This article first appeared in the Saint Louis Beacon: October 1, 2008 - Bring 'em back as tourists, says Jane Eckert, a St. Louisan who specializes in agrimarketing and agritourism. Eckert recently launched ruralbounty.com , a website designed to link family farmers seeking to diversify their income and urbanites desiring country fun. Her firm, Eckert AgriMarketing, advises clients on ways to turn their operations into commodity-producing public attractions. Turning dairy cows into cash cows, you might say.
"I felt something was needed to help save the farm," said Eckert, a sixth-generation farmer's daughter whose orchard-farming family was a local pioneer in farm marketing. She envisions her website becoming a national directory for people interested in rural recreation - from pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms to dude ranches and cross country skiing venues.
Eckert sees agritourism at the intersection of two trends - small farms and ranches fighting to survive the challenge of corporate mega-farms, and budget-conscious vacationers looking for new and different getaways closer to home.
"The United States Department of Agriculture says there are more than 65,000 farms and ranches open to visitors," says Eckert, who has more than 100 clients signed to her website since its launch in late June. "There's just a gap in getting out the word."
In addition to her website, Eckert spreads the gospel of green acres with speaking engagements at workshops and conventions throughout North America. She also writes columns for two magazines, Vegetable Growers News and Fruit Growers News, and has an e-newsletter.
She sees the entrepreneurial spirit catching on among farmers. Some have added bed and breakfasts, rock-climbing on the silo, snowmobiling through the pasture, stargazing in the lower 40, scrap-booking parties in the bunkhouse and even country weddings. In Hawaii, she says, coffee, tropical fruit and flower growers have opened their spreads to visitors.
Ruralbounty.com's menu offers searches by product, things to do, shopping-dining, lodging, farmers markets, Community Sponsored Agriculture, wineries, farm names or location. There's also a calendar of events and festivals throughout North America.
"Farmers are incredible people for what they do," says Eckert. "They can have a hail storm ruin their crops and the next morning they're full of optimism."
Ray Jordan is a freelance journalist.