The best pumpkin patch in every state

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1 The best pumpkin patch in every state -PAGE 2 Cali. Wine Month kicks off - PAGE 6 AGRITOURISM PROVIDES LIFELINE FOR A NEW YORK FARM -PAGE 12 industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 1 Agritourism & Farm News, your FREE weekly online magazine ISSUE 045 September 5th, 2018

2 INDUSTRY news with Editor Jamie Macready Reader's Digest: The best pumpkin patch in every state and early frosts don t make for great squash-growing, so pumpkin culture isn t quite as big a deal up north as it is in the lower 49. That said, if you re near the Mat-Su Valley, bundle up and take a trip out to the Reindeer Farm to pick up some pumpkins, meet the caribou (reindeer), and play harvest games like rubber ducky races and potato launching. (Check out Alaska Parent for more familyfriend fall events around the state.) THE best part of fall? Pumpkin everything - especially the actual gourds themselves. At the best pumpkin patches around the country, you can generally expect great photo ops, hot cider, and hay bales. The spots we ve hand-picked for you below offer something a bit more special. Alabama: Old Baker Farm in Harpersville - This is fall fun with a side of history: The Old Baker Farm was homesteaded more than 200 years ago and has been worked by the Baker family for a century! In addition to regular daily pumpkin-patch fun in October, the farm hosts a huge annual Cotton Pickin Celebration weekend. It s a living history and arts and crafts festival with a Civil War reenactment, live bluegrass and gospel music, and a Native American dance performance. Once you get your pumpkin home, try one of these 20 no-carve pumpkin decorating ideas. Alaska: Reindeer Farm in Palmer - Alaska s low fall temperatures Arizona: MacDonald s Ranch in Scottsdale - Facepainting. Barbecue. Panning for gold. Sunset hayrides. No wonder the Annual Pumpkin Festival at MacDonald s Ranch is a favorite with North Valley families! The property is also an active horse ranch and offers familyfriendly trail riding all year long including full-moon night rides through the desert. Craving something a little artsier? Check out the Town of Carefree s Enchanted Pumpkin Garden in Carefree, AZ, featuring insanely detailed, whimsical pumpkin art carved by artisan Ray Villafane. Find 2 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

3 out the best place to go apple picking in each state while you re at it. Arkansas: Peebles Farm in Augusta - The hand-cut, 20-acre corn maze at Peebles Farm - the state s largest pumpkin patch - is one of the main draws. But there s so much more to this place, like the 20-minute ride horse-and-wagon ride through the sunflower field and pumpkin patch and a petting area with piglets, llamas, and goats. (Bonus: The maze goes creepy for some haunted fun on Friday and Saturday nights.) California: Bishop s Pumpkin Farm, Wheatland - We have two words for you: Pig races. After catching a NASPIG race held on the Porko Arena track don t miss the animatronic singing chicken show. Just 45 minutes north of Sacramento, Bishop s is the best pumpkin patch destination for downhome, silly fall fun. Live closer to Los Angeles than the capital? The best pumpkin patch in SoCal is arguably Mr. Bones Pumkpin Patch in Culver City. Some of the interactive exhibits - like a pumpkin village of houses completed covered in gourds - were designed by the owner s father, who s best known for building Universal Studio s Back to the Future the Ride. (Oh, and it wouldn t be L.A. without celebrity sightings, valet parking, and a VIP lounge now, would it?) Colorado: Denver Botanic Gardens in Denver - For several nights in October, Glow at the Gardens lights up the night with spooky displays of glowing pumpkins and intricately carved squash sculptures. For a more traditional pumpkinpatch experience, also hit the Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms in Littleton for hayrides, pumpkins, and a famous corn maze. Connecticut: Lyman Orchards in Middlefield - The orchard has been around longer than the United States of America years!- and is still owned and operated by descendants of the original Lyman family pioneers. Pick your own sugar pumpkin or carving pumpkin, then grab a water bottle to stay hydrated while you solve the corn maze with two miles of twisting pathways. The orchard hosts several other special events during the fall, including a kids road race, a farm-to-table dinner at the historic homestead, and a Paint the Pumpkin Pink decorating party to support the Middlesex Comprehensive Breast Center. Delaware: Fifer Orchards in Camden- Wyoming - During Fall Fest Saturdays at the orchard you ll find live music, tons of games for the kids, and of course plenty of pumpkins. A nice little perk: Every visitor gets a free mini pumpkin. A bigger perk: A store jam-packed with local honey, pies, fresh apple cider, apple butter, local honey, and apple cider doughnuts. Florida: The Pickin Patch in Dunnellon - The hot, wet climate in Florida isn t great for gourdgrowing, but two farmers took a chance half a decade ago and hit pay dirt. The Pickin Patch has hayrides, a kids hay maze, a fort with slides, and live bluegrass on the weekends. But the best part may just be the price: $5 admission covers everything but the pumpkins! Georgia: Burt s Farm in Dawsonville - About 90 minutes north of Atlanta, Burt s Farm boasts a hayride that s really something special: a two-mile ride through the pumpkin patch industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 3

