In 2016, Heather and Bryon Hadwick attended the Agritourism Intensive training, a signature course of the UC ANR Agritourism Program.   Heather had been wanting to start a pumpkin patch, Bryon wasn't so sure.  When they learned that an Agritourism Intensive was coming to Redding, they saw an opportunity to learn more about what it would take to start an agritourism enterprise and hear from experienced agritourism operators.  Six years later, the Hadwick Family Farm Pumpkin Patch has become an October tradition for families from Modoc County and beyond and a launching pad for community engagement and education.

They knew it wouldn't be easy, and it hasn't been.  To start, Heather and Bryon both work full-time off-farm jobs.  They designed the business to be manageable part-time by the two of them with help from their children, who are now teenagers.  Having enough time is only one of their obstacles; they also have to contend with insurance limitations and unpredictable weather.  As with all agritourism operations, liability is a major concern.  The Hadwick's only found a few insurance companies nationwide that would cover a pumpkin patch.  In many ways, the activities that they offer at The Patch, as it is commonly called, are dictated by the insurance costs.  For example, they wanted to offer tractor rides, but they would have to charge far more than they were comfortable with to offset the increase in insurance costs. 

And then there's the weather. The pumpkin patch is open 3 to 4 weekends a year in October.  Modoc's unpredictable weather makes it nearly impossible to project the season's earnings in advance.  October has brought snow, rain, and 80-degree weather.  Last year, in 2021, they were rained out every single weekend.  While enough visitors showed up in their rain gear to keep the business from losing money, the experience made them question whether or not they wanted to keep it going.  They moved forward with opening again in 2022, welcoming more visitors on opening day than the entire 2021 season.

Navigating business decisions amongst the limitations and uncertainties of time, insurance, and weather is no doubt challenging, but clear goals and metrics to monitor progress towards reaching those goals have helped guide the Hadwicks. Community is The Patch's founding principal.  As Heather puts it, “We see the pumpkin patch as more of a community service.  As long as we are in the black, we're good and will keep it going.” 

The pumpkin patch itself is geared towards local families, with a keen eye on keeping prices accessible.  For the first time this year, pumpkin prices were raised to offset the business's rising operating costs (for one thing, the cost of their insurance doubled this year). Entry remained $5 and includes all activities. Part of these proceeds are donated back to their local FFA chapters. “Our goal is to keep it at $5. We want it to be affordable, most families spend 2 or 3 hours at the Patch.” Heather adds, “There isn't a lot you can do these days for that long for $5 a person.”  So when it comes to adding activities like tractor rides that would raise the cost too much for local families, the Hadwick's opt to keep things affordable.

In addition to keeping prices as low as possible, The Patch frequently lends their space to community groups and partners with local businesses.  Floral arrangement classes, facepainting at the farm to promote a new cosmetologist business, cancer awareness walks, and frequent collaborations with the local FFA are a few examples of how the Hadwick's use their space to support community efforts and provide agricultural education.  Hadwick Family Farm also hosts field trips for schools from Modoc, bordering counties and Oregon schools.

While community collaborations are in line with their business's mission, it also helps with getting the word out, saving them money on marketing.  “We are mostly word of mouth. We've tried different advertising venues and word of mouth and social media seem to work the best for us,” according to Heather. 

In 2021 and 2022, the UC ANR Agritourism Program partnered with UC Cooperative Extension Modoc County and local nonprofit Modoc Harvest to hold a series of workshops, funded by a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program grant, for area farmers and community members to explore agritourism opportunities and generate interest in expanding Modoc's agritourism offerings.  To supplement a workshop about hosting on-farm events, Hadwick Family Farm Pumpkin Patch hosted their first farm-to-table dinner as a fundraiser for Modoc Harvest.  With little agritourism, such as on-farm events, taking place in Modoc County at present, the county does not have a framework for regulating activities, other than the statewide guidelines for farm stands and farm stays. As interest in starting agritourism enterprises increases in Modoc County, UCCE Modoc County and the UC ANR Agritourism Program will work with county regulators and other stakeholders to develop guidelines that clear a path for farmers and ranchers that are interested in expanding their offerings. 

In agritourism it is often beneficial to have multiple agritourism enterprises within close proximity that can collaboratively market their businesses and attract a greater number of visitors.  Hadwick Family Farm Pumpkin Patch provides a look at an operation that has achieved success by marketing to their local residents and creating community partnerships in the absence of an agritourism network.

In regions like Modoc County that do not have a developed agritourism industry, businesses like Hadwick Family Farm Pumpkin Patch, can serve as proof of concept for the potential viability of agritourism. The Hadwick's success, challenges, and insights can help inform other potential agritourism operators in the area as well as regulators.  By taking a chance on opening the only pumpkin patch, and one of the only agritourism operations, in 100 or so miles, the Hadwick's are engaging and educating their community, and possibly leading the way for agritourism in Modoc County.

