4/9/2012
Thinking Outside
the Orchard
More ideas from the
Agritourism Coach
by Marcia Passos Duffy
BONUS CONTENT!
Our May edition features a special
Farmstand Supplement, and within that
supplement, a feature by Marcia Passos
Duffy, "Thinking Outside the Orchard."
Below are more ideas for your operation
to maximize your agritourism efforts.
People are willing to pay money for a real farm experience, but they also want to be entertained. Families want something deeper than a farm jazzed up to look like a theme park; they want real places that create real memories for their family.
- A hay tunnel or maze for kids to crawl through.
- Hay jump from the top of the barn into hay.
- A giant grain bin "sandbox" filled with toys.
- Duck races for the kids.
- Zip line from one end of the farm to the other.
- Bumper boats on a pond or lake on the property.
- Giant bungee cord slinger to launch items at targets in the field.
- A haunted house, haunted hayride and haunted woods.
- "Movie with a View" at dusk projected on a screen on the side of a barn.
- Water sprinklers (a mini water park).
- Campfire birthday party including food and a flashlight maze.
- Host a dog park with dog competitions and training sessions.
- Build an ice skating rink on a pond or lake to hold a "Winter Classic" tournament for high school or peewee hockey teams.
- "Fall Foliage Tour" through the woods and fields.
- Start a "Plant a _______ Package" where people come in and sponsor or buy a plant they can keep coming back to as it grows to check its progress.
- Host a community garden where people can come in and plant their own crop.
- Scarecrow building booth for the kids.
- Scavenger hunt on the farm for farm goods and equipment.
- Offer bike rentals for mountain bike trails throughout the back woods or back fields.
- Host camps such as leadership, summer and overnight camps.
- "Sleep in the straw" night: clean out the barn and put down clean straw for overnighters who sleep in a sleeping bag in the barn.
- Get an astronomer and hold an "Astronomy Night" to provide education on the stars and include a bonfire after stargazing.
If you have any questions about these topics, you can call Mapleside Farm at 877-223-6096.
From the e-book, "101+ Ways to Grow Your Farm with Agritourism." Available free online at
www.agritourismcoach.com.
Comments about this post? Head over to FarmingForumSite and join the discussion!