​Some of the ideas for this module came from the Florida Agritourism Association as well as state university extensions and state departments of agriculture.

When you envision the farm you’d like to create, what do you see? Do you dream of kids visiting a pumpkin patch or picking out their own Christmas tree? Do you imagine your neighbors purchasing local produce at your market or families sampling fresh-pressed apple cider and donuts on the farm? Do you picture cuddles with miniature Highland cows or farm-to-table dinners out in the vineyard? If you do, agritourism may be right for you!

If you are considering this type of operation, there’s a lot to think about. Agritourism can be all-encompassing and it’s good to go in with your eyes open. Agritourism can be one of the most rewarding forms of agriculture, but some people jump in without digging deeper and understanding what’s involved.

Before you jump in, ask yourself, and your family, the tough questions.

Why are you interested in agritourism? Do you want to diversify your income, increase revenue to support your growing family? Keep your family farm and rural lifestyle? Create opportunities for family members to actively participate on the farm? Is it because you like hosting people and sharing your story? Be your own boss? Educate the public on ag practices like how their food is grown and the value of fresh local food? Often, it is all of these things and more.

How do you want to do agritourism? Do you love meeting your customers? Do you want your farm to be a destination? Have a small farm stand on your property? Be the largest producer of [you name it] in your region or state? Think about your specific goals and the scale of your proposed operation.

What types of activities and offerings suit you best? There are many types of activities that can be integrated into a farm or a ranch, and they generally fall into five main categories: on-farm direct sales, education, entertainment and events, outdoor recreation, and lodging.

For a comprehensive overview of agritourism activities and an overview on how to start your agritourism operation, please see Agritourism 101, How to Start an Agritourism Operation.

Why Engage in Agritourism?
Each year, more and more farms are engaging in agritourism for a wide variety of reasons. What is driving this possible change to your farm?

Financial. The most common reason is financial. The bottom line is that successful agritourism activities can increase revenue. Modern farming comes with financial challenges, mainly fluctuating and rising input costs, and changing economic and regulatory conditions. Simply adding chickens to produce eggs costs money – coops and housing, feed, nesting material, proper fencing, animal care, egg packaging supplies, labeling and signage, and a place to sell them. Have you priced a new tractor lately? It’s hard to keep up with rising prices and sometimes you need to find new ways to bring in additional money.

Generate Revenue. Agritourism is a way to generate income in addition to the revenue you earn from growing crops and raising livestock. Whenever you can generate revenue beyond those things, you are more likely to be able to keep it as profit.

Protection Against Future Losses. Crop insurance, liability insurance, and targeted government programs are there to provide financial relief in natural disasters or economic downturns, but they may not be enough. Agritourism is a means to lessen the impact of those times.

Generate Cash Flow. Agritourism can occur during the off months for farm production, providing much needed cash flow during that period. U-cut Christmas trees in November and December would generate cash flow that can be used for spring planting and input costs. A petting zoo could generate cash flow for more months at a time.

Strength of Diversification. Having income that is nonessential to growing crops or livestock gives you a financial safety net for times of financial or other challenges. An example would be a tasting room that is open 10 months a year and relies on inventory made earlier. Or u-pick produce or u-cut flowers that occur in different months. Diversification is especially helpful for smaller farms that don’t have access to large amounts of capital. Diversifying into agritourism is an option, but only if you have enough hands to do the added work.

Diversification Through Value-Added Products. Look for ways to expand the use of your agricultural products to generate revenue outside the value of the product itself. For example, a farm growing apples commercially that wants or needs to diversify part of their crop has many options for apples – pies, apple dumplings, apple cider donuts, applesauce, dried apples, fresh cider, hard ciders, apple brandy, gourmet vinegar, apple butter, apple jelly, apple shooting cannons, story time for children with apple themed stories, u-pick apples, charitable donations to schools and organizations, school visits, trunk or treat events, and direct sales at farm and farmers’ markets.

