Agricultural tourism takes many forms, including the drive-by, as in those who patronize farm and roadside stands, and farm stays, where people come and stay for several days on the farm. Consumers value the ambiance, the experience, the difference, the cultural exchange, and the products. Farmers get a sense of satisfaction from providing positive experiences for people, from relationships that develop with these people, and, of course, from receiving remuneration for their efforts. At a recent agricultural conference, a member of the panel on direct marketing discussed how she left a mid-career executive position in Southern California, and returned to the family's apple operation. Others with requisite assets can develop a reasonable livelihood by developing various niche markets.
Important assets are entrepreneurial skills, vision, coordination, people and marketing skills.
In addition to knowing what a produce buyer, packer or processor wants in terms of product quality, you need to have some sense of what people want, what they like to do, what kind of interests they have, and how to relate to them. Since you will often have other people interacting with your clients or customers, you will need to provide good training in customer relations and develop systems for quality control. Ellie Rilla, right, talks with Mark Pasternak, Marin grape grower, at the Marin County agri-tourism workshop. The Small Farm Program received a grant from USDA in 1997 under the Fund for Rural America Program to help foster an educational outreach program on agricultural tourism in California. We know that many agri-tourism activities, such as festivals, tasting rooms, and county fairs, have been going on in California for decades.