Agritourism – From Farm to ForkSteps to Sustainability

By Karin LeperiAgritourism Consultant to TIES

Agritourism

Agritourism is defined as visiting a working farm, ranch, vineyard or managed forest – or any agricultural, horticultural, agribusiness operation or range activity –for enjoyment, education, or experience.

A collaborative venture between regional tourism and agriculture.

Agritourism is More than Farms

“It’s not just food, and they aren’t all farms. A “farm” might actually be a boat, a ranch, or a greenhouse, while plants, wine, medicinal herbs, and compost are included in a list of well over 100 products.”

- Whatcom County, Washington

Circles of Influence

Heritage

Nature &Wildlife

Culinary

Outdoors

CultureRural

Agritourism – What it Is

Focus on Food, Fiber, Forestry and FestivalAuthenticityRuralOpen Spaces – the “Agriscape”Family Farms/Ranches/Vineyards/ForestsAbout Food SourceFrom the Land & Sea to the TableSustainable

Agritourism – What It IS

Slow FoodFood BiodiversityHeirloom SeedsHeritage AnimalsArtisan FoodsLocally GrownRegionally ConsumedFlavor & Taste

Territorial WinesBiodynamic WinesHomemade/HandmadeLow DensityAlternative TourismWorking Farms, Ranches, and Forests

FOOD

• Plant & Animal• Aquaculture• Commodities• Fruits & Vegetables• Grains & Oilseeds• Nuts• Herbs

• Specialty Crops• Vineyards & Wine-

tasting• Biodynamic• Farm Fresh• Slow Food• Organic

FIBER

Plant & AnimalGrainsFlaxWild RiceCottonSheepLlamasAlpacas

FORESTRY

Woodland ManagementForest StewardshipHorticulture

• Sugar MapleSugar ShacksChristmas TreesNurseries

FESTIVALS & FAIRS

Commodity CelebrationsHarvest GatheringsFairs & ExhibitionsHoliday ThemesSpecialty (antique tractors,etc.)

Agritourism Trends

Focus on health and safetyGrass is Good – emphasis on hormone & antibiotic-free meats & farm productsGrass-fed beef as opposed to grain-fedFree-rangeEmphasis on regional specialtiesSteps toward sustainability

Agritourism Best Practices

Blue Ribbon Passport(Pennsylvania)

Amazing Maize Maze (Cherry-Crest Farm, PA)

Seaweed Lady (Sooke Harbor, Vancouver Island)

Camp Coorong (South Australia)

Ziptrek Ecotours (Whistler, British Columbia)

Dine Alberta (Alberta, Canada)

“R” Pizza Farm (Dow, Illinois)

Butler Food Basket (Butler County, Pennsylvania)

100-Mile Diet (Vancouver, British Columbia)

Edible Austin Magazine

Slow Food Movement

Agritourism Best Practices

Chaps to Chardonnay (Yakima Valley, Washington)

Cow-to-Cone (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)

Ginseng Farms & Spa (Kamloops, British Columbia)

Discover Agritourism (Chautauqua Co., New York)

Canada’s Provence (Victoria, British Columbia)

Island Chef’s Collaborative (Victoria, British Columbia)

Ligurian Honey (Kangaroo Island, South Australia)

Emu Farm (Kangaroo Island, South Australia)

Otway Fly Tree Top Walk (Victoria, Australia)

Farm Map (Whatcom County, Washington)

Fruit Bowl Tours (Yakima, Washington)

Travel with Taste (Granville Island, Vancouver)

Blue Ribbon Passport ProgramState of Pennsylvaniawww.visitPA.com/blueribbonpassport

Agritourism along three abundant regions connected by major roads: the I-79 North, I-79 South and I-78 CorridorItineraries for 4 categories: fairs, local wineries, farm markets and farm staysPennsylvania Agritourism – “The hustle and bustle of a community fair. The anticipation of biting into a just-picked apple or a fresh-baked loaf of bread. The delight in discovering a perfectly aged wine. Or, the fun of sleeping at a historic farm or B&B.”

