Google Farmer: Organizing Farm Events With Google Calendar
/I use Google Calendar for so many things it's not even funny. For my farm, for my personal life, and even for Farm Marketing Solutions. I schedule everything through my Google Calendar. Using it is very simple.
There is ONE particular feature that makes this tool very powerful, and that is the ability to share your calendar.
Sharing Google Calendar
...with Family and Friends
With Google Calendar you can easily share your calendar with anyone else through a simple e-mail. I have a separate personal calendar than Kate. I keep Farm Marketing stuff on it, doctor's appointments, .... you know, calendar stuff. She has a calendar of her own two. We have shared them with each other, and that way I can make sure I don't double book anything that might involve the two of us, but at the same time, while I am editing my calendar, I can turn hers off if things get too cluttered.
It is really easy to share calendars, especially if you both have a Google Account. You start by creating a calendar. While viewing your calendar, click on the little gray triangle, and then share calendar. See image below.
You can also view other people's calendars with your calendar at the same time like I mentioned Kate and I doing. Everything is easy to organize, change, and it will automatically update everywhere that is linked to Google Calendar. My phone is linked, my desktop is linked, everything is in the "cloud". This makes staying organized really simple.
with Your Farm Customers
I know from experience that my customers always want to know what is happening when, and to be reassured when things are happening, like CSA pick-ups. That is why I created a Google Calendar for FoodCyclist Farm. That way I can update and edit the calendar wherever and whenever, and my website will be automatically updated. CSA members can either check my website, or link to the calendar through their Google Accounts.
You can keep a calendar private, or you can make it public. I have made my farm calendar public because I want everyone to know what is going on. Here's a picture of my farm calendar on my farm website:
To get an embed code for your website, click on that gray triangle again on your Google Calendar page. This time click on "Calendar Settings" and it will bring you to a new screen with the embed code.
Super Simple!
This is a super simple blog post, but I wanted to make sure I highlighted this awesome tool. The simplicity of using Google Calendar and the power of being able to share it with others is what makes this one of my most valuable tools. There's not much to learn, and the pay off is so worth it.
--
Other Google Farmer Posts