Agritourism booming in Minnesota

Agritourism booming in Minnesota Callan Gray KSTP Agritourism booming in Minnesota It’s a sign of the changing seasons. The pumpkins from the patch now food at Joyer Adventure Farm at Waldoch Farm in Lino Lakes. “Agritourism for us, helps us connect everything together,” said Doug Joyer, the general manager. He explained tens of thousands of people visit every year from about June through November to explore. There are more than 20 activities, from pumpkin picking and the corn maze, to strawberry picking and sunflower photo opportunities. “People ask why we plant our sunflowers, like do we get seed oil or sun butter all of those different things you can do, and really we plant it for Instagram,” said Joyer. “That gets people here to introduce them to us.” He said those visitors may then be more likely to spend money at the farm’s garden center. “We are blessed by being close to the cities,” said Joyer. “Agritourism is a great way to get the cities out.” According to the University of Minnesota, the industry is booming around the state. “For a lot of farmers, it can provide an additional source of revenue or it could become the primary source of revenue for that farming operation,” said Freya Thurmer, a University of Minnesota Extension educator dedicated to supporting agritourism. She explained many are operating on thin margins. “People are really looking for an additional source of income, ways to keep those farms viable and agritourism is really meeting that need in a lot of ways,” said Thurmer. She connects farmers to resources to grow their businesses and helps educate emerging farmers about the opportunities available. The industry is also helping with generational farm transitions and gives customers an understanding of food production. “For rural communities, we see a lot of the value as it brings people into those communities,” said Thurmer. Next week, the third annual Agritourism Exchange is happening in Dundas through the University of Minnesota. It’s bringing together agritourism operators and organizations that support them. “My hope is these businesses that are open or opening can become sustainable enough that they are woven into the fabric of our community,” said Thurmer, reflecting on the future of the industry.