When most people think of Southwest Florida, they think of beaches and golfing, but our area of the state is home to some of the most sophisticated and diverse agricultural operations in the country. Florida produces over 300 commodities, covering A-Z with production. Most of the farms in our region consist of vegetable crops, but there is large acreage dedicated to open-range cow/calf operations and cowboy heritage, ornamental plants, fisheries, citrus, and more!
Agritourism activities bring consumers and farmers together, helping people learn about local and regional agriculture. Agritourism means farms and ranches that offer recreational, educational, leisure activities, and services to the public. These can be activities like a u-pick operation, farmer’s markets or offering venues for gatherings. Agritourism focuses on education, reconnecting people to agriculture and the natural world, and the products that come from farms.
The popularity of agritourism reflects the fact that it offers benefits to both the farmer and the public. Agritourism activities can be good for farmers because it may gain public support for keeping farms viable. Agritourism also spreads knowledge about good farming practices to the public, benefiting everyone. Consumers that visit farms gives them a chance to connect with their food on a more personal level and get a sense of how food is grown and raised. Meeting the people, and fellow community members, that grow our food is a very rewarding experience.
UF/IFAS Extension offers farm tours in the springtime, you can connect with Collier County extension, Hendry County extension, and Sarasota county extension on dates, times and ticket sales (they do sell out fast!). There are also many agritourism operators right here in SWFL you can bring the whole family to. Scratch that itch to get into the wide-open spaces this fall and spring and visit www.SWFLFresh.com to visit agricultural operators open to the public. Many of these farms offer products for sale, food for purchase, music, opportunities for kids, cut-flowers and u-pick activities.
Photos: Farmer Mike’s U-pick in Bonita Springs offering farm activities for the entire family.