Many farmers and ranchers list marketing their agritourism operation as one of their biggest challenges.  Groups that support agritourism in their region, such as farm trail organizations, play a critical role in promoting local farmers and ranchers, using collective marketing to uplift the entire area's agricultural offerings. Here we highlight two farm trails' creative and collaborative approach to marketing their members this year.

The 2021 summer edition of edible San Luis Obispo included a 12-page insert Savoring Summer Along the SLO Co Farm Trail, highlighting the region's bounty from farm to table. The insert, produced by FARMstead ED/SLO Co Farm Trail is an informational and celebratory guide to the region's products, producers, and agritourism experiences.  Lynette Sonne, founder of FARMstead ED, was inspired by Nevada County's Food and Farm Guide, but FARMstead ED was not in the position to publish its own full-length magazine, so Sonne approached Gail Cayetano, owner of edible SLO, a publication with a history of supporting and uplifting local farmers.  Cayetano encouraged FARMstead ED to put its resources towards developing an insert, leveraging edible SLO's circulation while telling FARMstead ED's own story. 

The result of this collaboration was a win all around. Sonne remarks, “As the saying goes, we are stronger as a herd, than individuals.  Collectively, we showcased nearly 40 local businesses. The investment to create a marketing piece of this caliber is out of reach for most of these businesses budgets, so collaborating and cross-pollinating together with this high quality magazine shines a light on them, creating an opportunity for exposure of their products to 10,000+ print distribution and many more times via web, that they may not have had otherwise.”

The Savoring Summer Along the SLO Co Farm Trail insert is just one (high impact) example of collaboration – a concept that seems to be foundational to the agricultural community in San Luis Obispo county.  According to Sonne, “Our partners are masterful in what we call cross-pollinating.  They reach out to each other to gain ingredients and knowledge to create even more locally made products.  Those who make body care products include local EVOO, honey & flowers and we couldn't grow our own cocktail garden without herbs & fruits.”  For farmers and supporters alike, collaboration is invaluable. For many farm trail organizations, collaboration not only builds community, it is a necessity to achieve their missions with limited resources. 

 

In 2020, Sierra Oro Farm Trail (SOFT) in Butte County CA could not hold their open farm days due to the pandemic.  This year, they are employing technology, in the form of a digital farm pass, and a little rebranding, to safely bring visitors back onto area farms and vineyards.  In collaboration with Explore Butte County, the area tourism group, SOFT was able to access the platform that would host the digital pass. This partnership alleviated a cost and capacity barrier that many small groups face when navigating how to employ new technology.  The digital pass is a win for visitors, farmers, and SOFT.  As founder and director Nicole Johansson puts it, “Digital passes are an industry trend.  We are attracting customers from metro areas and this is what they are used to.”  (Tip: Johansson is a strong proponent on keeping a keen eye on your target audience as well as travel trends, recommending that other groups uses resources like Visit California and local tourism bureau for statistics.)  Digital passes also limit handling at each location, save money and staff resources on shipping passes or handing them out at pick up locations (no lines here!), making them safer and easier to manage.   

Another safety-minded change that SOFT made this year is extending the pass from just one weekend to the whole month.  Johansson is hoping that offering the pass for the month will spread people out, which will limit crowds and make welcoming them easier for farmers, many of whom are experiencing staffing difficulties.  SOFT has turned concerns over safety into an opportunity, encouraging visitors to ‘Go at your own pace' as they ‘Tour. Taste. Toast!' throughout Butte County. 

Agritourism operators in Butte are excited to welcome back visitors with the month long farm and wine pass.  “This kicks off the holiday season for us.  It is a Christmas preview, visitors can shop for holiday gifts from the farms and vineyards while they are here.”  And if they don't get to do all the shopping that they want during October, Johansson will be in touch with them to purchase one of the tasting boxes full of local products that SOFT compiles for holidays and special occasions – another way in which the organizations not only markets, but generates revenue for their members. 

Thank you to FARMstead ED and Sierra Oro Farm Trail for the work that you do to uplift your agricultural communities and for letting us share your stories. 

Partnering for California

The COVID-19 pandemic hit farmers hard. Supply chains were disrupted and even non-traditional agritourism revenue streams such as hay mazes and on-farm events had to be canceled due to shelter-in-place mandates.

On the other hand, demand for local farm products skyrocketed, and thus many farmers and ranchers needed a quick pivot strategy and a set of new skills.

UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) was well-positioned to support this shift toward direct sales, pulling in trusted community partners and experienced farmers and ranchers to put together a comprehensive webinar series, “Agritourism and Direct Sales: Best Practices in COVID Times and Beyond”.

Funded by a USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) grant, the webinar series is part of a three-year project, Strengthening California Local Food Networks with Agritourism and Direct Sales, which provides trainings and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers on how to diversify their revenue streams. 

The strength of the series, which includes eight webinars that were recorded earlier this year and are available online, lies in the collaborations among the UC SAREP Agritourism Program, UCCE, community groups, and farmers and ranchers.