“We Grew Too Much”. Some farmers simply need an outlet for excess produce and farm products. Farmstands, farm markets, farmers’ markets, CSAs, and other venues within agritourism can help farmers sell their surplus products. Being able to sell directly to the public generates more revenue than selling to a middleman. Also, providing quality produce and farm products to the community often brings a sense of reward and accomplishment.

Retain Farmland. The loss of farmland is a major issue facing our country. It’s no longer a guarantee that the next generation will want to continue working on the family farm. Making traditional farming appealing and economically practical for young people is a real challenge. But for many families, agritourism has been a way to interest future generations in returning to the farm. Agritourism is often not just a business strategy, but a way to keep the family farm viable.

Provide Memorable Experiences for the Public. Many people have very little knowledge about agriculture or have never even set foot on a farm. A visit to a local farm can be a fun and fascinating experience that they won’t forget. By inviting visitors to pick produce, pet a farm animal, watch maple syrup being made, dine on farm-to-table food, walk through a corn maze, and simply experience life on a farm, you are providing opportunities for new experiences and fun memories. These memories last a lifetime and often are the beginning of family traditions.

Educating the Public. Agritourism activities will help you become an advocate and educator for agriculture – one relationship at a time. Customers want to know where their food comes from and how it is cared for, and they want to know the farmer. They also want to know about farming practices and have a connection to their food. This helps generate community support for the agricultural industry.

Employment of Family Members. Agritourism activities can also expand opportunities for family members to work on the farm during their developmental years or later as a career. It is not uncommon for farm children to be involved in farm chores. Over the years, families grow, and the family farm may need to grow in ways to support multiple families.

Adding Jobs to the Local Community. Though this is not a reason to start agritourism, added employment is often a benefit to the community. Agritourism activities can take a few or many hands to implement, depending on the activity. You may need to hire locals either full time or seasonally. And if you partner with other businesses, such as food trucks or attract customers that need overnight accommodations, you open up opportunities for other businesses to grow and potentially, add new jobs in your community.

Increase Revenue on the Same Piece of Land. Margins in farming are tight and sometimes the only way to get ahead is to farm more land. But that may not be an option for many with the lack of available farmland and current prices of farm acreage. Diversifying with agritourism may be a better option, as it has the potential to increase revenue from the same piece of land.

You Truly Enjoy Interacting with your Customers. Many people get into agritourism because they find great enjoyment in meeting their customers and sharing their farm with the public. Those individuals are just as passionate about their customers as they are about farming and agritourism can be a perfect fit.

​This is the million-dollar question you must ask yourself – is agritourism right fit for you – personally? This is the first question you need to ask yourself before you assess your farm, buildings, assets, etc.

Do you have time to develop the operation? Just being in agriculture can be time-consuming. It can take time to build it up and get a following of guests. Do you have the time to add in the necessary hours?

Are you mentally able to deal with loss? Do you have a sense of optimism? Many farmers are eternal optimists who believe that if things don’t go right, that next year will be better. Sometimes, the setbacks occur too frequently – crops fail several years in a row, livestock get a disease, a fire destroys key buildings, family members or key staff have accidents or illnesses. It is difficult to overcome major challenges mentally and emotionally and stay financially solvent.

Are you emotionally and financially able to lose some or all the crops you’ve grown this year? Extreme weather is for real. The stability of the seasons is changing, giving less predictability. Crops may not ripen at a consistent time of year but sometimes ripen weeks earlier or later. Fruit trees may bloom at the “wrong time” and be damaged by cold. Temperatures vary between too hot or too cool. And there can be excessive rainfall or drought.

Do you have the right personality? Being an extrovert helps one be an effective agritourism host, but introverts also do well with their quieter demeanor. Can you be consistently cheerful and hospitable to visitors? Your demeanor will make the difference between a visitor having a good or subpar experience. If you do not like interacting with people, make sure you have someone on staff who does.