4 and sunflower fields, with a view of Amicalola Falls. Burt s is also famous for its farm store, stocked with Indian corn, squashes of all kinds, baked goods (pumpkin rolls anyone?) and even body wash and lotions made with extracts from butternut squashes and pumpkins grown on the farm. Learn how to pick the perfect pumpkin. Hawaii: Kula Country Farms on Maui - This family-run patch on the island of Maui includes simple autumn pleasures that aren t easy to come by in a tropical island paradise. Thanks to its 3,000- foot elevation, temperatures at the farm are crisper than you might expect - 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the beaches. Enjoy a bouncy house, farm games, a corn maze, and pumpkin carving. Also: shave ice! Idaho: The Farmstead in Meridian - The Farmstead Corn Maze and Pumpkin Festival offers more than 40 varieties of gourds, pumpkins, and Indian corn. But the main attraction is the giant 18-acre corn maze with a different design every year s was a complicated Pac Man scene, the year before featured Jimmy Fallon s funny mug. Also key: The mini-maze - a smaller, less complicated version meant for kiddos. You ll enjoy lunch here too with pulled pork and smoked turkey legs, and mini doughnuts for dessert. Full Article: 4 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

5 Fun for the whole Family FARM FUN Why has the Jump Pad been so successful? Designed with safety in mind, individual baffles allowing side by side jumping Roll up and store over winter Making full use of jump area industrye-news.com Made in the USA Standard sizes or made to order CURRENTLY IN 37 STATES PLUS CANADA Patent Pending September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS Sales: MENTION THIS AD FOR THE NAFDMA DISCOUNT 5

6 California Wine Month events make September the time to visit wine country SAN FRANCISCO, CALI. - September is California Wine Month, and there s no better time to experience the excitement of the state s annual harvest season. Across California, wineries, regional associations and other organizations are hosting exclusive tastings, festivals, live music, food pairings, grape stomps, vineyard hikes and much more. Now in its 14th year, California Wine Month celebrates the Golden State s 250-year winegrowing history and recognizes the achievements of California vintners and growers in preserving tradition and driving innovation. With 4,800 vintners and 5,900 winegrowers within its borders, California is the world s fourth-largest wine producer and the source of 81 percent of the wine made in the United States. It is also the most visited state in the U.S. for food- and winerelated activities, attracting 24 million people each year, and the producer of more than 400 specialty crops. Wine lovers can also celebrate with activities and special offers from California Wine Month partner retailers and restaurants during the month of September. Visit discovercaliforniawines. com/californiawinemonth to view the full list of regularly updated events and partners and to order a copy of the 2018 California Wine Month poster. Regionwide events showcasing multiple wineries include: NORTH COAST Sept. 1: Taste of Sonoma, Sonoma State University s Green Music Center. Sept. 7-8: Winesong Weekend, various locations throughout Mendocino County. Sept. 8: Calistoga Wine Experience, Pioneer Park, Calistoga, Napa Valley. Sept. 15: Lake County Wine Auction, Boatique Winery, Kelseyville. Sept. 22: Zinfandel: Stories from Napa Valley, Culinary Institute of America at Copia, Napa SAN FRANCISCO BAY AND SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS Sept. 2: Livermore Valley Harvest Wine Celebration, Wineries throughout the region. Sept. 8-9: Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival, Capitola Village in Santa Cruz County. Sept. 8-30: Fall Passport Month, Wineries of Santa Clara Valley. Sept. 22: Eat Drink Los 6 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

