Cultivating Farm Experiences: Can Agritourism add to your bottom line?

Cultivating Farm Experiences is a four-part Zoom webinar series that examines agritourism. Each session focuses on the different aspects of incorporating an agritourism activity into a farm operation, featuring guest experts, farmer speakers and a variety of learning activities and resources.

SESSION 1: IMPORTANCE OF AGRITOURISM TO THE AG ECONOMY

Session 1 Cultivating Farm Experiences - March 9, 2023 (Video)
Gail McWilliam Jellie, Agriculture Program Assistant, UNH Extension Sullivan County welcomes
Jane Presby, owner of Dimond Hill Farm in Concord, New Hampshire speaking about “How We Work with Our Community and Neighbors.”

four small children in an apple orchard with baskets of apples on the ground

Agritourism Development Neighborhood and Community Considerations (Video)
Jada Lindblom, Community and Economic Development Field Specialist, UNH Extension Belknap County, offers tips from town planners and agritourism operators for navigating potential roadblocks to the development of agritourism.

Agritourism Introduction: Is agritourism right for your farm? (Video)
Gail McWilliam Jellie, Agriculture Program Assistant, UNH Extension Sullivan County discusses considerations to fit your farm and location.

Agritourism Assessment Tool (PDF)
Are you ready to host visitors to your farm? The Farm Assessment Tool is a questionnaire to help you determine your readiness for a new agritourism venture or activity.

Pick N Patch Farm Interview (Video)
In 1993, Drew and Melanie Wickham created the Pick'n Patch in Stanley New York as a way to teach their 4 children how to run a business and raise them on a farm. Hear how the Wickhams have managed and grown the Pick’n Patch business over the years.

SESSION 2: BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PLANNING

Session 2 Cultivating Farm Experiences – Finance March 16, 2023 (Video)
Seth Wilner, UNH Extension Field Specialist in Agricultural Business Management leads the discussion on planning an agritourism business enterprise, including goals, initial and ongoing expenses, pricing,  revenue and profit expectations, and a little bit of math to help figure all this out.

SESSION 3: MARKETING THE AGRITOURISM EXPERIENCE

Session 3 Cultivating Farm Experiences – Marketing March 23, 2023 (Video)
Gail McWilliam Jellie, Agriculture Program Assistant, UNH Extension Sullivan County discusses the Four Ps of marketing, how to develop a marketing plan, and an explanation of various marketing strategies.

farm signs with pumpkin display in background

Session 3 Cultivating Farm Experiences - SWOT ANALYSIS (Video)
Gail McWilliam Jellie, Agriculture Program Assistant, UNH Extension Sullivan County introduces the SWOT Analysis concept and activity for agritourism and two presentations on social media marketing: Strategies, Image, and Growth - How to Stand Out on Social Media presented by Amy Hall, Executive Director, Granite State Dairy Promotion; How We Use Social Media on Our Farm, presented by Jenny Sprague, Owner, Edgewater Farm, Plainfield, NH.

SWOT Analysis Tool (PDF)
The SWOT Analysis Tools helps you identify internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats.

SWOT Analysis Farm Scenario (PDF)
The SWOT Analysis Farm Scenario presents an example of a small farm that is trying to diversify to remain sustainable. Using the SWOT Analysis Tool, conduct your own SWOT Analysis for the farm.

NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development Ag Opportunities (Video)
NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development (NH DTTD) presents how they promote NH with their marketing activities, including agriculture. Included are opportunities for engagement with NH DTTD with a free account, outlined in the video.

SESSION 4: CREATE THE BEST FARM EXPERIENCE

girl wearing pink hat and dress feeding goats

Session 4 Cultivating Farm Experiences - March 30, 2023 (Video)
Kelly Bryer, Executive Director, NH Granite State Ambassadors speaks about creating a customer service experience culture, and a panel of farmers from New Hampshire and beyond share “How we do it”.

Risk Management and Farm Safety Planning (Video)
Gail McWilliam Jellie, Agriculture Program Assistant, UNH Extension Sullivan County discusses considerations of
Risk Management and establishing a farm safety plan through a brief video presentation.

Inn at East Hill Farm interview (Video)
Interview with Dave Adams owner of the Inn at East Hill Farm in Troy, New Hampshire. This unique operation has capitalized on its farming roots to draw guests to stay and experience rural life in New Hampshire. It is a resort, now, more than a farm, but it specializes in educating its guests about farm activities and the farm connection is what brings guests to stay.

 

Additional resources on Agritourism Planning, Business Development, and Lodging are available here.

Learn more about the big picture of agritourism in New Hampshire and all 50 States here.

Contact

Extension Field Specialist, Agricultural Business Management
Phone: (603) 863-9200
Office: Cooperative Extension, Taylor Hall, Durham, NH 03824

Community & Economic Development, Belknap County
Associate Field Specialist
Phone: 603-527-5475
Office: UNH Cooperative Extension, Taylor Hall, Durham, NH 03824