Spirit Rock Trees

More and more people are hearing the term agritourism and wondering what it is all about. Agritourism is all about the coming together of tourism and agriculture and it is happening all over the great state of Kentucky when people visit farms, ranches, wineries. Of course, this is not just happening in Kentucky but all around the world as people are realizing the value of these agricultural providers. Many people visit these locations just to buy products but others go to be entertained, enjoy a dining experience, camp or spend the night, and take part in a wide variety of organized activities.

The Popularity of Agritourism

This form of tourism is becoming more popular because people simply need an escape. We are constantly sitting in traffic, cooped up in buildings, on cell phones, and simply taking part in modern day life but after awhile we all need a break from this. Agritourism is a great way to escape the stresses of modern life and get back to basics. Many families use this time to teach their kids about how and where food is grown and that everything we eat comes from nature. It seems that the busier our lives get the more exciting a day at a local farm or ranch can be for an individual, a couple, or a family.

A lot of people like go out and experience a farm because they have heard about farming from someone they know. In fact, if most of us look far back far enough we’ll find that our family members farmed. Going out and interacting with nature is something that many of us do because it allows for us to connect in a new way with family members that we may or may not have known. As you can see, agritourism has an emotional appeal in addition to everything else!

Agritourism is Entertainment

Many people do not realize how much fun they could have while they are on a farm or a ranch, or perhaps just camping or taking a hike through the Daniel Boone National Forest. The great thing about when you visit a place like a ranch or a farm is that each day offers something new, experiences that you cannot find just anywhere. You may be able to pick your won fruit, milk a cow, rope a calf, or even stomp some grapes. These are not activities that you are going to find at your local park, making these experiences truly memorable.

Agritourism is a great thing for the young and old alike. This type of tourism is great for all generations because everyone can learn something. When children take part in these activities they may learn for the first time where food really comes from and it will teach them lessons about caring for the land that they will carry with them into adulthood. Adults can learn things about farming or ranching that they didn’t know before, which will make them appreciate every apple or orange that they eat all the more.

Farmers Get in on the Fun

Many farmers love the idea of agritourism because it introduces the people in their community to all that they do. Many believe that farms are a thing of the past and it is this belief that has many farmers struggling to keep things going. Many farmers have been forced over the last few years to sell portions of their land to developers because they just cannot keep up with the costs of maintaining their land and animals. This process of decline in the farming communities around the country has many farmers excited about agritourism because it gives them the opportunity to show people what they are doing. Farmers also realize that through agritourism they could benefit financially by opening fruit stands, country stores, and offering special activities on their land. Many don’t realize it, but agritourism is responsible for keeping many farms up and running.

Making Agritourism a Part of Your Life

There are opportunities to interact with agriculture just about everywhere; you may just have to look beyond the modern forms of entertainment to find them. A day at a ranch or a farm can be a lot of fun, even if you have done it before. You will be exposing yourself and your family to new and exciting things that you cannot see at the movie theatre, on a video game, or anything of that sort. The great thing about agritourism is that you can still incorporate the things that you like into it. If you love wine, visit a winery and learn about how your favorite wine is made. If you love animals, why not visit a ranch. Agriculture is a big part of who we are as a people and finding entertainment value in it is simple, though many people wouldn’t assume that it could be as interesting as it is!

You can make agritourism a part of your life in a very simple way. You can stop at the country store or farmers market down the road, help pick up garbage in the local parks, visit a local winery, patronize local farms and ranches, or take part in organized agricultural events in the David Boone National Park. There are opportunities all around you that will allow you to get involved is these activities, you simply need to go out and find them. In fact, you may already be taking part and not even know it!

Many people find that their involvement in agritourism is very rewarding. When you live a busy life sometimes there is nothing better than getting back to nature and slowing everything down. Leave the cell phones at home, leave the traffic behind you, and simply get away from the city for a few hours. Chances are you’ll come away with new knowledge as well as a new relaxed outlook on life. Agritourism is beneficial for all involved so find some time to get out there and start enjoying your local agriculture!

Why are so many farms turning to agriculture entertainment, or agri-tainment? Some farms that have been ran and passed down through many generations have been falling upon hard times recently. There just doesn’t seem to be much of a profit margin with rising costs, droughts, storms and many other factors. The same land and the same products that used to put food on the table, pay for equipment, provide college funds, and keep the farm running smoothly just don’t cut it many times now days.

And of course, this is actually on the upside of when they are able to produce the same amount of harvest as their family has done in generations past. There are also farms all across the country that are unable to produce what they used to. Mother Nature has been shifting and wreaking havoc upon some of the land.

This is probably why there has been such an explosion in agri-tainment. Many people have never heard of this term, but chances are they have seen it in action but didn’t know it.

A prime example of agritainment is a farm that opens the gates come fall time and Halloween. They may have hay rides, mazes cut into the fields for kids to explore, petting zoos of various farm animals, refreshment stands, and selling pumpkins. Some farms have discovered that holding such events will bring in double or triple the funds that their actual farming will for the year.

Farmers are being forced to step out of the mold, be creative, and sell those things that no one else is able to. Another good way to see agritainment in action is the “Pick Your Own” farms. Signs abound on the highway in many regions to come pick your own blueberries or strawberries for a flat fee. It is normally much cheaper than the local supermarket, and they are fresh from the vine!

Farmers have only started to scratch the surface of what agritainment can, and will most likely grow to be. Take a look back to Vermont in 2002. Income from agritainment, also called agritourism, in Vermont alone was almost 20 million dollars; double the income that was generated just two years earlier in 2000.*

Several agencies and government departments have started to see the problems farmers are facing and are pitching in their help to support agritainment. In 2005 alone the United States Department of Agriculture allocated over 1 million dollars to 20 states and Puerto Rico funding research into marketing of agritainment and demonstrations. They hope to find new and innovative ways to support agritainment through marketing and increasing public awareness so more people will spend their time and money in agritourism.

The possibilities of agritainment are endless. It is inevitably part of the future for most farmers, and the general public benefits from it as well. The day can be spent relaxing in the fresh open air on the farm, or frolicking through the fields of mazes. At the end of the day the farm has brought in extra revenue that it needs, and hopefully people had fun and maybe even learned something!

Agri-tourism is defined by the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP) as being any economic activity that occurs on a farm for the enjoyment or education of the public to promote agricultural products, services, or experiences, which generate additional farm income.

This is important for farm families across the nation to continue turning a profit and to be able to maintain the farms they love.

Agri-tourism for those of you who live in the city areas means getting to experience life in the country. Visiting an agri-tourism farm can be one of the best ways to take a vacation with your family. Many people are now calling it agri-tainment. We don’t care what you call it, as long as you get a chance to experience life on the farm.

All you have to do to be able to come and visit the Spirit Rock Trees on the Spirit Ridge Farm is be a tree owner or have a special invitation, which we will be giving away in the coming days right here on the Spirit Rock Trees website.  Visit the Spirit Rock Shop to find out more.