7 & Restaurants, PF Chang s, Safeway and Tavistock Restaurants. CALIFORNIA Albertsons, Blackhawk Grille, Café del Rey, California Restaurant Association, Charlie Palmer Steak Napa, Compline, Dean & Deluca, Della Fattoria, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Giordano Brothers, LA County Fair, Wine Bar (Macys), Napa Valley Grille, Pavilions, Rio Grill, San Francisco Wine School, Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar, Taj Campton Place, Tarpys Roadhouse, Visit California, VONS and Women for Winesense. Gatos, Downtown district, North Santa Cruz Ave. Sept. 29: Livermore Valley Wine Auction, Wente Vineyards. CENTRAL COAST: MONTEREY TO SANTA BARBARA Sept. 1: Highway 46 West Wineries Harvest Block Party, Dark Star Cellars in Paso Robles. Sept. 9: Taste of the Town Santa Barbara, Riviera Park Gardens. Sept. 28: Sip & Saunter, San Luis Obispo. INLAND VALLEYS Sept : Lodi Grape Festival, Lodi Event Center. Sept. 21: Madera Wine Trail's California Wine Month Celebration, Papagni Winery, Madera. SIERRA FOOTHILLS Sept. 1-30: Find the Gold in Calaveras Wine Country: A Treasure Hunt, Participating wineries. Sept. 7-9: Lake Tahoe Autumn Food & Wine Festival, Northstar Resort, Truckee. Sept. 8: WINEderlust River Wine Festival, Henningsen Lotus Park on the American River. Sept. 15: Sample the Sierra Farm-to-Fork Festival, Bijou Community Park, So. Lake Tahoe. Sept. 15: Barbera Festival, Terra d Oro Wines, Amador County. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Aug. 31-Sept. 2: The Taste, Paramount Pictures Studios, Hollywood. Sept. 8: VINO-Palooza Wine & Music Festival, Marina Del Rey Hotel, Los Angeles. Sept. 29: Temecula Valley CRUSH, Monte De Oro Winery, Temecula. For more information about exploring California s diverse wine regions, see the Navigate the State map and directory. Wine lovers can also celebrate California Wine Month at home using the delicious recipes and winepairing tips here. CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH PARTNERS California Wine Month is supported by restaurant, retail, hotel, media and association partners in California and throughout the U.S. including: U.S. National/Regional: California Pizza Kitchen, Cooper s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, The Culinary Institute of America, Dickie Brennan & Co. A Family of Restaurants, Kimpton Hotels ABOUT WINE INSTITUTE Established in 1934, Wine Institute is the public policy advocacy group of more than 1,000 California wineries and affiliated businesses that initiate and advocate state, federal and international public policy to enhance the environment for the responsible production, consumption and enjoyment of wine. California wineries generate $114 billion annually in economic activity to the U.S. economy and create 786,000 jobs across the country of which 325,000 are in California, bolstering economies through hospitality, taxes and tourism and enhancing communities through environmental sustainability. Source: Press Release industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 7

8 World's first floating dairy farm could be wave of the future near the mouth of the New Meuse River - should be producing more than 200 gallons of milk and yogurt a day. The animals' manure will be collected by poop-scooping robots and sold as fertilizer. The cows will be kept on the farm's second level, a garden-like enclosure where the animals will be milked by robots. One level up, greenhouses will grow grass, clover and other crops that will used to feed the cows. The farm's bottom level will house the machinery needed to process and package the milk and yogurt. The cattle, which will also feed on used grain from local breweries, will be able to descend a gangway to graze on nearby land. But dairy experts working on the project think the cows will prefer the shelter of the floating habitat and spend most of their time on the waves. The farm will be anchored to the bottom of the harbor and should be stable even in bad weather, according to van Wingerden. Full Article: ABOVE: Floating farm project leader Mink van Wingerden beside the floating dairy farm plaform being built at Merwehaven in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. RIGHT: Floating dairy farm concept drawing ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - You've heard of offshore drilling platforms and offshore wind farms. Now a Dutch company is developing what's being called the world's first offshore dairy farm. Plans call for the hightech, multilevel facility to open this fall in Rotterdam, a port city about 50 miles southwest of Amsterdam. The floating farm will produce milk and yogurt near Rotterdam's center, taking advantage of unused space while helping curb the expense and pollution associated with transporting food products from distant farms to local grocery stores. "Seventy percent of the face of the Earth is water, while the world population is growing and arable land is limited so we have to look in other ways to produce fresh food next to the citizens, to reduce transport," said Minke van Wingerden, a partner in the Rotterdam-based property development firm Beladon and the leader of the project. "It's a logical step to produce fresh food on the water. Most big cities are situated in [river] deltas, and it's easy to use the deltas for food production." She said the floating farm concept could be adopted by other port cities, with farms producing poultry and fruit as well as dairy products. The first of up to 40 Meuse-Rhine-Issel cows, which are known for long lives and robust health, will come on board in November, van Wingerden said. By December, the farm - built on a floating concrete platform 8 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