Cherry-Crest FarmRonks, Pennsylvaniawww.cherrycrestfarm.com

Amazing Maize Maze™5-acre sculpted and themed cornfieldInteractive maze with Kernels of Knowledge as clues As seen on Today Show, Good Morning America, Lifetime Cable, and People Magazine

Wild Seaweed/Seaflora Spa TourSooke, British Columbia

Tours focus on edible and wearable wild seaweedsImmensely popular with chefs, spas, and curious travelersFocus on sustainability of hand-harvesting

Camp CoorongSouth Australia

Experience Aboriginal culture and history in a community setting.Go bush walking through national parks and Ngarrindgeri sites.Learn basket weaving and the craft of flower feathers from the Aunties.Go on a medicine walk with an Elder.Master the art of the boomerang.

Ziptrek EcotoursWhistler, British Columbiawww.ziptrek.com

Eco-exploration and interpretative adventure with ziplines, observation platforms, suspension and aerial bridgesAward-winning ecological curriculum showcasing Whistler’s coastal temperate rainforest & sustainabilityGoal is to build environment awareness through education with minimal impact to environment and to support like-minded organizations both locally and globally.

Dine AlbertaAlberta, Canadawww.chomparoundalberta.com

The Dine Alberta: Savour the Regional Flavour ProjectShowcases local agriculture products, family owned farms, & value-added processingBrings together producers, processors, distributors, restaurants, chefs, media, and consumersAlberta Province as one continuous edible landscapeFrom berries and bison to herbs and honey

“R” Pizza FarmDow, Illinois

½ acre circular plot divided into 8 pizza slicesOrganic pizza “demonstration” farm draws 5,000 –6,000 visitorsTomatoes for sauce and herbs for seasoningMushrooms, peppers, olives for toppingsGrain for crustGoats represent milk; cows represent beef; pigs represent porkTour culminates with slice of pizza

Butler County Food BasketButler County, Pennsylvaniawww.buybutlerbrandcom

Gift Basket of Butler County products that can be purchasedCreated a brand name to promote sustainability for locally grown and produced products“You Can’t Buy Better Than Butler” stamp represents some of the best of Butler agricultural heritage

100-Mile Diet Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver has strong push towards local, seasonal eatingAlisa Smith and JB MacKinnon, Vancouver journalists, only ate foods coming from within 100 miles of their home for one year – local eating for global change.Idea was to explore local seasonal availability and to limit distance food travels to get to our plate each meal Raincity Grill devised a 100-mile menuNewspaper column chronicled progress and resulted in book, “The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating”

Edible Austin

Quarterly magazine that helps central Texas readers “learn about where to buy delicious,locally grown, seasonal foods.”Additional coverage focuses on area restaurants and vineyard that use organic, local ingredientsOne of 33 Edible Communities’ regional publications20,000 copies distributed in 30 counties through food stores and farmer’s markets

Slow Food – Taste & Tradition www.slowfood.com

Slow food as nutritious, tasty, locally grown food and preservation of food source with a focus on biodiversityRespect for where food comes fromTraceability of food supply; conservation of typicalityAntithesis of homogenization, fast food and life

Steps Toward Sustainability

Seasonal, regional, and buying local“Slow Food” and “Slow Travel” – destressing and detoxing - taking time to engage the five senses and educate the palateDiversified and yet connected experience that transports travelers into a simpler frame of referenceRespect for restraints of the regionSupport for regional specialties and flavorsEmbrace concept of educating public on source of food Sustainable as least toxic and least energy intensive while maintaining productivity and profitability

7 Steps to Sustainable Travel

1. Use alternate forms of energy.

2. Buy local.3. Eat fresh, seasonal

and regional.4. Minimize negative

impacts.

5. Conserve on use of energy and resources.

6. Replenish the spirit.7. Give of yourself to

something bigger.