Ongoing research

Farm/ranch recreation refers to activities conducted on private agricultural lands, which might include fee-hunting and fishing, overnight stays, educational activities, etc. This category of tourism is a subset of a larger industry known as agritourism.

Customers visit your farm or ranch for the experience. Direct your attention to the best ways to make your visitors/customers feel welcome and comfortable. You want them to return as well as to tell others about your operation. Remember that your best promotion tool is word of mouth.

Effective marketing is a key element in any business enterprise. Landowners who do not have experience in marketing a service business often overlook its importance. Even the best-managed fee-recreation business can be unsuccessful if prospective clients are unaware of the enterprise.

Mapping California Agritourism From December 2014 through February 2015, UC Small Farm Program staff used multiple online lists and lists provided by producer associations, non-profit organizations and government agencies to compile a list of all probable agritourism operations, including on-vineyar...

by Ellen Rilla Director, Marin and Sonoma Counties University of California Cooperative Extension Executive Summary Section 1: Study Organization Section 2: Background Section 3: Farm Holidays in Britain Section 4: Agritourism in New England Section 5: Other Ranch and Farm Accommodations in the U.S.

Authors: Ramiro E. Lobo - George E. Goldman - Desmond A. Jolly B. Diane Wallace - Wayne L. Schrader - Scott A. Parker Reprinted with permission. California Agriculture November-December 1999.

Desmond A. Jolly, Ph.D., and Mario Moratorio, Ph.D. Presented at the 1st World Forum of Agritourism and Rural Tourism Perugia, Italy, September 17-27, 2000 In an ultimate sense, the notion of sustainable development may be an unattainable chimera.

...for sharing, learning and planning together Agritourism operators, tourism professionals, county, city and state staff and officials, community organizations, agricultural organizations, tour organizers and everyone else involved in California agritourism were invited.

Lunchtime Webinars for agritourism operators (and others) 2016 Are you one of the thousands of California farmers and ranchers who invite the public to your land to shop at your farm stand, pick their own fruit, taste wine, stay the night, learn a skill, enjoy a festival, or tour your operation?

The "Agritourism Intensive" classes, held in Plumas, Shasta and Stanislaus Counties, were three-session agritourism planning courses offered by UC Cooperative Extension, the UC Small Farm Program and local partners for farmers and ranchers starting or growing their agritourism or nature tourism ente...