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10 Farm concerts don t make farmers any money. So why do farmers host them? ABOVE: Between 2002 and 2012, the number of farmers in New York state earning income from recreation events has doubled in number, up to 857 farms RIGHT: From 2002 to 2012, national agritourism revenue more than tripled, and at last count, over 33,000 farms generated $704 million annually in agritourism receipts PINE PLAINS, N.Y.- The pigs got out. At around 6:30, as the sun was coming up on a mild August morning in Pine Plains, New York, dairy farmer Sarah Chase s herd of 25 hogs busted through the barn doors and ambled down to a woodlands clearing. The 30 or so campers emerging from tents on the perimeter were delighted. A good number of them weren t accustomed to communing with live farm animals, much less being awakened by oinks and grunts. And they loved it. Such pastoral displays are part of what draws them to the Huichica Music Festival, now in this third year, which brings live music - namely, trendy folk and psychedelic bands, and a smattering of soul singers - and artisanal wine to the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley. That s not very romantic, it s probably not going to help your article, but I think that s what people are looking for, Jim Bundschu, a Sonoma, California vintner, told me after I arrived. The festivalgoers had been chattering. Me, I d have a pig escape every time. You know, Go to the monthly pig escape, and by the way, we produce this cheese! Huichica isn t the first time farms and their culture have been harnessed to draw music crowds. Bundschu would know: his greatgrandfather celebrated a record winegrape harvest with a pageant of music, dancing and melodrama in For much of the 20th century, folk songs were the music of working people, and often dramatized the experiences of rural and agricultural life. Max Yasgur s dairy farm, which was eternalized in the lyrics of Joni Mitchell s Woodstock, hosted the eradefining concert in 1969, after a number of municipalities had declined to provide a venue. Nearly a quarter-century later, in 1985, the Farm Aid benefit concert - held not on a farm but in an Illinois stadium - was organized by Willie Nelson and Neil Young to support American farmers in danger of losing their farms to mortgage debt during the farm crisis. While farm income across the county has largely flatlined in recent years, small farms continue to lose their share of the market. For dairy farmers, that struggle is compounded by declining prices for their product. It would make sense, then, that more small family farms, like Chase s, are looking to the potential of their land - provided they own it, of course - to provide a secondary revenue stream. Hosting concerts - not of the Woodstock size, but as part of an array of on-farm activities they might offer to visitors - is one way farmers can broaden the appeal of their 10 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

