, and we recommend it. Send the original camera files, not copies from social media, and tell us how close people will stand.
What is the best thing for a short pick-your-own season?
A banner on a fence or a Corex sign is usually enough. Both can be stored dry for next season if you leave the year off.