The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm [Paperback]

Barbara Berst Adams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2008

Did industrial-era farming forget its major crop? Farmers worldwide have rediscovered a new crop: agritourism. From lavender micro farms to large corn acreages, some farmers are finding that by opening their farms to non-farming citizens, even for just a few weekends a year, they can receive a serious boost in revenue. Further, the general public begins to reconnect with the depth of farming again, which encourages them to offer and demand support for fair treatment of their local farms. This title takes readers interested in their own agritourism project from the origins of new agritourism today and on to gathering agritourism ideas beyond the general cookie cutter varieties that are unique and authentic to their farms. It then shows how to focus and organize their plan, keep it safe and legal, promote the enterprise, and continue to progress and stay prosperous in the years to come. The voices of many real farmers are heard here. Further, this title deeply profiles several very diverse agritourism working farms. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the world and the fastest growing component of it is ecotourism, according to Ross Dowling, author of Ecotourism. Agritourism is an extremely popular segment of eco-tourism worldwide, because it is fueled by so many different trends coming from so many directions: The worldwide need for new revenue sources for farms, the need to keep farm revenue within the country/location, the boom in community members and tourists who want to experience farms and their connection to their food, the local food revival, the desire for new and unique ways to draw tourists to boost a region's tourism revenue, and the environmental movement. In this book, readers discover many ways that farms already have more valued assets for sale than they realized as a farm only destination. They discover that farmers can earn more income and keep their authentic farms thriving by operating an agritourism enterprise, and they also discover how farmers who are succeeding operate their successful agritourism enterprises, and how other farms can, also.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Barbara Berst Adams explores a quiet revolution: the emergence of 'microfarms' on tiny acreages that achieve astounding yields of organic produce and provide a better-tasting alternative to the products of big agri-business. Anyone interested in microfarming, food health, the environment, or the future of agriculture will learn from the success stories and lessons in this lively account." -- William Dietrich, Pulitzer prize-winning environmental journalist and author, Natural Grace and Northwest Passage, on micro Eco Farming"

Product Details

• Paperback: 206 pages
• Publisher: New World Publishing (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963281445
• ISBN-13: 978-0963281449
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #773,583 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Adams hosts the Center for the Micro Eco-Farming Movement (www.MicroEcoFarming.com) for those planning, creating or operating micro eco-farms from urban rooftops to small town backyards to small rural acreages of 1 to 20 or so. Growing up in a family rooted in generations of farming, ranching, and horticulture, she has managed a number of micro eco-farm projects, and is currently restoring Island Meadow Farm in Washington State with her husband. She has traveled to South Africa, Europe, Mexico and across North America to study the micro eco-farming movement and hear the real voices of those who are succeeding. Her readers include generational farmers reinventing their home businesses, USA and Canadian university students entering the field, Permaculturists restoring sustainable agriculture in South Africa, USA families, couples and singles looking for nature-based backyard home businesses, citizens involved in creating children's school and community mini-farms, Europeans involved in the local food revival, North American planning committee members uplifting their regional economy to include new micro eco-farms, university researchers, and quite often, home gardeners and modern homesteaders exploring the changes and discoveries of this new century that allow very small acreage and even backyard gardens to earn income again.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Agritourism is an Excellent Resource, December 18, 2008

By 

Nikki A. Rose Culinary - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm (Paperback)

The New Agritourism is a beneficial guide for sustainable development and tourism programs. It is an excellent resource focusing on the implementation of agritourism and community based tourism projects. It is useful not only for farmers but anyone interested in supporting local culture and foodways. Academic institutions, NGOs and tourism providers focusing on cultural and natural heritage would greatly benefit from this book. Public agencies and business owners (lodgers and retailers for instance) can discover new ways of collaborating with local farmers on projects that benefit their whole community. In times like these, developing innovative ways to strengthen communities is crucial. The New Agritourism is a great place to start.

Nikki Rose, Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Eco-Agritourism Network, Greece

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars practical & innovative ideas for small agribusiness, January 27, 2009

By 

Michelle L. Shambo "Leigh Shambo" (Chehalis, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm (Paperback)

I found this book to be helpful and clearly written, giving me many practical ideas and perspectives for enhancing the income streams on my own small farm. Barbara Berst Adams highlights a variety of innovative businesses being run by entrepeneurs on small acreages. Anyone making or supplementing their income with products, services or tourism on a small land holding is sure to find valuable information in this book. While its challenging to start and run such businesses, it IS possible, and very rewarding. I highly recommend this book as a source of new ideas and support for those already in or contemplating ventures in these new "industries"!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful, March 1, 2009

By 

Michelle Nowak - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The New Agritourism: Hosting Community and Tourists on Your Farm (Paperback)

This book is really helpful and comprehensive. It fills a much-needed niche for information on agritourism development.