Green Dirt Farm, a value-added sheep farm and agritourism business

 
Tony Glamcevski, from Kansas City, is a tours and events manager with Green Dirt Farm (www.greendirtfarm.com) of Weston, Missouri, who is responsible for cheese-making classes, farm table dinners, and product sales to local farmers markets, supermarkets and chefs, reports Cindy Hoedel of The Kansas City Star. In an interview, Tony wants to develop agritourism -- to have consumers experience farm life and see how the food on their plate gets there. It’s booming. It can also be an additional source of income for the farm he says. 

  Green Dirt Farm is owned and operated by women who raise and milk sheep, offer tours and half-day cheese-making workshops, and prepare barn suppers with unique beverages.
  

Unique Agritourism Approach: Look, But Don't Buy

20 football-sized fields of tulips are grown annually for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, but not for sale, writes Wendy Owen of the Oregonian. Woodburn farmer, Ross Iverson, and family grow them for visitors to admire and photograph. They also grow another 30 acres for harvest and sale. They've been growing tulips since 1974. Over 100,000 visitors are expected each year with traffic sometimes backing up for over 12km to enter their farm. Their tulip farm is also rented for weddings, company picnics and meetings, family reunions and other special events. This year is special. It's the 25th anniversary of the Tulip Fest.

Delaware Agritourism

YouTube - Agritourism Agritourism can add several benefits to a farm. Rob Leeds, Extension Educator from Delaware County, discusses why agritourism experiences are good from the operators and customers point of view. Included are things to consider when adding agritourism to your business, along with trends coming in the industry.

Tennessee Proclaims 20th March "Ag Day"

In support of Agriculture, 20th March is now officially known as "Ag Day" in Tennessee.

The over 79,000 farms in the state bring in over US$3 billion annually in cash receipts.There are currently more than 600 agritourism venues in Tennessee, USA. In 2007, agritourism generated more than $6.5 million in farm income, as reported by the government of Tennessee.

The proclamation of "Ag Day" recognizes the contribution that stakeholders in agriculture have made to Tennessee.

Agri-Tourism Vision 2020

The Indian State of Maharashtra, India, recently unveiled its 10-year Agri-Tourism Vision 2020, according to TravelBizMonitor.com.

The main goal is to allow farmers to retain their farm and stay on the farm; that, in a speech at the Maharashtra State Agri & Rural Tourism Co-operation Federation (MART) national convention on Agri-Tourism, by managing director Pandurang Taware.

Other points in Vision 2010 include:

• Government should have a separate policy for Agri-Tourism. Financial institutions like public and private sector banks should support farmers by lending money to invest for farming.
• The primary objective of Agri-Tourism is to sell farm products produced by farmers and not the development of hospitality infrastructure.
• Tourism stake holders like tour operators and travel agents should support this segment (Agri-Tourism) by selling these destinations.
• Government should look after capacity building of farmers and promotion of Agri-Tourism, both domestically and internationally. Government of India should include Agri-Tourism in their marketing initiatives on the lines of promotion of other tourism segments.
• Basic infrastructure such as roads, drainage, toilet facilities, have to be maintained and developed at Agri-Tourism destinations.
• Income generates from Agri-Tourism has to be treated as agricultural income.

"The soul of India lies in villages", states Pradeep Kumar Jain, Minister of State for Rural Development, Government of India.

"Over 97 per cent of the city crowd were ready to travel over 300 km to experience the rustic beauty of village life,” said Taware, in a report by The Punekar.

Eagles are main attraction in AgriTourist events

Photographers flock to watch eagles in an agricultural setting.

The village of Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia, Canada, hosted its 19th Annual Eagle Watch event this winter, 2010. Also, Carson Valley, Nevada, USA, held its 8th Annual Eagles and Agriculture Event this past winter. These events bring economic activity into rural areas.

Post any other eagle or bird watching events that attract tourists to rural, agricultural settings.

Yolo County, California, new food facility policy designed to help agritourism

Yolo County, California, has recently adopted a new food facility policy for homestays, and Bed & Breakfast Inns to encourage agritourism, reports the Wood Land Record while maintaining high public health standards.

