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AGRICULTURE- August 2003 by Richard Adkins
Despite this apparent strength, many farmers are experiencing declining income from burley tobacco and other commodity crop production. As a result, many forward-looking farm owners in the state see combining these two formerly separate economic sectors in a marriage of convenience and turning the farm into a retail market or tourist destination as their best way of preserving it. They are now looking at agri-tourism and so-called “agritainment” possibilities with ever increasing interest and support. “Agri-tourism” is the act of visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural or agri-business operation for the purpose of enjoyment, education or active involvement in the activities of the farm or operation. The state Department of Agriculture, various state and local tourism offices and supporting agencies now list more than 140 businesses in 50 Kentucky counties with farm-related enterprises intended to interest and draw tourists. State legislators passed agri-tourism-related bills and adopted resolutions in 2002, and also during this year’s short session, seeking a partnership between state tourism and agriculture departments for an Agri-tourism Advisory Council. Funding and studies were also featured in last session’s budget talks. House Bill 654 was introduced in the 2002 legislative session to establish an agri-tourism interagency position within the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Tourism Development Cabinet to work directly with farmers involved in developing agri-tourism programs. This legislation passed and was signed into law during the 2002 session. Farm leaders are hopeful the Kentucky state legislature will allocate up to $2.6 million next year to fund a Kentucky Agri-tourism Initiative. It would assess needs of the burgeoning industry, such as insurance and liability issues, signage, promotion and marketing, and a revolving loan fund for startup businesses.
Latta also notes that “from farm sites that produce berries, apples, pumpkins, or other pick-it-yourself crops to the making of wine and bourbon, tourists now have a wide array of farm-related destinations to visit in Kentucky. Advertising and marketing these attractions in concert with the Department of Agriculture, local extension offices and tourism bureaus is our mission. The more tourists we can attract to these agri-businesses, the more revenue we are bringing to the operators and to the state.” Republican candidate for Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner (and former UK basketball standout) Richie Farmer agrees. “As Kentucky farmers continue to diversify away from tobacco, production leaders in agriculture should continue to look for new initiatives that will keep farmers profitable,” says Farmer. “Agri-tourism has a lot of potential as yet another diversification tool because of the natural beauty of our state and the warm friendliness of Kentucky farm families.”
Formerly a working tobacco and cattle farm located just a stone’s throw off I-64, the land was transformed into a working vineyard and winery where visitors are now encouraged to picnic on the 35 acres of the boutique vineyard’s grounds, sample wines in the testing room, fish on the willowy banks of Elkhorn Creek that gently wrap the borders of the farm, or just simply wander aimlessly through the acres of chardonnay, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, Riesling and other grape varieties cultivated there. The vineyard also hosts several concert series and buffet dinners on the grounds throughout the year. The most recent Summer Chardonnay Wine Release and Concert series, held in late July , sold out well in advance – as most of them have been prone to do – and was attended by more than 750 patrons from all around the surrounding region. The immediate community support and acceptance of a new niche has been critical to their success. From opening day and with continued involvement of the surrounding community and a growing list of customers across the country, Equus Run has been afforded a solid level of business success. “Our customers are very involved and protective of our business. It is as if they ‘are’ the winery,” says Equus Run co-proprietor Cynthia Bohn. The winery plans on increasing production to more than 10,000 cases in 2004 and is currently constructing a 1,400-seat amphitheater on the grounds. Scheduled to open in the fall, future dining and entertainment events will be held there. “Agri-tourism programs within Kentucky have progressed from the conceptual stage to active county-wide programs in the last two years,” says Bohn. “Tourism initiatives spawned by the Kentucky Department of Tourism and Department of Agriculture, supported by regional tourism taskforces, have positioned Kentucky wineries as tourist destinations.” “To date, over 20 wineries are licensed across the state and approximately 10 have opened to the retail public with regular business hours, events and many wine products,” Bohn continues. “As Kentucky’s agriculture industry continues to transition and evolve with new products and enterprises, the wine industry reaps benefit from these alternative approaches to traditional agriculture.”
