10-year agritourism farm celebrates its diversity and innovation.

The 100 acre Liberty Ridge Farm in Schaghticoke, near Albany New York State, attracts 40,000 people each year to its agri-tourism business by diversifying, entertaining, experimenting, and adopting new technologies, according to Larry Rulison, business writer with Times Union. Rulison reports that the average visitor stay is four hours and average expenditure is over US$13.00 per person.

After 10 years in operation, Liberty Ridge Farm now grows berries, corn, pumpkin and squash, have expanded to U-pick and plan to grow apples.

Their Fall Festival hosts a 12-acre corn maze, pig races, a Halloween "Field of Screams" and "Forest of Fear. The Farm's "Camp Celebration" with its campfire and large pavilion, takes in small groups for birthday parties, weddings, church groups, scouts, club or corporate picnics. Owners Robert and Cynthia Gifford pride themselves on providing great value for a day of local family fun. They believe in the "wow" factor.

Each year they try to upgrade and introduce something new. For the 2009 season, they have "Miss Moo’s Musical Revue" and "CornTEXTS". The Revue is an animatronics animal band that sings and tells jokes. With CornTEXTS you text message while in the corn maze to get navigational clues while inside the maze and get maze-themed historical information. They maintain texting contact with customers, after their visit, to report weather and farm activities. Rulison reports that the owners "spent $1,500 on a new software program called Book-It that allows teachers to book field trips through the farm's Web site. Cynthia Gifford says it's making a difference because school teachers previously called the farm and often had to leave messages because the staff was busy doing chores." IT manager Suzanne Cardinal, claims this software which was geared to agritourism will simplify operations.

When I visited the Liberty Ridge Farm website I was impressed with the supporters of this agritourism venture -- including sponsors, media partners and link associates. Check out, Spookly for example.

Agritourism is on the rise in New York State, according to Peter Gregg, a spokesman for the New York Farm Bureau, a farm lobbying group, since it helps farms boost their bottom line, writes Rulison.