Yolo County ranks agriculture and tourism at the top of their industry priority list for "sustainable, quality growth while providing economic opportunity and quality of life". Yolo has many wineries, recreational activities and unique agricultural communities. They include a 25-page section on agritourism in their Yolo County Agricultural permit Manual.

The new Agricultural Homestay/Bed & Breakfast Food Facility Policy was developed in cooperation with the following Yolo County departments: Agriculture, Planning & Public Works and the Economic Development division of the County Administrator’s Office.

Agritourism directory for the USA and Canada

Rural Bounty lists places to stay and things to do on farms throughout the USA.

One can search by:

Farm Product

Shopping & Dining

Lodging

Farmer's Markets

Wineries

Farm Name

Location

Oklahoma agritourism could generate billions for rural towns.

Helde Brandes of OKC Biz reports that agritourism is a booming business in Oklahoma, with a projected $31 million economic impact for 2009. The article cites the American Quarter Horse Association show, held annually in Oklahoma City, as an example of the agritourism contribution to the agriculture industry. The article further states that wind energy and wind turbines could generate $34 billion for rural towns in Oklahoma, a future that "will require a new vision ...[with] evolving technologies and demands", according to State Secretary of Agriculture, Terry Peach.

Trinitas agritourism golf at odds with Calaveras County

Michael and Michelle Nemee own the Trintas Golf course, in Valley Springs, California – the course built in “stealth mode”, and at the centre of a conflict with Calaveras County Planning Commission’s zoning bylaws, reports Dana Nichols, staff writer with RecordNet.com. Trintas also has a Nature & Wildlife Preserve, and an Olive Oil & Orchard Tour.
Though County rejected an application to rezone, the owners vow to keep the course in operation."We are going to continue operating our lawful agritourism operation that we've been taxed on since 2005 by the county of Calaveras," Nemee said, reports Nichols.
Issues in this dispute involve: Trinitas, Calaveras County, a group called “Keep It Rural”, the “Williamson Act”, the California Department of Conservation, and the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Centre.

Strict standards help double agritourism growth in northern Italy

The South Tyrol Region in northern Italy saw its agritourism ventures explode in the last five years, with 223% increase in visitor arrivals and 207% increase in visitor nights between 1999-2007 according to Australian Pauline Porcaro, reports Rod Brown.

In a podcast on ABC radio's Bush Telegraph. Porcaro attributes success to a strict Red Rooster (Gallo Rosso) accreditation and branding program. Top ranked operators are not to give up farming. Tourism must be complementary to farming. Farms are to adhere to rules on accommodation size, must provide natural fibre furnishings, etc . Government involvement is heavy with help in training, marketing, business planning and funding. Porcaro emphasises that government support is crucial to the success of agritourism in the region.

Farms, for example, offer wine to visitors, teach urban schoolchildren about farming, have an adopt-a-farm animal program where you get updated photos sent to you. The goal is to increase farm-gate sales.

Porcaro said agritourism farmers in Australia need to look at Italy, considered as world leaders in this business.

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.

Diversity is key to rural tourism in Punjab, India

Tribune Photo taken by Kulbir Beera

Gurcharan Singh Mann is an exceptional, quality farmer in Tungwali village, Bathinda District, Punjabi region of India. His farm has been selected under the Punjab Rural Tourism Plan, because of its diversified farming and related ventures, reports Chandigarh Tribune of India and the Global Sikh News.

Mann believes that diversification is lucrative and is key to attracting visitors and business partners. Aside from, or instead of, cotton and paddy, he's into fish, honey, orchards (banana, jamun, amla, ber, guava, pomegranate, apples, aloe vera), mixed timber and other crops (including turmeric and red chilly for Agmark), bio-gas, mushrooms. He has converted over 40 acres of former sand dunes into a destination spot.

Punjab Agricultural University awarded Mann the Parvasi Bharti Award in 2005 for diversification. Mann believes one needs to adapt and to adopt.

San Pedro, Uruguay, transforms into Agritourist destination

The entire small farming town of San Pedro, near the city of Colonia del Sacramento (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in western Uruguay, has transformed itself and turned to Agro-ecoTourism as a new source of livelihood, reports Luis Alberto Carro with IPS News.

