These NJAES fact sheets may help determine if you want to proceed down the path to agritourism:
Qualifying and Quantifying Your Personal Agritourism Potential
Is an Agritourism Venture Right for Your Farm?
If you’ve decided agritourism is worth exploring, consider what type of agritourism venture best fits your farm family lifestyle and current operation.
“Pick-Your-Own” Operation
Many producers are experiencing success using a pick-your-own business model. This type of operation combines the sale of an agricultural product with the experience of harvesting a crop. A successful pick-your-own operation provides a great family atmosphere while providing the opportunity for additional sales, reduced labor costs and return visits. Some common examples include: choose and cut Christmas trees, pumpkin picking, and U-pick flowers, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Farm Stay
Successful farm stays offer consumers a taste of the farm lifestyle. The activities offered can vary greatly ranging from a farm-based vacation or bed & breakfast to a working experience where guests participate in the day to day farming activities.
Agritainment
Agritainment operations focus on creating an enjoyable experience for visitors in the form of seasonal family day trips. Examples include: corn mazes, haunted hay rides, and pumpkin trails.
Value-Added Products
While most agritourism opportunities are seasonal with the majority occurring during the production season, or centered on specific holidays, value-added products don’t necessarily have those restrictions. Producing value-added products from perishable agricultural products provides an opportunity for producers to expand their sales season or to increase the value of their products through processing or packaging. Some examples include: jellies and jams, pre-packaged salads, and locally produced meats.
Educational Visits
The farm is an ideal location for an educational experience. Many consumers want to learn how and where their food is produced. Educational tourism provides adults and students alike a chance to learn “hands-on.” Successful producers incorporate educational visits with other agritourism enterprises to increase public support for agriculture while also increasing profitability. Examples include: farm tours, school educational trips and seminars related to crop production.
On-Farm Recreation
The land associated with agricultural production offers visitors a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Successful producers have taken advantage of this through fee-based activities such as hunting and fishing, nature walks, birding and horseback riding.