Are you willing to share your story and educate the public? Do you enjoy telling people what farms are like and how they operate, how food is produced, and about the agricultural industry? Sharing your story, showing guests around, and answering their questions takes time. Are you able to convey the same passion and enthusiasm after you’ve shared this information 30 times?

Are you a self-starter and internally motivated? If you want to start and maintain an agritourism operation, no one is going to do the work for you. Others can give you the tools, insights, and advice, but when it comes to getting the work done, it is up to you.

Are you organized, adaptable to change, and able to set goals? These are important qualities. You need to be able to maintain a path that will get you to your goals.

Do you like having a routine? As a farmer, you already know that each day can be different. With agritourism, each day (and hour!) can bring new challenges. Your morning plans for what you think you’ll accomplish that day may be totally different by mid-morning. If you can stay flexible, you’ll be less discouraged.

How well are you able to adapt and evolve? Do you have the mindset, the financial resources, the time, and the initiative? The change is constant, and the routines are few when taking a broad look at agritourism operations. Many changes like the weather and economic conditions are outside your control. Are you able to “go with the flow” and not be discouraged too easily or for too long? And be resourceful and creative enough to find other solutions to operational areas that no longer work?

Are you and your family willing to give up some of your privacy? With an agritourism operation, you are now inviting the public on to your property even if only for a few hours at a time. You and your family will be seen and heard, and vice versa.

If you have a family farm, are you able to work with your spouse and family? Agritourism requires long hours during the season. Are you able to spend hours working alongside your spouse/partner and family members? If you enjoy their company, the time can go by easier and more quickly. The secret is to not take yourself too seriously.

What are your assets, in terms of land, people, etc.? What do you currently have that will support your ideas? Look at your acreage in terms of number, type, soil, location, typography, and climate. Is it right for how you want to use it? Do you have the staff needed to operate? What are their skill sets? Will they be with you for the long term? Is your farm and your staff what is needed to support your operation?

Self-Assessment Checklists

We encourage you to use the assessments below to determine if agritourism is right for you.

Checklist for Preparing You and Your Farm for Agritourism in Michigan. This comprehensive checklist by the Michigan Agritourism Association (adapted from the University of Vermont Extension) is great for those starting out as well as those with established agritourism operations.

The Personal Assessment (Section 1) helps you assess your business experience, personal qualities, skills, time assessment, and support from family members and friends.
[pdf that needs to be linked to module #37b]

The checklist also gives you a chance to take a “fresh look” at yourself, your farm, and your resources. Topics include: personal assessment, natural areas on your farm, experience hosting visitors, farm facilities, retail facilities, and customer service and hospitality.

Is Agritourism for You? Evaluating your Resources Worksheet. The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department (Is agritourism for you? 2022, April) has additional questions below to assess your personal skills. Answer a Yes, No, or Somewhat for each.

• Do I like meeting and working with all types of people?
• Do I like to entertain and serve strangers?
• Am I patient and sensitive to the needs of visitors?
• Do I have the physical stamina and vigor, or a secure staffing plan, to maintain my operation while properly serving customers?
• Do I know the natural history of my area?
• Am I: a self-starter? willing to take responsibility? organized? able to make and carry out decisions? able to solve problems? energetic and persistent?
• Do I have experience with budgeting? planning? managing people? communicating? presenting my ideas to many people? selling? keeping financial records?

Before beginning an agritourism operation, it’s important to consider how it will impact you and some of the changes you will likely experience. Three key areas are: 1) your lifestyle, 2) your family, and 3) your farm/business operation. Here are steps to assessing the “fit” for you and your farm.

Impact on Your Lifestyle

Having agritourism activities on your farm can impact your lifestyle, even more than being a farmer. A farmer might plant like crazy over the spring months knowing that within time, most of it needs to be picked each day and sold. Adding a farm stand or farm market can be a great way to sell those goods right from your own property, but it will require additional time and energy. You may need to be open 6-7 days a week, and you may need to hire employees to run the market. Agritourism activities can take resources in time, assets, and staff.

