This initiative is now in the third year and both the small farmer and the chefs say it’s a WIN-WIN for everyone.  The small farmer is growing and delivering a broad variety of fresh produce that would not always be available and can do so on a frequent basis. Many of these farmers are even growing crops they had never heard of until they started working with the local chefs.

The chefs are excited because they are able to source local foods and some exotic offerings regularly and plan their menus based on the co-op supply of product.  Many of these are high-end products that also provide a very good return for the small farmer. The program is showing these farmers that you don’t always need large acreage to produce a reasonable income.

There is no doubt that alternative marketing channels can benefit the small farmer.  The Farmers Fresh Market Co-op is doing a great job of putting local fresh fruits and vegetables in the hands of local restaurants.

However, I want to brag on the State of Virginia Tourism Department because they have done a great job in integrating farms and orchards into their website www.virginia.org for easy look up.

The search begins with a page titled “Living the Country Life” and from this page you can go to either Farm Stays or Day Trips. If we want to make it easy for people to find our farms we need to be sure our state tourism departments include us on their websites.

The other alternative of course is to search the Internet for farm activity directories that can provide us this information such as www.ruralbounty.com or www.cornmaze.com.  These are two farm directories covering agritourism operations across North America.

The Internet is now the primary marketing tool of choice.  It’s time for all states to follow the lead of Virginia and prominently highlight their agritourism operators.  Actually - it’s a win-win for tourism and agriculture and the consumer.

For instance, I visited Clovermead Bees & Honey where I had my first “honey tasting” experience.  At the Yee Haw Adventure Farm I was treated to the “duck races” and a face-to-face hillbilly adventure. Ernie Muzylowsky, at Apple Land Station showed me his farm train that he uses to haul people to the apple orchard. Anne & Hugh Nauman not only take their products to the local farmer’s market but they also have an on-farm market and were completing a new rope maze to be ready for this fall season. I even flew to the Thunder Bay area of Ontario to visit Sue & Gerry Gammon of Gammondale Farm.

If you would like to visit some of these farms with me you can by taking a look at the two videos that I produced after this trip. You can view the first You Tube Video here or go to the second You Tube Video.

The agritourism industry in Ontario is a well organized group.  Thank you Cathy Barolic, Director - Ontario Farm Fresh for inviting me.