11 products to a wider customer base. At least, in the absence of hard data showing how economically beneficial these concerts actually are, that s what university professors and other researchers who study agritourism have observed. Just like, kind of, the farmers themselves, there was a trend for 20, 30 years - [musicians] had to get big or get out. If you couldn t sign a big record label or a big music venue, you had no opportunities to create music or perform music, says Dawn Thilmany, an agribusiness professor at Colorado State University. She s echoing the nearly 60-yearold adage of early American industrial farming, coined by President Eisenhower s then-agriculture Secretary, Ezra Taft Benson, who first urged farmers to get big or get out. The same could be said about musicians through much of the last 40 years. They were told to hit the road because big tours were critical to bolstering record sales. But stadium shows have lost their shine for certain audiences - and certain musicians, too. When you started seeing some independent music acts pop up, rather than going to a big expensive venue where you d have to add quite a bit of money to the ticket price to host people, they could have more environmentally natural surroundings, to actually host people who might be like-minded, says Thilmany. If they [audiences] like independent food and small farms and local food, they probably are looking for local music acts and creative arts in the same area. Over the past decade, Thilmany has seen increasing numbers of small-scale farmers incorporate agritourism as part of an overall diversification strategy. Initially, she says, visitors were limited to wineries, dude ranches, and farm stands. Now, as back to the roots has become a cultural trope - first in American eating via farm-to-table dining, then in the local foods section of the grocery store - she s seen more events, like concerts, hosted by farmers. It s not that weekend visits to the U-pick farm are waning. It s that new ventures are now commonplace. You see some farms having some music on the farm every Friday night for 12 weeks, or a ABOVE: Every year, Sarah Chase, whose farm hosts the annual East Coast edition of the Huichica music festival, has to restage a venue plenty of work, when she also has to milk the cows LEFT: FJeff Bundschu, a Sonoma, California vintner, throws a Huichica music festival at a Hudson Valley dairy farm for essentially the same reason he does it in Sonoma: branding small festival in the middle of the summer, says Thilmany. People are wanting to do something that feels like a lifestyle or recreational thing on a farm. And it used to be pretty concentrated in the fall with corn mazes and harvest festivals. But we re seeing a lot more happening year-round on a lot of farms. Take, for example, Oldtone, a roots music festival that will be held for the fourth time at Cool Whisper, a 150-acre cattle ranch in Hillsdale, New York, in September. Full Article: industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 11

12 Agritourism provides lifeline for a New York farm LEFT: Long Acre Farms operates a 5-acre corn maze, hayrides, a winery and an events barn, among other attractions. BELOW: The rustic barn has brought more revenue to Long Acre Farms as an event center for weddings and corporate gatherings. MACEDON, N.Y.- Keeping a farm in the family often depends on the ability of the family to respond to trends in agriculture. Long Acre Farms in Macedon, N.Y., offers an example. Owner Joan Allen's grandparents, Arthur and Dora Lawrence, operated the farm as a dairy, naming it "Long Acre Farms" because of the fields mile-long stretches. Allen's parents, Harlan and Charleen Lawrence, shifted into cash crops. When Allen and her husband, Doug, took over in 1983, they continued the business until they began losing contracts with food processors. The Allens saw their livelihood slipping away and knew they had to change things. They began growing soybeans and field corn, both widely grown and wellsuited to New York s growing conditions. In 1993, they added pumpkins, along with the farm market to sell them in. "Not a whole lot of people came," Joan says. "We realized we needed to do more. We started with school tours, and that was the beginning of agritourism with hayrides, maze, and it developed from there." Today, the farm operates the world's second-longest continuously operated corn maze. The Allens makes their own fudge, wood-fired pizza, baked goods and kettle corn, but they purchase private-label preserved items Ever evolving operation Figuring out what to do has challenged the couple. "When we started, we had young children and that's what we were geared toward," she says. "Then we started going toward families and teens." The Allens soon learned that the status quo wouldn t bring back the crowds every autumn. They continued adding new attractions each year, including the state's first Amazing Maize Maze, a jumping pillow, gold panning, playground equipment, pedal cars and, most recently, JD Wine Cellars, their on-site winery. They added the winery and wine tasting to appeal to older adults. "It adds diversity to the farm and an attraction that's not weather-dependent," she says. The Allens grow a half-acre of Marquette grapes and source the rest locally. They make between 1,500 and 2,000 gallons of wine annually, 12 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

13 including classic Viniferas, hybrids and fruit wines. "My husband worked with some local winemakers but is pretty much self-taught," she says. "He had brewed beer for years and there's some similarities. He started 12 years ago and did it for a few years before we opened the winery in 2010." The Amazing Maize Maze attracts companies wanting a bonding experience for employees. The rustic events barn, which can fit up to 600 people, can host corporate events, reunions and weddings. "People may want something nontraditional, memorable and different," she says. RIGHT:The Amazing Maize Maze at Long Acre Farms is different every year. BELOW:The Allens recycle some items, such as this corrugated conduit, for younger visitors to play with. The farm has hosted seven weddings so far this year along with a handful of corporate events. Its location near Rochester, about a 20-minute drive, provides a steady stream of people seeking a "country" setting for events along with ready-made activities on the grounds. When they started in agritourism the Allens also had to learn about potential safety hazards and liability insurance. Although agritourism has become a big source of income for the farm, the Allens still grow a few acres of pumpkins and 5 acres for the corn maze. Full Article: industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 13

