North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association

North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association is the leading farm direct marketing and agritourism association in the world. It promotes and fosters the growth of farm direct marketing throughout North America. 

Its members support their family farms by selling millions of dollars worth of farm-grown produce directly to consumers at farm stands, farmers' markets, pick-your-own farms, consumer-supported agriculture, agritourism venues, and other ever- growing innovations in direct producer-to-consumer agricultural marketing methods.

If you are not a present member you should  read more about the many advantages to membership. Click here to learn more.

Farm Stays

Recently, I read an article in the The Times that shared a story about Sid and Eva Greer who own Greer Farm in Daingerfield, TX. The couple allow people to stay on their farm and they get to enjoy their company and also benefit from their help. Those who stay can herd sheep, collect eggs, and feed the pigs.
To learn more click here.

Plant a Pizza Garden

Looking for something new to add to your farm tour?  Why not plant a pizza garden.  We all know that kids love pizza, but do they know where the ingredients come from? What a great opportunity to teach this lesson on your farm.

Some tips to get you started:

1-Select a location that gives full sun.
2-Outline a circular bed; eight feet is a good starter bed.
3-Prepare the soil inside the bed; amend the soil if needed.
4-Select an edging to prevent the bed from eroding. Flexible metal or plastic edging will work well.
5-Next divide the bed into pie-shaped wedges. The wedges do not have to the same size since growing herbs will require less space than growing tomatoes.
6-Suggested plantings include: tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, basil, rosemary, thyme and oregano.
7-Refer to packaging on vegetables for proper spacing.

Sign Placement for Roadside Stands

I recently read an article entitled, "Roadside Stands," by  Renee M. Lloyd, James R. Nelson, Daniel S. Tilley. Although the article was written in 1995, its contents are still useful for today's road side operations.

The table below provides measurements at appropriate distances to help insure easy reading of signs. 

Distance (feet)	Letter  Width (inches)	Letter Height (inches)	Number of words at speed 30	Number of words at speed 40	Number  of words at speed 50	Number  of words at speed 60
50	3/8	1-3/4	4	2	1	0
100	3/4	3-1/2	8	5	4	3
200	1-3/8	7	15	11	8	6
300	2-3/16	11	22	16	13	10
400	2-7/8	14	30	22	17	14
500	3-1/2	17-1/2	38	28	22	18

What do you need to know before you can host a group on your farm?

What do you need to know before you can host a group on your farm?  This is a question I am often asked.

 I recently ran across an article entitled, "A FARMER'S GUIDE TO HOSTING FARM VISITS FOR CHILDREN."

This guide was produced with a grant from the University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP).  The guide was written by Marc Lavine and edited by Betsy Bigelow- Teller.

Click here to read.

USDA Announces Programs to Conserve Sensitive Land and Help Beginning Farmers

It's time to sign up for "CRP," says Secretary Vilsack. This programs assists farmers and ranchers in helping to prevent soil erosion, improve water quality and restore wildlife habitat. To learn more, click here.

Add Beauty to Your Agritourism Landscape by Planting Crape Myrtles

New varieties of crape myrtles are currently available in abundance.

Developers have introduced new varieties over the past few years with an emphasis on smaller growth habits, dark foliage colors, earlier bloom and more.

In Louisiana, crape myrtles are one of the most widely planted trees and are the main tree for flowering in landscapes from late spring until early fall.

The LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station has begun a landscape trial that includes most of the recently introduced crape myrtle varieties. These collections include the Early Bird, Razzle Dazzle, Enduring Summer, Delta, Barnyard, Magic and Ebony, also known as the Black Diamond, series in addition to several other varieties. Click here to read more..

Imahara's Botanical Garden

Mr. Imahara shown in bottom right with hat is explaining the concept of "sight planning" to members of the Louisiana County Agents Association that recently met in St. Francisville. We toured Imahara's Botanical Garden and it was a treat! Mr. Imahara and his family did a wonderful job of explaining the creation and meaning behind the garden and he also talked about plant varieties, care and maintenance. It is a must see. You can follow them on their blog: www.imaharasbotanicalgarden.blogspot.com 

The 2014 Spring/Summer hours are Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and Sundays from 1-4 pm, each weekend March-July. Call 225-635-6001 or e-mail: waltimahara@gmail.com for more information.

Gardening is a Fun Agritourism Activity

As part of your agritourism operation include a garden. Gardening is a fun activity that allows children to learn about the food they eat. Learning how to plant, grow and harvest requires time, patience and knowledge. Dr. Fontenot has just released a newsletter for school gardeners that has information you can apply to your agritourism operations. Take a look, click here.