Farm to Table Movement

Across the nation people want access to locally grown foods. Chefs are traveling to farms to select their own ingredients and prepare them fresh from the farm. Customers are enjoying the experience. It's an opportunity for the farmer and the chef to work together to create something spectacular!

Click here to see a recent video from Louisiana. See how Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois of Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow, LA uses the produce grown by gardener Craig Black. Then visit Baton Rouge to hear from Nathan Gresham, chef at Beausoleil Restaurant and Bar and finally hear from farmer, Galen Iverstine of Kentwood. Each share a unique perspective of farm to table.

Agritourism Information

The LSU AgCenter provides information to start, grow and sustain your  agritourism business. Our   website offers information on rules, regulations, workshops and ideas.

Every quarter we offer a newsletter filled with information. Click here to read the latest edition.

This quarter you will learn about marketing agritourism online, farm-to-table events, arts and eats in Michigan, Fermata founder insights into tourism and workshops schedules for October.

If you have a question, give Dora Ann Hatch a call at
(318) 927-9654 extension 229 or e-mail her at dhatch@agcenter.lsu.edu

Recreational Tourism Abounds in Rural Settings

Recreational tourism can include: agritourism, heritage tourism, eco-tourism, nature-based tourism, etc. It's about having fun and learning something at the same time. Most of the opportunities can be found in rural settings.

In Louisiana, we have recreational statutes that provide a level of protection for landowners. One of our newest is the Louisiana Agritourism Limited Liability Law which was passed in 2008. This law lists a number of opportunities for landowners to engage in and receive protection under the law.

Although we list many activities as agritourism, they could also be considered eco-tourism and nature-based tourism.

I found an excellent resource online entitled, "Developing Naturally: An Exploratory Process for Nature-Based Community Tourism."  This manual was written by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service and provides great insight in how to develop a region for tourism using natural resources.

The LSU AgCenter provides assistance in agritourism related projects.

Grass Fed Beef Featured by Well-known Restaurateur

The Brennan Family has been a leader in New Orleans cuisine for decades. Recently Dr. Shannon Gonsoulin of Gonsoulin Land and Cattle from New Iberia  and the Dickie Brennan restaurants  teamed up to showcase the grass fed beef movement.

What an enterprising idea to team up with a well-known chef.
 If you have value-added products, try this idea.

Marketing Agritourism Online

Advertising today does not have to be costly. Taking the time to learn how to have an online presence is key to your success.  Having a website is a must.

Nebraska has released an online publication showing the importance of marketing your agritourism ventues using online strategies. The brochure is free and can be accessed online or downloaded.  You will be asked for your e-mail to access the brochure.  Call us at the LSU AgCenter or e-mail us if we can assist you in anyway with your agritourism venture.

Ted Eubanks with Fermata Provided Insights to Group

Recently in Michigan, Ted Eubanks, founder and President of Fermata, Inc., provided some helpful information to those of us promoting experiential tourism. He said that stories represent experiences that people will travel for. So, let's think of the stories we want people to tell of their visits to our agritourism operations.

What could some of our stories be?
-  I rode horseback through a forest and had a meal by the campfire.
-  I caught a fish at the pond and cleaned it.
-  I slept in a cabin in the middle of the woods.
-  I had fun in the corn maze.
-  I milked a cow.
-  I watched the cheese making process.
-  I picked peas and then cooked them and had them for a meal.
-  I shot my first deer or squirrel.


You get the idea, it's the stories about the experiences.

Review our online information at: www.lsuagcenter.com/agritourism

Arts and Eats

During the National Extension Tourism Conference in Detroit, MI this week, I learned that communities are combining a visit to the farm with art work. 

The program is called Arts and Eats, for more information go to: www.artsandeats.org
This Michigan based program has been successful.

Contact the LSU AgCenter for more information.   dhatch@agcenter.lsu.edu

Louisiana Agritourism Law

The Louisiana Agritourism Law (La. R.S. 9:2795.5)  is intended to limit the liability of an agritourism professional for injuries that occur through no fault of the agritourism professional.

The LSU AgCenter has a best managment practices guide to address safety issues.

If You Have a Website You Need a Mobile Website Too

 Yesterday, sitting in the Dallas airport I noticed everyone was on their mobile devices.  People have time to explore while they wait. Take advantage of that by having a great website that goes mobile too.

For more on this subject, click here.

Attending National Extension Tourism Conference

Good morning everyone, I hope to send lots of information this week on the conference I'm attending in Detroit. Conference speakers will talk about agricultural, nature-based and rural tourism at this conference .

My presentation at the conference is entitled, "New Partnerships Lead to Expansion of Nature-based Tourism in the Louisiana Delta." I plan to tell how federal, state and local groups are working together to showcase the Delta region of our state for its agricultural and nature-based tourism opportunities.