A few questions to consider:

Are you able to support yourself financially for at least two years? Many external factors can have a direct impact on an agritourism farm’s revenue and it’s wise to be prepared for this. In addition to weather conditions, local and global economic conditions can affect how customers spend their income, your input costs, taxes and insurance, changing regulations, and the ability to find and hire staff. These and other things have the potential to impact your bottom line. Some factors may take more than a year to resolve and cause you to modify your operation.

Do you need to learn a new skill set(s) to turn your dream into reality? Do you have the skill set to do the type of agritourism you want to do?

For example, adding a pumpkin patch or corn maze may require research on how to grow pumpkins and corn successfully. Adding animals requires year-round animal care. Adding a bakery requires equipment, storage, inventory, marketing, packaging, and baking skills.

Technology is at the center of most farming and agritourism related tasks. How are your software skills, hardware, and equipment? Do you need more training and equipment to make your business operation run smoother?

With an expanded operation, comes expanded business tasks. Or do you need further training or other individuals that have those skills? You can hire others to perform most of your business tasks like human resources and staffing, taxes, regulatory reports, inventory and purchasing, and financial management, but do you have the business acumen to manage these areas? Are you able to analyze and interpret results to make good decisions?

By adopting agritourism and opening your doors to the public, you may also need to become a marketer, customer service representative, and event planner – all while continuing your demanding work in the fields. Most agritourism operators experience a wide range of tasks on any given day.

Are you willing to accept the long hours that may be necessary? Any agritourism business requires significant effort, long hours and occasional setbacks. During peak planting and production months, and high agritourism activity months, it is not uncommon to work 80-90 hours or more a week. Agritourism can take more staff than traditional farming. Hopefully you will have the staff you need to get the job done. Oftentimes, you’ll be working alongside them. Much of the hard work happens behind the scenes is often unnoticed by others.

Are you able to quickly adapt, if needed? Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Knowing when to stop doing something and go to Plan B is tricky. It’s helpful to have a Plan B, just in case. Keep looking ahead. You may find different avenues to try, and new ways to utilize your land and resources. As you navigate the shifting demands of agritourism, embrace the change and continuous learning.

Did you grow up on a farm? There is a misconception that those in agritourism grew up or worked in a farm environment. It is not a prerequisite for success as many operators are brand new to farming and agritourism. They simply want to pursue their interests and passions and have altered their careers to do it. There are others who left the family farm but returned to it for various reasons. Either way, they have found their way to farming and agritourism and have embraced the change and challenges.

Impact on Your Family

Please note that any references to “spouse” are written in a general context and do not necessarily define marriage or gender. We recognize that the makeup of what defines a farm family can vary.

Working with your Spouse/Partner. Can you and your spouse/partner work well together and stay married? Some farm couples are opposites, which may be an advantage to an agritourism operation. Differing skill sets may be complimentary. One may like being with the public, the other is happy to make things happen behind the scenes. One is analytical, the other is intuitive. Working with a spouse can disrupt work/life balances as managing conflicts and emotions become more difficult.

A farm couple from Georgia (Rusnak, 2024a) offers six pieces of solid advice for working together. To be successful, focus on patience, self-control, communication, setting goals, work/life balance, and gratitude. Being married and sharing a farm and business means that both of you will experience the highs and lows of what is happening on your farm. You must trust each other and know that the other will follow through on their responsibilities, correctly. Ultimately, you need to put your relationship with each other first and your farm second.

Role of the Spouse/Partner. Expanding your farm operation can easily add stress to family members, especially the spouse. Spouses are already doing the heavy lifting both physically and emotionally when it comes to keeping the residence and family going. Many are taking care of family members, maintaining the farm records and financials, working on the farm and being the go-between for family drama, grumpy farmers, and more – all while being exhausted. Adding additional efforts to their current role is tough.

Role of Off-Farm Income

Are you or your spouse/partner already working off the farm? Do you need the stability of an outside job for reliable income, health insurance, or more? Do you have the time to develop and grow an agritourism activity while working off farm?

