Produce Marketing Workshops Set For Lake Charles August 27

Louisiana specialty crop producers will have an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of marketing to local groceries, restaurants and other retail outlets during a one-day workshop presented by the LSU AgCenter.

The program will include sessions on communication and relationship-building with buyers; good business practices, such as invoicing, insurance and delivery; and marketing strategies, such as pricing and packaging.

The MarketReady workshop will be held on August 27 at the Calcasieu Parish Extension Office at 7101 Gulf Hwy, Lake Charles, LA 70607 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There is no fee, but Pre-registration is required by contacting the LSU AgCenter – Calcasieu Parish Office at 337-475-8812 and ask for Regina, or send an e-mail to RJouett@agcenter.lsu.edu.

Louisiana MarketReady is funded through a Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Specialty Crop grant.

Try Growing Herbs on Your Farm

If you have limited space try growing herbs. Herbs are very popular in farmers markets today. Well-known chefs and cooking shows have put the spot-light on cooking with herbs. They add flavor to ordinary meals and are healthy.

Dr. KiKi Fontenot, Dan Gill and Robert Williams have authored a publication, "A Guide to Growing a School Herb Garden," that can help the home gardener develop their own herb garden.

The Agritourism Limited Liability Law may be applicable to your operation, contact Dora Ann Hatch at the LSU AgCenter to learn more.

Trail Riding

Trail riding is a great way to experience the outdoors and have fun with others.  In Louisiana, we have lots of different types of terrain: flat, hilly, forested, rocky, water, fields and combinations of all. Each terrain provides fun for the rider.

If you own horses, consider offering trail rides. Most charge $25-50 per person for the experience. The law provides a limitation for liability for horseback riding. The 2008 Agritourism Limited Liability Law also may be applicable to your operation.

Pizza Farms

Martha Glass shares this:



MINNEAPOLIS — As the farm-to-table movement connects more consumers with local farmers, some farms have shortened the distance between the plow and the plate. They're inviting customers over for pizza
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On Wednesday nights when the weather is nice, Pat and Tammy Winter serve well over 200 pizzas to guests at their Red Barn Farm near Northfield, about an hour south of Minneapolis. Customers make a picnic out of it, setting up chairs and tables outside the 101-year-old barn and packing in soda, beer and wine. Children chase the chickens and pet the horses while their families wait for pizzas to emerge from wood-fired ovens.

While pizza farms have sprouted across the country as agritourism grows, they're particularly popular in Minnesota and Wisconsin, where they provide small farms with extra income and city dwellers with opportunities to get in touch with their food sources. Farmers and diners alike appreciate that the pizza toppings often were grown or produced onsite.

Most farms keep things simple by requiring guests to bring their own napkins, plates and utensils, and to take their garbage home. They may offer limited, if any, beverages. But this isn't about fine dining; it's about a dining experience, and one that often boasts an unbeatable pastoral setting.
http://www.wral.com/pizza-farms-offer-reverse-twist-in-farm-to-table-movement/14749365/

Twelve Year-Old Boy has Agritourism Business

Meet Cameron, a twelve year old who began his agritourism business to buy an X-Box. With his parents help, Cameron started a garden and sold at a road side stand to buy his X-Box.

Cameron and his family are in their third year of gardening.

To learn more about agritourism click here.

Festival Celebrates Peach Harvest in Ruston

The Mitchum Family started growing peaches in 1946 in Ruston and shortly there after the festival began to celebrate the yearly  peach harvest. Today other growers in the area contribute to the market.

Festivals contribute to agritourism and provide opportunities for people to visit your agritourism venues. I recently took a field trip to Mitchums and the owner took us on a tour from harvest to boxing. It was a fun-filled day and one that most people would enjoy. So, create your own version and get started with your agritourism operation.

The peaches are ripe and ready, so travel to Ruston for the Peach Fest on June 26-27th.

Consider Expanding Your Agritourim Operation Through Summer Months

The summertime is a perfect time to launch an agritourism activity. Children are out of school and need something exciting to do. Consider hosting an event on your farm for a day

or for a week. Teach them how to plant, harvest or prepare foods straight from the garden. Imagine their excitement when they return home with a jar of jelly made from the berries they picked. To learn more about how to start an agritourism enterprise, click here.