Archive for Agritourism travel
Agritour to Israel – January 4-13, 2011 – Hosted by Eckert AgriMarketing
I am pleased to announce that I will be hosting my fourth annual Agritour and have chosen Israel as the destination for January 4-13 2011. We will depart as a group from Newark, NJ and arrive in Tel Aviv where our tour begins.
Agriculture in Israel is found on the kibbutz where we will be touring local farms. A highlight of our trip will be meeting Steve Applebaum, an international expert on orchard drip irrigation and speaker/member of the International Fruit Tree Association. Steve will be our host at Kibbutz Ortal to view their orchards and packing house. Our trip includes touring of several kibbutzim as well overnight accomodations at Kibbutz Nof Ginosar and Kibbutz Yahel. Today, the agricultural activities on the kibbutz are also supplemented by the development of tourism or agritourism activities as we have here in North America.
Other ag stops include a tasting at the Golan Height Winery, touring a state of the art dairy barn, viewing the Yair research station to learn of new innovations in the Arava region plus a meeting with a representative from the Israel Ministry of Agriculture. We will have lunch under a Bedoin banquet tent, concluding with a camel ride for all.
We end our trip by spending a couple of nights in Jerusalem and visiting the important sites of our Christian heritage which includes the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Garden of Gethsemane, Via Dolorosa, Bethlehem, the Garden Tomb plus a memorable boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Our travel company, Dehoney Travel, has been taking groups on spiritual pilgrimages to Israel for over forty years.
Getting to know a country and their people through agriculture is truly a way to connect at the deepest level with the tour experience. The Israel Agriour will truly be a once in a lifetime experience to see this county from two perspectives. If you want to read more about the trip and costs go to my website Eckert AgriMarketing to learn more. If you desire a printed brochure just send me an email through my website and I’d be happy to mail to you. For tour questions, you can also contact Dehoney Travel in New Albany, Indiana.
Agritour to Costa Rica features Strawberry Grower
This past January, I led a farm tour to Costa Rica, and I wanted to share with you a special stop that truly made our trip unforgettable.
We were the first time guests of the thirteen-member Salazar family who are strawberry growers very near the Paos Volcano. This was the first time time the family had hosted an agritour and they went all out to make our visit special. They built a special building just for us! YES, it’s true. Upon arrival the family ushered us into a new building (complete with restroom) where they gave us a fresh strawberry fruit smoothie and then told us about the farming operation.
Following the presentation, we toured the strawberry fields which were all planted under high tunnels. This allows them to have total control of the moisture applied to the berries otherwise they would have too much rain for the crop. These growing methods allow them to pick strawberries almost twelve months a year. They don’t have any agritourism activities on the farm but they sell all their strawberries at local farmer’s markets.
After the field tour we went back inside the new building and were treated to strawberry shortcake. Each and every farm stop in Costa Rica proved very special to our group but the Salazar family will certainly be remembered. If you would like to see pictures from the farm tour and read more about more farm operators on our COSTA RICA TRIP just click here.
Plans are now underway for our 2011 Israel Agritour January 4-13. Details to be ready soon.
USA Today names TOP 10 Apple Picking Farms
Wow! I’m impressed that USA Today recently came out with a list of the TOP 10 Apple Pick Your Farms and that I know three of them. Congrats to Huber Orchard & Winery, Tougas Family Farm and Hollabaugh Brothers Fruit Farm for this special recognition. I sure hope that this article translates into more customers to these local farms as well as to all the great apple pick your own farms here in the U.S.
The key message to the public – local apples are ready and it’s time to go apple picking! Apple season does not last long and it’s easy to miss out on favorite varieties if you wait too long. I encourage everyone to check out the USA Today list or visit Rural Bounty to find apple orchards in your area.
New Agritourism Lingo – Let Go Glamping!
Recently, I learned about a new travel trend on the Today Show called “glamping.” In short, it’s glamorous camping. Taking your family or special someone to a luxurious camp, yurt or covered wagon on vacation has now become popular. You can choose the pricey version for up to $2,850 per night or find other locations that might better fit your budget. There is even a Go Glamping website or Glamping Girl site that shows you a lot of vacation choices.
However, my choice for adventuresome travelers wanting a special experience would be to overnight at a farm or ranch. There any many options for overnight vacationers across North America to see the rural countryside, observe the nighttime sky, watch the animals in the fields or the crops being harvested. Check out some choices at Rural Bounty.
If you want to read the full article about “glamping” by Laura Coffey a Today Show.com contributor just go click on her article “Go Glamping! 10 tips for a budget adventure.
Agritour to Costa Rica 2010 – You’re invited!
It’s not often that farmers (and friends of farmers) can travel together to explore agriculture in another country. Eckert AgriMarketing is pleased to announce a very special travel experience to tour Costa Rica from the farming perspective – January 15-22, 2010.
The Costa Rica Agritour will include stops at the Turrialba Farmers’ Market, coffee plantation, a strawberry packing plant, a banana farm, observe an organic producer and the Don Juan Educational farm and many more locations. Agritourism operators abound in Costa Rica just like they do in North America as shown on Rural Bounty.
Of course, we have also allowed time to explore some of the natural beauty of Costa Rica, including the Poas Volcano National Park, Waterfall Gardens, Ectomermales Hot Springs plus walking in a tropical rain forest. The full tour details and pricing can be viewed online at Eckert AgriMarketing.
A special highlight of the trip includes one day of outdoor adventure. Each traveler can choose from one of five adventure options such as: a boat tour of the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, a Sky Tram & ZIp Line over beautiful valleys, walk the Arsenal Hanging Bridges, raft down the Sarapiqui River or go horseback riding around the Arenal Volcano.
I’ve been told one of the best parts of the Eckert AgriTours is getting to know your fellow travelers. We already have some people signed up, but a few spots remain. The tour is limited to just 26 guests. You can look at the information online at Eckert AgriMarketing or contact me for a brochure.
Dehoney Travel will be handling all of the tour bookings and can also assist with airplane arrangements. Don’t miss the opportunity to tour Costa Rica through the eyes of a farmer. Call us today!
