NAFDMA in Lancaster, PA
Hello all,
We’re here in Lancaster PA at the NAFDMA convention, and outside there is a blizzard!
We’re learning all about how easy it is to manage and update blogs and other forms of social media.
More to come later!
Archive for Agritourism Today
Agritourism Operators are “Going Green”
One of the most current and talked about consumer and tourism initiatives that has all of us getting more involved is “Going Green,” or as one farm calls it, “Growing Green.” Consumers today are beginning to better understand that if we don’t begin to conserve our environment and reduce our carbon footprint, we won’t be leaving this world a better place for our grandchildren.
On a recent farm survey I asked several questions related to green-friendly practices being used on agritourism farms today. An overwhelming 47.5% of the farms are recycling their plastic bottles and soda cans from their food concessions. In addition, many farms recycle cardboard and are making intentional reduction of energy usage.
As would be expected, as stewards of the land, our farming practices include everything from organic to composting to reduced tillage as ways to improve the environment.
Farms have also joined the grocery stores in selling cloth and vinyl bags for re-use of product. In fact, one farm will even give their customers 10% off of products purchased at the farmers’ market everytime they use their bag and make a purchase. The Wittamore farm in Ontario created a very attractive vinyl bag with farm graphics and intentionally sought a Canadian provider.
I recently posted an article about this survey and you can Click Here to read the full article.
Great Lakes Expo Exceed Planners Expectation
Over 4,000 farmers are now in Grand Rapids, MI attending the
Great Lakes Expo. The farm conference this week featured six multi track programs.
I am here today showing this blog as an example.
Agritourism Farms now using Social Media
Yes, it’s true! Based on a recent survey I conducted agritourism farm operators are not jumping on the social media bandwagon. Facebook was the top choice with 51.2% of the respondees participating and Twitter had 29.9%.
Two local orchards in Connecticut are actually having a friendly rivalry to see which farm can add more new members to their Facebook page by Nov. 27. For each new member added to their fan page Bishop’s Orchards Farm Market & Winery in Guilford, CT and Jones Family Farms in Shelton will donate $1 per fan to local charity. You still have time to join them for this worthwhile cause.
Chris Curtis of Curtis Orchard & Pumpkin Patch in Champaign, Illinois truly had some success with launching his fan page. The orchard started their Facebook fan page in June and in three short months they have over 5,600 fans.
For those farms that would like to participate in my Annual Agritourism Farm Survey CLICK HERE . The survey will be open until December 20th at which time I will then summarize the results and share them with all respondees. The survey is only for farms and you can expect to take between 20 -30 minutes to complete.
It’s that time of year to count our blessings and to say thanks for all that we have. Wishing everyone a very blessed Thanksgiving.
Why Should Agritourism Farms Consider Blogs?
My recent fall farm survey found that 23.1% of the respondents currently are using Blogs as part of their farm marketing strategy. The farms using this technology told me that they feel that it brings people to their website more frequently, develops an exchange of information with their customer base and may possibly increase their page ranking on an “organic” search. Three very strong reasons for agritourism operators to consider blogs.
About 45% of these farmers post new information to their blog weekly and 50% of them believe it increases their business. While farmers may have limited time to be reading online blogs, it does not mean that they shouldn’t create one for their farm. I’ve heard farmers tell me how much they enjoy telling people about farming and their business.
The blog content can be as simple as “what are you doing today?” With the ease of adding photo’s to the blog farmers are showing the city folks the fields, the animals, the equipment and the barns. I certainly plan to continue to encourage more farms to consider blogging as part of their marketing plan. It sure can’t hurt and in fact as I’ve been told “it can even increase business.”
Family Farm Co-op Sells Directly to Charlotte Restaurants
I recently came across an article in the Charlotte Observer telling about the Farmers Fresh Market that was established by the North Carolina Economic Development Center. The farm co-op is selling their products directly to chefs in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Chefs can simply log onto the co-op website to find out what is fresh and have the produce delivered direct to their kitchens within 24 hours of harvest.
This initiative is now in the third year and both the small farmer and the chefs say it’s a WIN-WIN for everyone. The small farmer is growing and delivering a broad variety of fresh produce that would not always be available and can do so on a frequent basis. Many of these farmers are even growing crops they had never heard of until they started working with the local chefs.
The chefs are excited because they are able to source local foods and some exotic offerings regularly and plan their menus based on the co-op supply of product. Many of these are high-end products that also provide a very good return for the small farmer. The program is showing these farmers that you don’t always need large acreage to produce a reasonable income.