This was once an area of prosperous dairy farms and small-scale agriculture. It fell onto hard times after the country's severe financial crisis in 2002 and in neighbouring Argentina a year earlier. Residents of San Pedro decided to fight their misfortune. They created the Rural Tourism Group (Grutur), made up of members such as "Vivero Yatay - a nursery and park of native plants - the Parque Brisas del Plata campground, the 'Los Tres Botones' farm, where visitors can have a ride on a horse or in a cart and eat typical rural meals out under the blue sky, and the Tourn Museum, which includes antique tools and farm machinery manufactured by the Tourns, a family of Italian immigrants." Many took courses in English, computers, basket-weaving and herb-growing, and also from doctors and psychologists. Further they have trademarked local products under "Las Sanpedrinas".

Also linked to the group are operators of dairy farms that grow organic produce, horseback riding, cabin rentals in the countryside and museums. Grutur holds rural fairs or festivals to showcase attractions and products.

Uruguay's tourism industry is a billion dollar a year industry, according to Carro. It provides "50,000 direct jobs and more than 120,000 indirect jobs, based on an economically sustainable model that is respectful of the environment and local culture. Tourism attracts mostly Urugaynans and Argentinians. About 10% of visitors are from outside these countries.

"Eighty Rural Tourist destinations are registered with Uruguay's Tourism Ministry. Also part of Rural Tourism destinations in Urugauay are wineries, guest ranches, rural bed-and-breakfasts, and even an old quarry. The Ministry is preparing a tourism development plan for 2009-2020 that will include the country's 19 provinces and Rural Tourism -- designed to benefit local residents.

Agri-tourism reality bus tour in North Carolina

Why does Rowan County in Salisbury, North Carolina, draw so many visitors each year, asks SalisburyPost.com?

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce gave a bus tour to about 30 local officials to learn why -- to see agri-tourism sites in action. They visited William Yost's Cauble Creek Vineyard, the Lazy 5 Ranch, and Michelle and Doug Patterson's Produce Farm. They learned about agri-tourism's impact on the local economy, providing 1,500 county jobs, and the role in North Carolina's tourism draw. The sites visited rank highly on field trip destinations within the state, drawing thousands and boosting the local economy.

Local elected officials, representatives from North Carolina Cooperative Extension, members of the Rowan Chamber of Commerce and the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority were part of the bus tour.

According to Yost, agri-tourism thinking should be longer term -- not short term -- just like his vineyards.

Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California publication

The University of California Small Farm Program lists resources available to those who wish to start an agritourism operation. One of its publications is the 160-page 2005-title "Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California". This is a workbook for farmers and ranchers. It was the culmination of a brainstorming session held between farmers, ranchers, university researchers, tourism officials and community support groups.
Topics include:

• Evaluating resources for tourism
• Creating a business plan
• Examining legal constraints
• Risk management
• Developing a marketing plan
• Farm visits for children
• Planning a tourism workshop
• Resources

Agritourists worth US$2.4 million to California farmers

Agritourists brought in around US$2.4 million to farmers in California in 2008, according to a first statewide survey on agritourism operators, as reported in Small Farm News, The Daily Democrat and the University of California Small Farm Program. Further, "small farms made up 2/3rds of the farms reported offering agritourism." Agritourism was generally profitable and offered farmers a supplementary income. A California AgriTourism database allows farmers and ranchers to add details of their agritourism operation, for public access.

Follow the Quilt Trail in Northeast Tennessee

Six counties in Northeast Tennessee, including Greene, Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington Counties have joined together to create the "Quilt Trail" reports the Greenville Sun. The Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council's Quilt Trail is shown inside a colourful brochure on a map. Along the trail are barns and other structures with replicas of large quilts. The brochure shows photos of each quilt square and, for the more "technologically-savvy tourist, the brochure includes Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates for the quilt locations."

In interviews with the coordinator of the Appalachian RC&D and Director of Tourism for the Green County Partnership, the Greenville Sun reports that "the Quilt Trail helps tourists enjoy country scenery while protecting family farms by boosting agri-tourism" and ""With the increasing popularity of outdoor recreation and agri-tourism, the Quilt Trail is but another tool that tourism can use to promote our area as a vacation destination as well as promote agri-tourism businesses.