Agritourism Intensive 2012 - 2013
Agritourism Intensive 2012 - 2013
The "Agritourism Intensive" classes, offered in Sacramento, Merced and San Diego, were three-session agritourism planning courses offered by UC Cooperative Extension, the UC ANR Small Farm Program and local partners for farmers and ranchers starting or growing their agritourism or nature tourism enterprises. The classes combined presentations by experienced agritourism operators and experts in business planning, risk management, hospitality and marketing with hands-on interactive activities to guide participants as they assessed their own farms or ranches for agritourism potential and started their own business, risk management and marketing plans.
Funding for this project was provided by the Washington State University Western Center for Risk Management Education and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
The Sacramento course started November 15, 2012 and ended February 21, 2013.
The Merced course started December 3, 2012 and ended February 12, 2013.
The San Diego course started December 5, 2012 and ended February 19, 2013.
Sacramento class curriculum
Merced class curriculum
San Diego class curriculum
Class Handouts
These were printed and passed out to class participants.
- A list of suggested online reading materials
- Tourism Development Outline from rancher Bill Burrows
- Farm Stay Agritourism 101 from Farm Stay U.S.
- How to start a Pick-Your-Own Operation From www.pickyourown.org
- Sample budget for on-farm festival courtesy of Cindy Lashbrook, Riverdance Farms
- Developing a Hunting Program on a Ranch or Farm by rancher Bill Burrows
- Evaluating the Financial Potential of an Entertainment Farming/Farm Tourism Business from the University of Georgia
- Assessing Your Resources worksheet (Homework assignment #1)
- Follow-Up Recommendations "Asking the Right Questions and Getting the Right Answers" by Sophia Pagoulatos, Supervising Planner, city of Fresno
- UC Small Farm Program Statewide Agritourism Program
- Agritourism Health and Safety Guidelines for Children a guide by the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
- Agritourism Policies and Procedures Checklist Guide a supplement from the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
- Agritourism Worksite Walkthrough Checklist Guide a supplement from the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety
- Business planning materials from the Alliance Small Business Development Center, Modesto: - For help with homework assignment #2
- One-Page Business Plan outline
- 10 KEY Elements of a business plan
- Developing a Mission Statement for Your Business
- Mission Statement examples
- Profit/Loss Statement template - retail business
- Start-up Costs Worksheet
- Business Plan Template from Joe Molina, Business & Entrepreneurship at MiraCosta College
- Linked Sales Projection and Budget (Profit & Loss Statement) from the Greater Sacramento Small Business Development Center
Class Presentations
These are some of the presentations from the classes:
First class:
- Risk Management Introduction, by Ramiro Lobo, UCCE advisor in San Diego County
- Evaluating your resources; Is tourism right for you?
by Penny Leff, UC ANR Small Farm Program - Why Agritourism in San Diego? by Ramiro Lobo, UCCE advisor in San Diego Count
- Agritourism and liability, from Rusty Rumley, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center
- Agritourism and Insurance, from John Valentine, Nationwide Insurance
- Sacramento County Ag Tourism Code & Cottage Food, from Mark Barcellos, Sacramento County Environmental Management Department
- Merced County Health Permit Requirements and Programs Relevant to Agritourism, by Vicki Jones, Supervising Environmental Health Specialist, Merced County Department of Environmental Health
- Agricultural Tourism Permitting and Regulatory Process, County of San Diego, by Darren Gretler and Joe Farace, San Diego County Planning Department
- AB 1616 - The Cottage Food Law, from Stephen Spence, San Diego County Department of Environmental Health
- ADA Compliance - How to Comply with Disability Access Laws and Avoid Lawsuits, by Marc B. Koenigsberg, Esc,
Second Class:
- Creating a business plan, from Joe Molina, Business & Entrepreneurship at MiraCosta College
- Keys to Writing a Business Plan, from the Greater Sacramento/Sierra Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
- Shadow Mountain Vineyards; The Hospitality Business, by Alex McGeary, Shadow Mountain Vineyards
- Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training, by Karen Archipley, Archi's Acres
- Tourism Matters, by Alan Humason, Yolo County Visitors Bureau
Third Class:
- Marketing Analysis, by Rob Lewis, Archi's Acres
- Effective Websites and Social Media Marketing, by Owen Salerno, Suzie's Farm
- Internet Marketing for your Agritourism Business, by Scottie Jones, Farm Stay U.S.
- A Seven Sentence Marketing Plan, by Michael Loschke, IMC Consulting
- The 30 Second Elevator Speech, by Matt Parr, Big M Fishery
- Farms of Tuolumne County, by Marian Rocha Zimmerly
- Farms of Tuolumne County Membership Agreement, by Marian Rocha Zimmerly
- Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association, by Peggy Evans, Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association
Presentations & Pictures from agritourism operators speaking at the classes:
- A Taste of the Old West in the San Joaquin Valley, a video about Tony Azevedo and the Double T Ranch in Merced by Sara Sandrik, KFSN
- Bear Creek Pumpkin Patch - Pictures from Fox Creek Ranch, Merced Co., by Stephanie Marchini
- Shaeffer Ranch, hiking the ranch in the Sutter Buttes, by Ty Shaeffer
- The Pick and Gather at Riverdance Farms, Livingston, by Cindy Lashbrook
- Hilmar Cheese Company, by Denise Skidmore
- Pageo Lavender Farm, by George and Patty Kapor
- Blue Heron Farm B&B, by Andrea Peterson
- Home Grown Cellars, by Jackie Lehman
- Casa de Fruta Celebrating 100 Years, by Joe Zanger
- Full Belly Farm, by Hallie Muller
Please check back; more resources coming soon!