The series features a range of speakers, including representatives from community organizations, technical experts, academic researchers, and farmers – all coming together to build resilience and adaptability for small-farming operations and the agritourism industry across California during the pandemic and after.

“It's great to collaborate with other organizations and regions, to learn from each other and to broaden our networks, as we are all working to create more resilient and sustainable food systems,” said Carmen Snyder, executive director of Sonoma County Farm Trails, one of the nonprofit partners on this project.

And because of those strong partnerships, the webinar topics reflected the on-the-ground needs facing agricultural producers.

“COVID initially dramatically affected farmers' restaurant contracts, with many losing more than 80% of their accounts overnight,” Snyder said. “CSAs [Community Supported Agriculture], on the other hand, couldn't keep up with the demand, and all of our CSA members were full and had wait lists for the first time ever. Producers pivoted by creating more online stores, including pick-up and delivery options. It was a challenge for them to navigate the new technology and platforms.”

Unsurprisingly, two of the more popular webinars were “Online Sales Options and Methods” and “Safe, Healthy and Successful Farm Stands”.

The “Online Sales Options and Methods” webinar, a partnership with the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), provided an overview of several e-commerce marketing and online sales strategies that farmers can implement to diversify their revenue pathways and reach new customers. CAFF stressed the importance of farmers enhancing their resiliency through e-commerce.

The webinar also featured Ciara Shapiro, the owner of AM Ranch in Penn Valley, who shared her experience with online marketing and how it helped her and her husband survive the pandemic when the restaurants and farmers markets they sold to shut down. This personal and informative webinar demonstrated the effectiveness of online sales and marketing, while highlighting available resources from groups like CAFF.

The “Safe, Healthy and Successful Farm Stands” webinar was aimed at farms of all sizes and organizations that operate or advise agricultural operations using farm stands as a form of revenue. The webinar provided an outline of the rules and regulations that farm stand operators needed to follow during COVID – as well as during business-as-usual times.

It featured two guest speakers who run successful farm stands: Emmett Hopkins, the owner of Foggy River Farm in Sonoma and Reyna Yagi, the farm manager at Petaluma Bounty Farm. They shared their experiences during COVID and how they had to pivot to remain profitable and accessible within state guidelines.

Both farmers saw an increase in farm stand business during the pandemic, which Yagi attributed to the “traffic storm of people” who attended their annual plant sale fundraiser and came to participate in new farm outdoor activities and volunteer opportunities. Yagi also noted the growing number of low-income individuals who were unable to access fresh produce during the pandemic.

The speakers' shared experiences running successful farm stands gave audience members tangible examples and real-time information on how to incorporate farm stands into their businesses.

Carmen Snyder of Sonoma County Farm Trails, which helped circulate the recorded webinars to their network of farmers and ranchers, remarked: “these webinars were extremely helpful for local producers, to get clarity on best pandemic practices during these challenging times and to learn how other producers are adapting and navigating the circumstances.” 

As summer weather approaches and schools across California end their spring sessions, farms will finally have the opportunity to begin returning their operations back to normal. On June 15th, “All counties in California, regardless of how high or low coronavirus transmission is, will be allowed to all reopen at the same time”. The state is planning on releasing updated mask-wearing policies and emergency closure plans in the case of a resurgence in Covid-19 transmission after June 15th, but in the meantime all businesses and events below the “Mega Event” description will be allowed to operate under “business as normal” procedures. Outdoor events, like the fair, that estimate over 10,000 people to attend will recommend individuals to be tested and/or vaccinated.

The cancellation of summertime staples in 2020 such as open farm days and fairs last year, took an emotional toll as traditions were disrupted and opportunities to connect were missed, as well as a financial tool as these events often serve as a fundraiser for non-profits and a sales outlet for farmers and ranchers. Happily, this summer will see the return of many beloved community events - with some new modifications to ensure safety and comfortability.

One area taking advantage of the new COVID-19 protocols is Suisun Valley, a unique and diverse farming community in Solano County, northern California. Suisun Valley is bringing back their annual staple event, Passport Sunday on August 8th, featuring 12 different vineyards, food trucks, and more. This event is limited to 600 people, a decrease from their usual 1,000 person occupancy to ensure the safety of all people in attendance.

In San Luis Obispo, the SLO County Farm Trail will be showing off all that their region has to offer during their Open Farm Day on July 17th, including cider tasting, sachet making, and plenty of demos.  Similarly, the Pleasant Valley Agriculture Association, an association of farmers in Vacaville, who have a collective interest in agriculture tourism and land preservation recently announced that 12 farms in the area will be participating in Open Farm Days on June 26th and 27th. These farms will be in compliance with the updated covid-19 standards and will be featuring products ranging from fresh honey, produce, and jams, and facilitating activities like farm tours and Alpaca feeding. 

As agritourism operations and organizations navigate how to reopen safely and within their capacity, this summer will bring back a sense of normalcy with the return of many cherished agritourism events. 

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