Tours / Open House ???

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

In my wife's Appalachian Farming / Cooking group, it is really common to receive inquiry about tours and open houses.  I am curious to know from both growers and producers, is this a common business practice?  I think it could be fun, but damn there would have to be a lot of cleaning and clearing before I could pull it off.

Step 1. - Haul away the broke down car that has sat for five years.
Step 2. - Move or fix broken tractor that has sat for two years.
Step 3 - Fix or move things when they break down.
Step 4. - Put up signs explaining the pig might eat your tires.
 
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Farm tours are an excellent way to bring in business.  Area farms out this way run the gamut - small u pick operations all the way up to big ass farms that have little trains, pony rides, cafes and petting zoos.  We go each year to several farms; one an all grass fed beef (for eating) and horse (for riding) farm, another is a pumpkin/sunflower/kiddie amusement park affair, two others are apple/pear orchards, and a couple different u pick berry farms.  
 
I'd do the same were I able; its another revenue stream for the property and you get the chance to educate the public on what farming is and should be.  Best for the extrovert though; one loses a bit of privacy and has to deal with the public all the time.  
 
edit: #1 - yeah, scrap the car.  #2 - no, keep the tractor.  it's 'kitschy' and lends authenticity. #3 - yup.  #4 - put up signs until you get enough dough to fence the pig during visits.  :)
 
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Step 1. - Haul away the broke down car that has sat for five years.
Step 2. - Move or fix broken tractor that has sat for two years.
Step 3 - Fix or move things when they break down.
Step 4. - Put up signs explaining the pig might eat your tires.
Click to expand...
 
Step 5 - post signs warning the parents to keep the kids from handling the superhots ( figure the sign will make the kids want to do it that much more and you can point to the sign when the parents get upset at the crying child after he touches the peppers and winds up rubbing his eyes !!
 
Also remember to be sure and update the insurance policy to cover any accidents that may happen (wouldn't want to lose the farm because some visitor slips and falls or cuts themselves on somethng and decides to sue ! )
 
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Smokefire, revenue stream?  You mean charge people?  I was thinking more along the lines of how much can I spend to pull it off.  I guess folk might buy stuff on their way out, but wasnt thinking of it as much more than advertising.  Please do tell, do some farms actually make money off this sort of idea and if so how?
 
JDfan, I paint the variety name on rocks and put the rocks by the rows.  So what you are saying is that letting people bring their children to a place where rows are marked CHOCOLATE this or that might be a bad idea if they dont taste like chocolate?  Until you said that, I honestly had not considered it.

Sicman, it is kind of funny to note that with all this fear over chicken flue or what ever it is, that most folk who raise chicken are more worried that guests will get their birds sick rather than the other way around.  Peeps are so very fragile.  Humans are so very diseased.

Hottoddy, ye already know it will cost more money for insurance.  The current rules include things like warning signs about animals. 
 
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There is a place a few miles away called Apple Hill. I have been going for years. They make money off everything! TheY charge to get it,PAY TO PARK, sell crafts, sell fruit, sell baked goods, have a pay to fish pond, helichopter rides, fudge, hay rides, mini train.

Use your head, there is MONEY TO COLLECT.
 
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Rymerpt, maybe someday but I kind of like growing peppers.  Thinking about tours / open house as a now and then fun thing to do.  Making it a money thing might be a good way to go if the farm is ever much larger / more employees, but thinking while it is mainly me gimping along I would loose focus on what I like doing the most... growing things. 

Talked to my insurance agent.  Before they can even give me a quote they want an under writter to visit the farm.  So thinking it will be a while because I have to get the place cleaned up before I can even know how much it will cost. 

Wait: did you say helicopter rides?
 
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ajdrew said:
Smokefire, revenue stream?  You mean charge people?  I was thinking more along the lines of how much can I spend to pull it off.  I guess folk might buy stuff on their way out, but wasnt thinking of it as much more than advertising.  Please do tell, do some farms actually make money off this sort of idea and if so how?
Click to expand...
 
A tour is taking up your time so it should cost some money - even something nominal like $3 or $5 a head is perfectly fine.  Visits are a bit different, but once people are out at the farm you can offer all manner of value added products and services; hay rides, jellies/jams, cooking demos, pies/cakes/cookies, corn maze, cotton candy, etc.  If you have the space consider pumpkins - you'd grow a big patch and people can come select theirs from your harvest.  Night time spooky hayrides, stuff like that.  
 
Maybe you have some friends who like shetland ponys or some weird birds or whatever.  Pony rides are $3 a head around here and the kids go crazy for them.  
 
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