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Agritourism – From Farm to Fork Steps to Sustainability

By Karin Leperi Agritourism 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 Culinary Rural Culture

Outdoors

Heritage Nature & Wildlife

Agritourism – What it Is z z z z z z z z

Focus on Food, Fiber, Forestry and Festival Authenticity Rural Open Spaces – the “Agriscape” Family Farms/Ranches/Vineyards/Forests About Food Source From the Land & Sea to the Table Sustainable

Agritourism – What It IS z z z z z z z z

Slow Food Food Biodiversity Heirloom Seeds Heritage Animals Artisan Foods Locally Grown Regionally Consumed Flavor & Taste

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Territorial Wines Biodynamic Wines Homemade/Handmade Low Density Alternative Tourism Working Farms, Ranches, and Forests

FOOD • • • • • • •

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

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Specialty Crops Vineyards & Winetasting Biodynamic Farm Fresh Slow Food Organic

FIBER z z z z z z z z

Plant & Animal Grains Flax Wild Rice Cotton Sheep Llamas Alpacas

FORESTRY z z z • z z z

Woodland Management Forest Stewardship Horticulture Sugar Maple Sugar Shacks Christmas Trees Nurseries

FESTIVALS & FAIRS z z z z z

Commodity Celebrations Harvest Gatherings Fairs & Exhibitions Holiday Themes Specialty (antique tractors,etc.)

Agritourism Trends z z z z z z

Focus on health and safety Grass is Good – emphasis on hormone & antibiotic-free meats & farm products Grass-fed beef as opposed to grain-fed Free-range Emphasis on regional specialties Steps toward sustainability

Agritourism Best Practices z

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Dine Alberta (Alberta, Canada)

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“R� Pizza Farm (Dow, Illinois)

Crest Farm, PA)

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Butler Food Basket (Butler

Seaweed Lady (Sooke Harbor,

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Blue Ribbon Passport (Pennsylvania)

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Amazing Maize Maze (Cherry-

Vancouver Island)

County, Pennsylvania)

100-Mile Diet (Vancouver, British Columbia)

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Camp Coorong (South Australia)

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Edible Austin Magazine

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Ziptrek Ecotours (Whistler, British

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Slow Food Movement

Columbia)

Agritourism Best Practices z

Chaps to Chardonnay (Yakima Valley,

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Washington) z

Cow-to-Cone (Lancaster County, Pennsylvania)

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Ginseng Farms & Spa (Kamloops, British

Australia) z

Emu Farm (Kangaroo Island, South Australia)

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Otway Fly Tree Top Walk (Victoria, Australia)

Columbia) z

Discover Agritourism (Chautauqua Co.,

Ligurian Honey (Kangaroo Island, South

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Farm Map (Whatcom County, Washington)

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Fruit Bowl Tours (Yakima, Washington)

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Travel with Taste (Granville Island,

New York) z

Canada’s Provence (Victoria, British Columbia)

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Island Chef’s Collaborative (Victoria, British Columbia)

Vancouver)

Blue Ribbon Passport Program State of Pennsylvania www.visitPA.com/blueribbonpassport

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Agritourism along three abundant regions connected by major roads: the I-79 North, I-79 South and I-78 Corridor Itineraries for 4 categories: fairs, local wineries, farm markets and farm stays Pennsylvania Agritourism – “The hustle and bustle of a community fair. The anticipation of biting into a justpicked 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 Farm Ronks, Pennsylvania www.cherrycrestfarm.com

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

Wild Seaweed/Seaflora Spa Tour Sooke, British Columbia

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Tours focus on edible and wearable wild seaweeds Immensely popular with chefs, spas, and curious travelers Focus on sustainability of hand-harvesting

Camp Coorong South Australia

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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 Ecotours Whistler, British Columbia www.ziptrek.com

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

Dine Alberta Alberta, Canada www.chomparoundalberta.com

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The Dine Alberta: Savour the Regional Flavour Project Showcases local agriculture products, family owned farms, & value-added processing Brings together producers, processors, distributors, restaurants, chefs, media, and consumers Alberta Province as one continuous edible landscape From berries and bison to herbs and honey

“R” Pizza Farm Dow, Illinois z z z z z z z

½ acre circular plot divided into 8 pizza slices Organic pizza “demonstration” farm draws 5,000 – 6,000 visitors Tomatoes for sauce and herbs for seasoning Mushrooms, peppers, olives for toppings Grain for crust Goats represent milk; cows represent beef; pigs represent pork Tour culminates with slice of pizza

Butler County Food Basket Butler County, Pennsylvania www.buybutlerbrandcom

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Gift Basket of Butler County products that can be purchased Created 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 z z

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Vancouver has strong push towards local, seasonal eating Alisa 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 menu Newspaper column chronicled progress and resulted in book, “The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating”

Edible Austin z

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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 ingredients One of 33 Edible Communities’ regional publications 20,000 copies distributed in 30 counties through food stores and farmer’s markets

Slow Food – Taste & Tradition www.slowfood.com

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Slow food as nutritious, tasty, locally grown food and preservation of food source with a focus on biodiversity Respect for where food comes from Traceability of food supply; conservation of typicality Antithesis of homogenization, fast food and life

Steps Toward Sustainability z z

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Seasonal, regional, and buying local “Slow Food” and “Slow Travel” – destressing and detoxing - taking time to engage the five senses and educate the palate Diversified and yet connected experience that transports travelers into a simpler frame of reference Respect for restraints of the region Support for regional specialties and flavors Embrace 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.

2.

3.

4.

Use alternate forms of energy.

Buy local.

Eat fresh, seasonal and regional.

Minimize negative impacts.

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6.

7.

Conserve on use of energy and resources.

Replenish the spirit.

Give of yourself to something bigger.