Foraging Classes, Wellness Yurts, and the Dream of Agritourism

TheThe hens gaze at me from their nests, looking both annoyed and resigned. A child rushes over, pushes a chicken aside, and grabs two eggs. Nearby, several children and adults are busy collecting eggs in shades of cream and tan, while others feed dried mealworms to the birds that gather around our feet. I reach for an egg from an empty nest, feeling a primal satisfaction as it warms in my hand before I place it in a charming wire basket provided by my hosts.

At 8:30 a.m. at Wildflower Farms, a luxurious self-proclaimed 'nature resort' nestled on 140 acres in New York’s Hudson Valley, guests are invited to gather breakfast the traditional way in the henhouse—a wooden building designed with a modern farmhouse flair, akin to the guest cabins just a short walk away. A farm staff member who oversees the animals (including pigs, sheep, and donkeys) encourages guests to collect as many eggs as they can. They can either take the eggs home or bring them to the on-site restaurant, Clay, where a chef will prepare breakfast with them.

The egg collection process is a brief but carefully planned agritourism experience that offers insight into the labor behind our food. Many visitors have traveled two hours from New York City, where the closest they come to harvesting their own food is picking up an Instacart order at their door. While gathering a few eggs and pulling some vegetables during Wildflower’s popular Forage the Farm tour doesn't amount to a full day’s labor, it serves as a poignant reminder that food doesn’t simply appear on our plates or grocery shelves by magic.

For centuries, industrialization, urbanization, and globalization have drawn people into cities, yet the allure of the countryside has always persisted. In today’s urban-centric world, innovative farmers are capitalizing on the opportunity to market their rural lifestyle alongside their crops. Late 19th-century American city dwellers could vacation on dude ranches among cattle and cowboys, longing for a nostalgic past or experiencing a life they had never known. After World War II, Italy popularized the modern approach to merging agriculture and tourism, as the government encouraged rural populations to continue food production instead of migrating to cities for better-paying jobs.

In 2023, 'agritourism' encompasses a broad range of activities occurring on farms, including farmstays where guests stay overnight. With various levels of time, effort, and expense, anyone can interact with our farming system, gaining insight into the farm-to-table process. At one end are farmstays like those offered through Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOFing), where volunteers provide manual labor in exchange for accommodation for days or even months. At the other end are luxury resorts like Wildflower, where guests can enjoy a one-night stay and choose from free or paid educational activities related to agriculture and nature. In between, there are u-pick apple farms and Mytouries that integrate vegetable garden tours into dining experiences.

A morning spent gathering eggs highlights a critical question facing the evolving agritourism sector in the U.S.: Can the 90 percent of Americans not involved in agriculture form a respectful bond with the farmers, animals, and land that underpin our food system? If such a connection is possible, might it influence public perspectives on broader societal challenges, such as the climate crisis, global food security, labor rights, the excessive use of harmful chemicals, and the shift of small, diverse farms toward monoculture mega-farms?

'It’s crucial for us to open our doors and showcase what we do here,' shares Cally McDougall, who operates Studio Hill Farm in Shaftsbury, Vermont, alongside her husband Jesse. 'For people to care about the environment, ecosystems, and wildlife, there must be places where they can develop a deep, personal connection and hopefully return to them repeatedly.'

The couple transformed a historic structure on her family's 350-acre farm, which has been in the family for five generations, into a farmstay in 2017, initially intending it to be their home.

'One of my favorite aspects of hosting farmstays is watching guests return over the years to create their own family memories here,' Cally McDougall reflects. 'I’m often amazed by the specifics that children recall about their experiences, even years later. When they visit again, they might ask about a particular sheep by name.'

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has identified five categories of agritourism activities: direct sales, education, hospitality, outdoor recreation, and entertainment. From over 2 million farms included in the 2017 Census of Agriculture, approximately 28,000 engaged in some form of agritourism. While the 2022 Census results are not yet public, this figure is likely to have increased. Unlike the broader tourism sector, which faced a sudden halt during the pandemic, agritourism experienced a distinct rise, drawing consumers to outdoor environments for fresh air and movement. Business consulting firm Grand View Research reported that the U.S. agritourism market value grew from $2.2 billion in 2020 to $2.5 billion in 2021, positioning North America as the largest agritourism market globally. This growth is expected to persist in the coming years.

With the growth of the American agritourism market, high-end offerings are also on the rise. Luxurious resorts have emerged on farms, ranches, vineyards, and stunning landscapes across the nation, focusing on relaxation and wellness rather than labor. While guests at places like Blackberry Farm in Tennessee enjoy Himalayan salt stone massages, others may partake in yoga sessions at a Wellness Yurt at Los Poblanos in New Mexico or savor a multicourse meal dubbed “ThDinogo for the Hungry” at Social Haus at The Green O in Montana after fieldwork.

Although these venues offer educational programs that provide some farming insights, the short and comfortable nature of the experiences limits deeper understanding of the rigorous demands of food system employment. While luxury estates account for only a small segment of the agritourism sector, they attract disproportionate attention due to substantial marketing efforts and media coverage.