In 2023, just 23-percent of farm household income for farm families came from farming itself – meaning that 77-percent came from other sources (The Other Paycheck, 2025). Off-farm income includes wages or salaries from non-farm jobs, investment returns and pension payments – essentially any income not directly tied to producing food, fiber or fuel.

For many family farms, off-farm income is what keeps the farm operations running. Farming is uncertain and one bad frost can spell disaster for the season’s crops. A study by the University of Georgia (Hataway, 2024) found that two-thirds of farm spouses also work full time outside the home. This provides more financial stability and health care coverage for the families, but it also increases the mental load the spouse carries.

Results from the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey (Schmidt, C. et al 2025) showed that 26-percent of respondents spent 50-percent or more of their work time off-farm while 67-percent mainly worked for their farm or ranch.

The smaller the farm – measured by gross cash farm income which includes agricultural sales and government payments – the more dependent it tends to be on off-farm employment. Among farms with less than $100,000 in annual gross sales, over 60-percent of principal operators worked at least one day off the farm. In contrast, that figure drops to 45-percent or less for farms with over $500,000 in gross sales. This pattern makes intuitive sense: smaller farms often don’t generate enough revenue to cover basic household expenses, let alone reinvest in the business. Off-farm jobs become essential to bridging the gap – helping pay for housing, healthcare, education and retirement.

Farm families are increasingly required to commute outside their home counties for off-farm work opportunities. Between 2002 and 2022, the share of commuters leaving their county for employment rose more than 10-percent in both nonmetro and farm-dependent counties, with 64-percent of farm-dependent county residents commuting. For many farm households, this trend reflects the reality that off-farm jobs aren’t always found just down the road. In today’s economy, the ability to farm often depends on the ability to commute.

If your farm is dependent on an off-farm job to stay afloat, will implementing agritourism provide the additional income needed and negate the need to commute to an off-farm job? In the end, it’s about the broader environment that makes farming and agritourism possible.

Farm Families and Childcare

University of Vermont researchers (Stengel, 2015) surveyed 186 farm families from various states and found the major childcare challenges were childcare availability, affordability and quality – all of which influenced their farm business decisions, families’ well-being, and their farms’ success.

Having family support nearby, especially if a couple are both working on the farm, can make a big difference. Without it, it could be hard to afford childcare, and most childcare centers are not open during erratic farming hours. The solution may be to bring your children to work. And this may also be true for any staff you have with younger children; they may need to bring their children to your farm routinely or on occasion. Whether your children, staff’s children, or guests’ children, their safety is of utmost importance. You need to educate children about farm hazards, including safe places to be when farm equipment or retail traffic is around; places on the farm to avoid due to machinery, equipment or chemical hazards; and who to contact if an accident happens. If you can’t provide the attention that young children need while you’re at work, you may need to find an alternative solution.

The cost of childcare is difficult for many, especially when you are investing in your farm or its operations. Adding agritourism operations to your farm usually results in extra hours needed for implementation. The cost of childcare, whether in time or money, can be challenging.

Findings from the study also revealed that childcare was an issue in the wellbeing of both farm family and farm business: childcare has economic effects on the farm business, influencing decisions about labor, growth, and financial resources; childcare also has social effects on the farm family, including shifts in gender roles, stress, and reduced quality of life.

That being said, agritourism farms can be wonderful places to raise your family. Many current agritourism operations have returned to the family farm because of the lifestyle it provides for their family.

Impact on Your Farm/Business Operation

An Operational Shift. Are you ready to shift your current operational model? Farming in itself is an all-consuming job, but agritourism adds extra requirements beyond that of growing. For some, it means a shift from a commercial model to a direct-to-consumer model, meaning small and medium-sized farms must grow and produce a wider variety of products. And with that shift comes a need for time spent on individual pricing, customer relations and marketing. It also comes with a shift in mindset: Your new main crop is now entertaining, providing for, and educating guests.