There is no doubt that alternative marketing channels can benefit the small farmer. The Farmers Fresh Market Co-op is doing a great job of putting local fresh fruits and vegetables in the hands of local restaurants.
Virginia Promotes Agritourism
Recently, I have been doing research in the state of Virginia regarding agritourism operators because I will soon be speaking in Richmond at the 7th Annual Small Farm Family Conference. It is often very difficult doing individual state agritourism research to find a good directory or even a poor directory of agritourism operators in the state.
However, I want to brag on the State of Virginia Tourism Department because they have done a great job in integrating farms and orchards into their website www.virginia.org for easy look up.
The search begins with a page titled “Living the Country Life” and from this page you can go to either Farm Stays or Day Trips. If we want to make it easy for people to find our farms we need to be sure our state tourism departments include us on their websites.
The other alternative of course is to search the Internet for farm activity directories that can provide us this information such as www.ruralbounty.com or www.cornmaze.com. These are two farm directories covering agritourism operations across North America.
The Internet is now the primary marketing tool of choice. It’s time for all states to follow the lead of Virginia and prominently highlight their agritourism operators. Actually - it’s a win-win for tourism and agriculture and the consumer.
Agritourism In Ontario Canada
Recently, I was in Ontario, Canada conducting ten farm mentorship consultations for the Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association. I am pleased to report that they have a great variety of agritourism operators from farms just beginning in agritourism to some that are very sophisticated in their offerings.
For instance, I visited Clovermead Bees & Honey where I had my first “honey tasting” experience. At the Yee Haw Adventure Farm I was treated to the “duck races” and a face-to-face hillbilly adventure. Ernie Muzylowsky, at Apple Land Station showed me his farm train that he uses to haul people to the apple orchard. Anne & Hugh Nauman not only take their products to the local farmer’s market but they also have an on-farm market and were completing a new rope maze to be ready for this fall season. I even flew to the Thunder Bay area of Ontario to visit Sue & Gerry Gammon of Gammondale Farm.
If you would like to visit some of these farms with me you can by taking a look at the two videos that I produced after this trip. You can view the first You Tube Video here or go to the second You Tube Video.
The agritourism industry in Ontario is a well organized group. Thank you Cathy Barolic, Director - Ontario Farm Fresh for inviting me.
Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches & More on Family Farms!
The first day of October and time to plan your trip to the local pumpkin patch. I have recently spent time in both Alberta and Ontario and pleased to report that fall season offerings have grown across North America to become a favorite family weekend activity. Of course, there are many agritourism farms that still have plenty of apples ripe for picking.
Corn mazes, pig races and pumpkin cannons continue to dominate fall festivals on agritourism farms. It appears that farmers today are truly enjoying coming up with new attractions to delight their guests. Other activities that I have seen on farms this year include: duck races, tube swing, maze in an orange grove, jumping pillow, zip line, underground slide, parrot feeding, animal shows, barrrel rides, gem mining, silo climbing, kids karaoke, evening haunted hayrides, flashlight mazes, bonfires and many more.
It is time to plan your trip now to go apple picking and pumpkin picking before time gets away from you. For a listing of farms in your area that offer great fall season experiences just go to www.ruralbounty.com to find farms near you.
Agritourism Farms featured by Kansas Farm Bureau
It’s not often that we see a farm publication that gives us in-depth coverage of agritourism. However, that is exactly what the Kansas Farm Bureau magazine, Kansas Living, has done for their September issue. I invite you to view their magazine on line and read the articles titled “Just down the Road,” “Ranch Rodeo,” “Prime Picks,” or “Unhurried Hunting.” All articles provide an in depth look at what is going on in Kansas, and feature some of their top operators.
Kansas Farm Bureau Magazine, Sept. 2009
Mike Matson, the Director of Communications and Public Relations, called me early this summer to discuss this upcoming issue and to get my feedback regarding not only Kansas agritourism but to discuss agritourism in general. In fact, he included a Q & A page where he interviewed me for “Let’s Talk Agritourism” on page 15.
Kansas was one of the early states to recognize the potential for their farmers to get involved in agritourism. Of course, as we now know, every state and every province in Canada is embracing agritourism, and that is why we created the North American database directory www.ruralbounty.com and www.ruralbounty.ca for people to find these types of experiences all across our continent.
In order for our agritourism industry to thrive we all need to be constantly marketing our message. I applaud the Kansas Farm Bureau for paying tribute to these Kansas family farmers–farmers that have become part of this important value added niche we call “agritourism.” I hope to see more farm publications to do the same.