14 Labor day weekend means a shift to fall agritourism STOKES COUNTY, N.C. -- Labor Day weekend marks the symbolic shift from summer to fall. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture's website lists at least 150 farms in North Carolina that offer fall activities to visitors. Armstrong Artisan Farm in Stokes County is one. Throughout the year they offer pork, beef, lamb and eggs to consumers. Owners Jessica and Austin Armstrong started offering the seasonal activities last fall as a way to earn some extra income. "The biggest thing was we needed to do a little something else to get the farm off the ground. So having the tourism, bringing people in really has helped to sustain the farm," Jessica said. Starting the first of September, they will open up their corn mazes, hay rides and pumpkin patch. Austin believes when more people come into the county, money is spent outside of the farm as well. "If we bring some visitors from Greensboro, from Winston-Salem into the more rural Stokes County, there may be restaurants here, gas stations, Hanging Rock, or some other small businesses that could really use the support," he said. Source: - Attention Agritainment Operators - Contact us now to get started for your 2018 season! Open rates for the new Facebook Messenger Advertising can reach a staggering 90% 1 Start early on this cutting edge NEW WAY to reach your customers. FarmHaunts.com 14 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

15 Vanilla could spice up Florida s agriculture IN the tropical climes of South Florida, there are researchers trying to breed the state s next commercial crop. It could be vanilla Products like vanilla extract and beans that flavor ice creams and lace perfumes come from plants in the genusvanilla, part of the orchid family. Florida s farmers might want to look into the plant s tasty potential as a valuable secondary crop. A not so vanilla problem Consumers take the world s second most-prized spice (after saffron) for granted, but the vanilla industry is facing major challenges: Vanilla prices have skyrocketed in recent years as major food brands attempt to go all-natural, dumping the artificial flavor vanillin. Vanilla is now more valuable than silver, selling for around $600 a kilogram. Climate change and geopolitical challenges are impacting world vanilla suppliers like Madagascar and Mexico, contributing to price rise and global supply instability. In 2017, a cyclone hit Madagascar, killing at least 81 people and damaging 30 percent of the crop. Vanilla farmers on the island country risk their lives defending the precious crops from thieves. LEFT: One day, Floridians could be baking with vanilla grown in their home state. BELOW: Vanilla plants grow in a monoculture in a shade house at The Vanillerie, a small vanilla farm in Hawaii Most of the industry currently relies on one species of vanilla orchid, Vanilla planifolia, leaving the bulk of the world s supply susceptible to an opportunistic disease or pest. The banana industry is currently facing such a crisis as Panama disease obliterates the world s most popular banana, the Cavendish. Vanilla in Florida? Vanilla production in Florida could open up a niche economy for the state and help diversify its agricultural offerings. Many growers are looking at alternative crops not only as a new or additional revenue stream, but also as a way to have some risk diversity with ag, said Sonia Tighe, executive director of the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association. The association is an advocacy group for Florida growers that funds and promotes research of specialty crops. Matt Adair is the lead researcher with the Florida Research Center for Agricultural Sustainability. The center primarily works with citrus growers and former citrus growers, many of whom are still reeling from citrus greening. Adair says that they are always looking for promising new crops. A lot of growers, at least in citrus, have either sold to development or they have pushed their citrus farms and put cattle on them to keep their ag exempt status, Adair said. They re looking for new things to grow. Recently, the center began exploring the possibilities of crops like peaches, hops and pomegranates. As for vanilla, Adair says, Anybody would be interested. To make things even sweeter, vanilla farming in Florida would not necessarily require more acreage. Full Article: industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 15