For some, this opulent form of agritourism is as easy to critique as a tomato ripe for picking in August. It presents the allure of farm life without the associated hardships. This raises questions about the idealized image of rural living, a notion dating back to Thomas Jefferson’s moral agrarianism, which has historically masked unsafe working conditions, as highlighted in recent reports about establishments like Blue Hill at Stone Barns and toxic environments at Willows Inn in Washington.

The agritourism sector faces numerous pressing challenges, much like the broader restaurant and agricultural industries. However, with 80 percent of Americans residing in urban areas, their detachment from food production has exacerbated global crises. Despite these issues, travel centered around farms holds significant promise for fostering positive change.

Research indicates that agritourism can significantly impact consumer choices regarding local shopping, as highlighted in a 2021 study by Carla Barbieri, a professor of parks, recreation, and tourism management at North Carolina State University. The study involved surveys from visitors to six agritourism sites in the state during 2018 and 2019.

“Our findings revealed that after experiencing agritourism, people were inclined to spend up to 20 percent more on locally sourced food,” says Barbieri. “When consumers understand what local farmers grow, they are more eager to buy local produce and are willing to adjust their family budgets accordingly.”

Barbieri also highlights conservation initiatives driven by agritourism. “With visitors coming to their farms, farmers are motivated to maintain their landscapes, preserving native plants, flowers, and ecosystems,” she explains. These wildflowers not only attract and support pollinators but also enhance the visual appeal for tourists while benefiting the environment.

“When you’re just shopping in a store, it’s easy to overlook how choosing one product over another creates a chain reaction,” explains David Rust, founder of Sagra Farms, a digital platform that allows travelers to book farm stays, retreats, and experiences. “But when you’re immersed in a farm environment and connect with the people there, you realize how your spending habits act as votes. This deeper insight influences the choices you make once you return home. People come to have a genuine appreciation for the complexity of the agricultural system and understand how their food choices can combat climate change, benefit the environment, and uphold fair labor standards.”

Sagra strategically collaborates with farms situated near major U.S. cities to help reconnect urban dwellers with their local food sources. The company has partnerships or plans to establish connections with farms in California, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, and Vermont, including the McDougalls’ Studio Hill Farm.

In addition to generating income from direct and indirect sales of farm goods, paid lodging and activities offer farmers a valuable chance to broaden their income sources.

“We didn’t initially consider agritourism education; our main focus was covering our loans,” Jesse McDougall reflects on the couple’s shift toward tourism. Now, part-time hospitality generates more income than their traditional farming practices. Rust notes that this trend is common. “I was surprised by the level of interest in what we were doing,” he shares. He now frequently conducts a two-hour regenerative agriculture tour, guiding guests through the farm’s fields and forests to meet the 200 sheep in their flock.

With narrow profit margins and hectic schedules, many small farmers struggle to market and run hospitality services alongside their farming duties. Platforms like Sagra and Farmstay facilitate connections between farmers and prospective farm visitors, taking a share of the earnings—15 percent in Sagra’s case. Given that average nightly rates for farmstays on Sagra’s platform range from $300 to $900, even a 50 percent occupancy rate can yield tens of thousands of dollars annually, potentially transformative for small-scale farmers. As other income sources become increasingly uncertain—due to unpredictable weather affecting crop yields and fluctuations in international agricultural trade—a consistent, alternative revenue stream could be essential for a farmer's survival through challenging seasons.

While retreats to nature are often marketed as restorative for urban residents, Rust emphasizes the social and emotional advantages for farmers as well, especially since rural communities face higher risks for mental health challenges like depression.

“Farmers often work in isolation, so their opportunities for social interaction are few,” Rust explains. “One of the most heartwarming things we observe is their joy in sharing the fruits of their labor with others.”

The agritourism that has surged in popularity post-pandemic undoubtedly offers a gentler, more appealing image than the reality faced by many farmers. The way guests gather eggs at Wildflower Farms is not reflective of how most eggs are produced. Tours of large-scale egg-laying operations might be more effective in inspiring changes in our food systems. Yet, there’s value in fostering a sense of wonder—like the delight of holding a fresh egg—as an educational tool, regardless of whether this moment prompts someone to buy ethically raised eggs at the store.

Each agritourism venture must navigate its own unique balance between farming and tourism, addressing both the interests of farmers and those of guests. There are trade-offs on both sides (such as insects in guest rooms or damaged branches in orchards) and a shared recognition that a flawless representation of agricultural life is unattainable. Agritourism, at the very least, offers small farmers a compelling reason to persist, even when selling their land might yield more profit than continuing to farm it.

“I firmly believe that people need meaningful connections to the land, but opportunities for those lasting relationships are dwindling,” says Cally McDougall. “As small farms give way to larger operations and urban development, these connections are becoming increasingly rare. If we want small family farms to endure for future generations, agritourism and farmstays will be crucial for maintaining their resilience, vitality, and relevance in the wider world.”

Elena Valeriote is a writer exploring the intersections of food, farming, culture, climate, and travel, highlighting the bond between people and place. Her work has been featured in publications such as Gastro Obscura, Modern Farmer, and Life & Thyme.