FEATURE | e d i t i o n
The Right Way To See Florida
Great Climate, Crops Mean Opportunities for Agritourism Abound by TERESA SCHIFFER
C
CENTRAL FLORIDA IS A HOTSPOT FOR AGRITOURISM. Our state government recognizes the value of agritourism here and since 2007 has created laws protecting the farmers who wish to open their property to the public for various activities. Since visiting any farm has some inherent risks, it was important to state legislators to protect both farmers and the public from some of these dangers. Farmers want to know that they will not be liable for injuries associated with the unavoidable risks of conducting normal farm activities, and the public wants to be assured that farmers will not be negligent when it comes to taking safety precautions to protect visitors. Situated between the globally acclaimed theme parks of the Orlando area and the trendy urban metropolis of Tampa Bay, Polk County might seem at first like just a sleepy bedroom community. However, with more than 2,000 active farms in the county, there is actually quite a lot happening here. If you think citrus is the only thing growing in Florida, think again! We have 81 different types of crops produced here, plus 19 livestock and poultry products. Polk County is simply teeming with opportunities for agritourism. “Everything that you do, outside of 12 | CFAN
just producing in your farm, is considered agritourism,” says Luis Rodriguez, UF/IFAS’ Small Farms and Pesticide Education Agent for Polk County. “For example, any type of tours you can give to certain groups of people, that’s agritourism. If you have a bed and breakfast near or inside your farm, that’s considered agritourism.” U-pick crops and cottage industry foods, like honey or jams that are sold at the farm, are also considered agritourism. There are many ways for a Florida farm to branch out into agritourism. Offering tours and u-pick opportunities are just the beginning.
Area farmers can welcome the public onto their land for things like skeet shooting, equipment demonstrations, bird watching, rodeos, horseback riding and so much more. Seasonal activities are also popular, with farms offering various themed festivals, planting and harvesting events, charity runs, crop mazes, and other fun recreational activities. The farmers who open their fields to the public, like the Futch family that operates the Fox Squirrel Corn Maze in Plant City, truly relish having people come and savor the simple life of rural living for a day. FloridaAgNews.com