The Public on your Property. The most significant change is that guests are now invited, allowed, even encouraged onto your property. Agritourism is unique in that most business owners commute to their place of business. In agritourism, the customers come to you at your farm which is often your residential property.

These guests coming onto your property may be diverse – from varying ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, rural and metro, various cultures and values, English and non-English speakers. It takes someone who enjoys communicating with people and wants to share the farm experience.

With guests on your property, there are things you need to do and have for customers that you did not need before. Having guests creates new safety and liability concerns. The public may not understand the farm environment and engage in risky behavior. They may not take care of your property, may litter, or be destructive.

Visitors on the farm are guests as well as customers. Are you able to be guest-centric and focused on their needs and safety? Is your agritourism operation safe for guests? Does your agritourism operation look welcoming to guests? Are you motivated to keep your premises clean and always organized? Do you understand the importance of maintaining your operation for both appearance and safety reasons?

Conducting New Management Practices. The Agricultural Marketing Resource Center (agMRC) website (Agritourism, 2025) lists seven best management practices to think about when considering an agritourism venture, one of them is offering guests a safe environment:

• Provide an authentic farm or ranch experience.
• Provide an educational experience.
• Provide excellent customer service.
• Provide adequate public facilities.
• Maintain a safe and accessible environment.
• Create good community relations.
• Plan for your financial future.

Financial Risk. Most farmers need capital to start or expand their operation. Finding a grant or interest free loan is challenging, although there are grants available that are geared towards agritourism. You may need to borrow money and/or rely on what you have in savings. Be smart and have funds set aside to survive for up to two years until you are established. After that you’re at the mercy of the weather, the economy, and your personal and farm situation. Your farm is more than a business – it is also your family’s home and way of life – and must be protected.

Profitability. Will you make money? Hopefully, yes. It’s a balancing act on how much is produced versus your input costs versus how much you can reasonably charge your community. Farmers can only sell products at prices people will pay. This leads to losses when customers are not willing or able to pay more, something that hits smaller farms with less benefits from economies of scale. Also, you never know how the weather and economy will treat you. Some years you make money, some years you do not. Each year brings new challenges.

Results from the 2024 National Agritourism Producer Survey by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (Schmidt, C. et al 2025) showed:

• 18.2% had less than $1,000 in agritourism sales
• 54.4% had between $1,000 and $99,999
• 21.2% had between $100,000 to $1 million
• 6.2% had more than $1 million

The proportion of responses by profit from those offering agritourism and recreation services were:

• 32.1% operated at a loss or break-even
• 10.6% contributed less than $1,000 in net income
• 46.3% reported between $1,000 and $99,999 in profit
• 11.0% reported more than $100,000 from agritourism

Hours of Operation. How often would you like to be open to the public? People involved in agriculture are usually very, very busy. The great thing about agritourism is, it can be seasonal, and you can set your own hours, so you can adjust it for what and when you want. It could be as little as one day a year to do a single event or multiple days for multiple months.

According to the National Agritourism Producer Survey, most agritourism farms (57-percent) were open to visitors part time (150 days or less) in 2023.

Other periods included:

• 18.4% Occasionally/specific events only
• 23.4% Seasonally/weekends only
• 15.5% Parttime/several days a week
• 20.0% Most of the year with some closed periods
• 22.8% Year-round/everyday with minimal exceptions

Starting a Long-Term Venture. One question to ask yourself is – are you passionate enough about the business to share it with the community for years to come? It’s important to consider the positive impact on the local community that your business may have, and that many may rely on what your farm offers for many years. Examples are general support and involvement in local events, donating to a food bank, employing local people, providing fresh food to consumers, educating the general public on agriculture and food practices, and buying products and supplies from local vendors. You just need to consider the effect you may have and build your venture for the long run.

Farmers, like other individuals, do not have crystal balls to see into the future, have money growing on trees in the orchard, or hens laying golden eggs. Knowing that, begin your agritourism venture “prepared” by doing your research and making an educated guess. That is the best any of us can do. Be prepared to evolve and adapt as necessary along the way.

