[vtfarma]

How many people have turned to agritourism to earn part of their living on the homestead? What have you done? Also, does anyone have ideas for what would work well to work with the public?

We were thinking something along the line of tours, classes, product (we do this already), weddings or a family day.

 

[Ken Scharabok]

From my book:

See the video Fun on the Farm: Starting a Farm and Ranch Rec-reation Business, available from Montana State University Extension Publications, P.O. Box 172030, Bozeman, MT 59717 (406-994-3273).
Most of the following list places which offer farm or ranch vacations. Also check the Internet. They can give you a good idea of what different people offer and at what prices.
• Family Travel: Terrific New Vacations for Today’s Families by E. Kaye, Blue Penguin Publi-cations, 3031 Fifth Street, Boulder, CO 80304-2501.
• Farm, Ranch and Country Vacations by Pat Dickerman, Farm, Ranch and Country Vaca-tions, 7550 E. McDonald Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85250.
• New England Farm Vacations by L. Ro-gak, Country Roads Press, Box 286, Castine, ME 04421-0286.
• Starting a Bed and Breakfast or Farm Va-cation Business, available from the Extension Spe-cialist for Tourism Development, Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, University of Minnesota, 218 Classroom Office Building, 1994 Buford Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108.

Ken Scharabok

 

[Tractorman]

We do mobile petting zoo's and pony/horse rides. When we get set up at our new place I want to do a "Punkin Patch" type setup. Around here all the kids in school pay $14-20 to go on a field trip to a farm ride a hay wagon, pet a cow, walk through a corn maze, and take home a small punkin. I mean 10-20,000 kids go to this one each year!

 

[fin29]

Quebec has an exceptional agritourism program. The Lac Brome region--not far from Vermont--is a wonderful place, much like France in climate and products. They have all kinds of brochures, programs, tours, etc.
I also just visited Isle D'Orleans last weekend, which is about 20 minutes from Quebec city. It's about a 25 mile long island of farms, bakers, wineries, cideries, etc. It's incredible and again it's well-marketed by the province and the individual communities.
It can work. There was a line of no less than 5 miles of cars headed out to Isle D'Orleans on Sunday as we were leaving, and there's nothing to do there but visit farms.

 

[Jena]

This isn't really agritourism, but I would like to build my own miniature golf course in some of the woods that aren't suitable for anything else. I'll probably never do it, but I start thinking of all the creative things I could do with the old rusted farm machinery laying around in people's fields, the lay of the land and the natural features and it sure is intriguing.

Jena