16 Maryland's Frederick County considers agritourism measure FREDERICK, MD. - Frederick County (Md.) Executive Jan Gardner recently announced legislation to allow farm-based craft-beverage producers to hold special events that educate the public or to promote their products. This proposal is an excellent way to encourage emerging industries and provide options to ensure agriculture remains viable, Gardner said in a news release. At the same time, the legislation respects the rights of nearby property owners and addresses their concerns. Last year, Gardner formed a work group to come up with a way to strike a balance between the concerns of residents and the growing demand for agritourism activities. The group included representatives from the Agriculture Business Council, Farm Bureau, craftbeverage industry, county council members, and county Planning & Permitting and Office of Economic Development employees. The group s proposal would amend the county zoning ordinance to add a definition of agritourism enterprise for farm-based craft-beverage events. Full Article: 16 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

17 Mike's Maze presents: "Blackbeard the pirate!" SUNDERLAND, MASSACHUSETTS - Avast all ye landlubbers and scallywags! All ye buccaneers and sea dogs! Legend tells of a place along the Connecticut River where paths are cut through a sea of corn. A place where there be buried treasure around every turn, and cider donuts in every hand. X marks the spot in Sunderland this fall - Blackbeard the pirate has landed at Mike s Maze! A Tricentennial Tribute The town of Sunderland and Warner Farm are celebrating their 300th anniversary, when founding farmers sowed seeds along the Connecticut River. Meanwhile, Mike s Maze is sailing back 300 years in time to the Golden Age of Piracy, when the southern seas were ruled by swashbucklers! The Fall of 1718 marks the fateful date when the notorious pirate Edward Blackbeard Teach was captured and killed off the coast of North Carolina. In tribute to these concurrent events, Mike s Maze has created an 8-acre portrait of Blackbeard in a sea of corn. Blackbeard s flowing beard becomes the waves upon which sails his ship, the Queen Anne s Revenge. Adventurers setting sail for Mike s Maze this fall will enjoy games for young lads and lasses and old sea dogs alike. Treasure hunters will scour the maze for hidden chests of gold, solving riddles contained within, while aspiring buccaneers can test their sea-smarts to see if they have what it takes to be part of Cap n Mike s crew. Prize pumpkins abound! Visitors can round out their maze adventure with a raucous romp on our jump pad, a plunge down the whirlpool slides, and a ride on our pedal-carts at Davey Jone s Derby. Brave souls can take aim at the Kraken at the Privateer s Paintball Range, and fire some shots off starboard with the mighty potato cannons. The finest grub and swill will be available for purchase at the Corn Cafe. Mike s Maze is open September 8th November 4th at 23 South Main Street in Sunderland Massachusetts - just a short distance from Interstate 91, exit 24. General Admission is $14, with reduced rates for students, seniors and children. Children under 4 are free. For further information, visit MikesMaze.com Source: Press Release Agritourism e-news is the most authoritative and quickest deliverer of news and special features to the farming industry in the United States and Canada. A weekly distribution delivered every Monday for 48 weeks of the year. Advertising rates are the most competitive of any industry magazine in the region. Agritourism e-news hits your target market every week, every Monday! HEAD OFFICE Correspondence to Industry E News 419 Saint Francis Avenue Smyrna TN PUBLISHER Dennis Macready dennis@industrye-news.com EDITOR Jamie Macready Phone jamie@industrye-news.com ADVERTISING Jamie Macready Phone jamie@industrye-news.com The information contained in this publication has been obtained from sources assumed to be reliable. However, Industry E News LLC disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, reliability or adequacy of the information displayed. Opinions expressed in Agri Tourism e news are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher or staff. We do not accept responsibility for any damage resulting from inaccuracies in editorial or advertising. The Publisher is therefore indemnified against all actions, suits, claims or damages resulting from content on this e news. industrye-news.com September 5th, 2018 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS 17

18 Why advertise in an online magazine? COST PER REACH - we go to 7000 EVERY WEEK, and rates are far cheaper. Why? Because we don't have print or distribution costs BUT still reach the audience. It is a proven fact print magazines and newspapers are declining with the move to online readership. ONLINE V PRINT - online is INSTANT and TOP OF MIND. Agri Tourism E News covers the COMPLETE industry every week, for 48 weeks of the year. VIDEO EMBED - we can embed video into ARTICLES or ADS for no extra cost. It is a fact 87% of videos are watched to completion when visiting a page from a desktop. 18 AGRITOURISM & FARM NEWS September 5th, 2018 industrye-news.com

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