1. Do your research

Research your top choices carefully. There are many ways to determine what might work for you. The agritourism industry is growing globally and is strong in the Midwest. Michigan is no exception.

Use the internet for research agritourism information and successful programs. Browse their information, research, and advice. Don’t hesitate to contact businesses, organizations, and people that you feel may be able to answer questions or provide information such as:

• County cooperative extension office and the Michigan State University Extension
• Extension offices from other state universities and colleges
• Local convention and visitors’ bureau
• Agritourism operators in Michigan and other states
• Michigan Agritourism Association and agritourism associations from other states
• Your regional peers about their thoughts and experiences

2. Visit other farms

Seeing what your dream might look like is invaluable. Below are two easy ways to do it and doing both is worthwhile. You’ll view other business models and see different operational set-ups.

Contact another farmer(s) who is doing what you are considering and ask to visit and tour their operation. Arrive with some questions prepared in advance. Be considerate of their time and ask permission before taking photos. Most farmers are willing to share their insights and operations with others. “Leave the gate open” to contact them later as needed.

Participate in an agritourism bus tour. These are typically hosted as part of a conference, or by an organization or a university extension office. It’s an easy way to see what other farms are doing and get new ideas for what you can do. The farm hosting the stop typically will give a tour of their operation and share their story and how/why they got into agritourism. You can ask questions and find out what works or didn’t work for them. Take notes, photos are usually permissible. For the host farm, bus tours are less time-consuming than talking with interested individuals one-on-one later. For visiting farmers, bus tours are a great way to meet peers, gain knowledge, explore ideas, and get advice. Once you are back on the bus traveling to your next destination, you’ll have a chance to discuss your observations with like-minded peers and bounce off new ideas. The bus tour provides an excellent opportunity to make new friends and gain valuable contacts.

3. Talk with other farmers and those serving the agritourism industry

To know what is successful, what the current trends are, how tourism in your area is working, and other information pertinent to your agritourism operation, you will need to get involved with those in the “know.”

Find a peer already involved in agritourism and bounce ideas off each other. You will learn a lot and gain knowledge. Your confidence and feeling of being prepared for the future will also increase. Discuss “what if” scenarios, too, like what if there are significant changes to your customer base or the economy. Brainstorm how things might evolve in 15-20 years.

Prioritize networking and collaborating with other farmers and industry professionals via in-person, social media and online forums. These means of interaction will provide insights and expert advice and help you stay connected to like-minded individuals, and current challenges and trends. Having a robust network will give you essential support, help you find solutions to future problems, and provide new opportunities.

Educational resources such as courses, workshops, and online forums will deepen your understanding. Many conferences also include vendors – take time to talk with them about their products, even if you are not currently purchasing. You’ll learn more about the agritourism industry and build your network of professionals.

Remember, farming is a process of lifelong learning, and each season brings new issues, insights, and challenges.

4. Develop a list of pros and cons

Developing a list of pros and cons is a timeless method that will bring clarity to your thoughts and let you see the issue at hand more holistically. It’s a good place to start and can be developed quickly.

You may also want to expand it and do a Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. To get more robust data (and good discussions!), involve others from your team and family. You can even include other data points such as customer identification, support systems, resources on hand and needed, community support, assets, and more.

If you get stuck and need more insights, consult AI for points to consider. Or ask AI first and expand it with your insights. The important thing is to have the knowledge and information to make an informed decision.

In the Resources section at the end of this module is a tool that assigns a point value to various criteria designed to help filter small agricultural business ideas. If you are analytically minded, this tool may give you additional insights.

​The Midwest is home to many commodity farms, many of which are owned by corporations. A small or medium-sized row crop family farm has difficulty competing against the financial resources of these large farms or have the capital to expand their current operation.

Farms with tighter margins and rising costs can experience greater financial risk. Spreading this risk beyond commodity markets offers financial stability in an area where volatility in prices is the norm.