Lori Garkovich, a rural sociologist with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, reminds farmers moving into this new area that agri-tourism sounds simple but it is not. “It’s one of those things that requires a different set of skills and different set of attitudes than oftentimes farm owners and farm operators have been working with. “You’ve got to really think about how having the natural resources or assets are not enough for success. As important is effective planning and a careful assessment of your own strengths and what you can bring to the experience to make it marketable.” Garkovich recently passed this advice along to farmers and other attendees of recent agri-tourism conferences in Cave City and Hopkinsville held this past June. The seminars were sponsored by Kentucky Cooperative Extension Services, the West Kentucky Corporation, Kentucky Farm Bureau, and the state Tourism Cabinet. “I believe that agri-tourism can help rural communities,” Garkovich said. “If done thoughtfully and with a coordinated set of partnerships, then it becomes consequential not just for the farmer but the community at large. The purpose of this is to make money and you make more money the longer a person stays in the community. So the more you can link things in the community into your place, the longer they stay and the more money that is eventually spent.” According to Garkovich, a critical part of determining whether to move forward with a particular agri-tourism venture involves legal and regulatory issues. Those include planning and zoning ordinances, health regulations, tax structures, environmental regulations and more. “The opportunities are limited only by your imagination,” Garkovich said. “The potential returns are significant, but I think the most important thing is that you are building a better understanding of agriculture and the farming lifestyle as well as instilling an appreciation for the work that it takes to bring food and fiber to America. If you are going to have visitors to your farm, think about what story you want to tell about your farm and what you want people to learn.” One Christian County-based agri-tourism operation, whose owners attended the conference in Hopkinsville, has certainly been heeding what experts such as Dr. Garkovich have been saying about the potential of such initiatives down on the farm. Janie Corley, and her husband, Milton, own and operate Christian Way Farms near Hopkinsville. “It was helpful to meet others in the agri-tourism business,” says Janie Corley. “I gained some valuable information about the Department of Tourism and free advertising through them. Corley was also interested in what other states are doing in agri-tourism. “It seems we should learn greatly from the states who are already successful in order to more efficiently establish a stronger program in Kentucky.” The Corleys’ story mirrors that of many of Kentucky’s family-owned farm operations. At least four generations of the Corley family have been raised on the farm and helped their fathers and grandfathers crop the farm while they were growing up. Most of the children moved away and in the late ’80s and early ’90s the land was no longer farmed extensively. While he was away, Milton Corley got a degree in Farm Mechanisms and managed an orchard in Bowling Green for a number of years before returning home to the family farm. In 1998, Milton’s father deeded the farm over to him and his family began building a home on the same spot where the old homeplace used to sit. In the fall of 2000, they raised about five acres of pumpkins and opened Christian Way Farm to the public. School children who began visiting learned how pumpkins are planted and how the plant grows. They rode a wagon behind a tractor to the entrance of a corn maze. Once out of the maze, they arrived in the pumpkin patch and picked their own pumpkin straight from the patch. They shelled corn and cracked corn with equipment used by Milton’s grandfather and father. They fed and petted sheep, goats and cows. Before they boarded their yellow buses and left, they played in a “castle” built from straw.
During harvest season, the farm-fresh vegetables are available to them and their families for purchase. The Corleys are also further diversifying their operations. They have begun raising daylilies, with over 60 named and many unnamed varieties, hoping to attract adults who enjoy raising flowers. They also sell cut flowers for fresh flower bouquets. Corley also plans to expand the tourism facilities. “We hope to turn the burley tobacco barn that is our welcome area into a “Farm Creations” store – supplied primarily with Kentucky-produced crafts and food products, especially items crafted from farm products. We would like to be able to help our fellow Kentucky farmers and crafters by providing a market place for their products. We are also decorating the farm with lots of antique equipment for the members of our senior population and we would like to develop some special events with the motorcoach tours in mind.” “We realize tourism is a ‘real’ industry that really does put money in the pockets of businesspeople in our communities and state,” adds Milton Corley. “As Americans have changed their patterns of travel since September 11, they are staying closer to home and looking for quality experiences with their families. Kentucky is in a prime location as we are so centrally located to a large majority of our country’s population. Our hope is that Kentucky will continue to help farmers develop the agri-tourism business to bring travelers’ dollars into Kentucky. “Those of us
who are trying to include agri-tourism in our farm business plans must
be patient, flexible and resourceful. The things we have taken for granted
on this farm are the exact things that non-farmers are thrilled to experience.”
Richard Adkins is a
staff writer for The Lane Report. |
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Copyright 1996-2003, by Kentucky Business Online. All rights reserved. Editorial content
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Tourism
and agriculture are both big business in Kentucky. Agriculture receipts
alone in the Commonwealth exceeded $4 billion in direct farm gate sales
last year with indirect sales estimated to exceed $25 billion. Tourism
ranks as the state’s third largest industry, contributing approximately
$9 billion in total economic value across the entire state.
According
to Ann Latta, head of the Tourism Development Cabinet, “This has
become an important new tourism product and we predict it will advance
at a rapid pace for many years to come. Agricultural-based attractions
are excellent vehicles to encourage travelers to visit all corners of
the state.”
One
especially notable example of a successful agri-tourism business is
Woodford County’s Equus Run Vineyards near Midway. Located in the
heart of the Bluegrass area’s Thoroughbred farms, bourbon distilleries
and burley production, Equus Run was conceived and created to specifically
tap into agri-tourism and “agritainment” venue possibilities.
It was founded by owners Cynthia Bohn and Cindy Hall with the sole intent
of becoming a unique agri-tourism destination similar to what tourists
would experience in California’s Napa and Sonoma Valley regions.
Before
jumping headfirst into this newly developing industry, which is very
different than traditional agriculture enterprises, farm owners are
advised to do an analysis of their farm’s asset.
“The
tours are arranged in advance by schools, Girl or Boy Scouts, church
groups, YMCA or other organizations,” says Janie Corley. “We
found lots of schools and groups interested in this, so we looked toward
other opportunities to bring people on our farm. While here, the children
hear about the various plants and animals that produce their favorite
meal of hamburgers and french fries. They see and touch and have a better
understanding of what makes up that plant that then produces a part
of their food.”