Agritourism is a viable option for small or medium-sized commodity farms as it provides economic opportunity and a way to maintain their land. For example, a row crop farm in Indiana (Whitehead, 2024) purchased a neighbor’s apple orchard as a way to gain acreage. Some years the apples did better than the soybeans and vice versa. Since then, the farm has expanded even more and added a farm market, baked goods, and u-pick.

A small farm in Iowa (Hajj, 2024) added community supported agriculture (CSAs) and now offers a fall festival with hayrides, pumpkin patches, and a farm stand. It was a way for them to keep the family farm viable when corporate agriculture dominated their landscape. Their income is now split evenly between agriculture and agritourism, with the agritourism income being more stable.

Another small farm in Iowa charges guests for a 30-minute “cuddle session” with their “fluffy breed” Scottish cows (These adorable Utah cows, 2025b). This extra income helps pay for farm operations and buy food for the cows in the winter.

The fall months are typically the most profitable time of the year for agritourism. Some small farms will open to visitors and hope to generate enough revenue to sustain them through the months ahead.

But it isn’t easy. It requires effort, long hours, hard work, and occasional setbacks. You need to work alongside staff and manage the operation. It requires research before jumping in and using resources and peer support to sustain you as you develop and maintain your venture.

Agritourism can bring you joy and satisfaction, but it can also bring challenges that are sometimes overwhelming and frustrating. It’s good to be aware of this potential and to seek support when needed.

Feelings of Stress

Farming is a stressful occupation, and a growing body of research shows that farm stressors are associated with poor mental health. A study conducted by agricultural researchers at the University of Illinois examined data from 170 young farmers and ranchers (Ruldolphi et al, 2019). Approximately 71-percent of respondents met the criteria for anxiety and depression. This is about three times higher than the general population.

Of seven presented stress domains, personal finances and time pressures were the sources of greatest concern. These along with economic conditions, and employee relations were associated with anxiety and depression. In their work with younger farmers, the National Young Farmer Coalition found climate change, systemic racism, and land prices were also stressors (Milio, 2024).

It is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the stress and pressure of “today’s problems on the farm.” Peer-to-peer support and talking with mental health counselors can lessen the emotional burdens. Rising each day and identifying two or three things you are thankful for (gratitude) often helps.

There are also some great programs available to support farmers who need someone to talk to, such as Michigan State University Extension’s Teletherapy Program, which connects farmers with counselors who have an agricultural background and an understanding of farming.

The Winter or Off-Season Months

Farming in Michigan is generally a seasonal business that comes with periods of down time in the off-season. Agritourism can also be seasonal, unless you manage a year-round operation. The off-season is a time to recharge and renew, and a time to reflect and refocus. Adjusting to winter or off-season months can be a challenge as it is a shift from routine-driven “busyness” to adjusting to a new routine.

It’s a big change to go from running non-stop to having a lot of down time and it can leave you feeling off-track. Your body needs time to heal after months of hard physical and mental work. Sleeping and resting are important, but you also need exercise that increases your heart rate, keeps your muscles strong, and your body flexible. Otherwise, you can lose some of your strength and flexibility and not be able to quickly engage in physical farm labor when the off-season ends.

And there are lots of must-do activities associated with owning a farm and managing an agritourism operation.

• “Plow through” the catalogs, magazines, reports, studies, special mailings, brochures, industry news, and more. It’s time to develop your Needs and Wants lists.
• Catch up with friends and make new contacts, especially those in agritourism.
• Attend trade shows and educational events. This is a time for learning.
• Make sure all permits and licenses are active and do regulatory and compliance training.
• Make business decisions, check insurance, check financing and assets.
• If you direct market produce, line up your contacts, customers, farmers’ markets, buyers.
• Fine tune your marketing strategies and be ready to go.
• Plan, plan, and plan for every part and every acre of your operation.
• Do strategic planning, meet with family/partners, and make decisions about future directions and operations.

Take advantage of the downtime to better prepare you for the seasons ahead. The time always seems to pass too quickly!