Beef cattle graze near the barn at Marin Coast Ranch in Tomales. [Photo courtesy Marin Coast Ranch]
plan for the business. This can include identifying a niche, developing safety plans, creating a marketing strategy and putting systems in place to operate smoothly. Online reservation systems became more widespread early on in the COVID-19 pandemic and have helped a great deal. Sally Gale, co-owner of Chileno Valley Ranch in Petaluma, has offered a U-Pick fruit experience for families for two decades. “Over time, I’ve come to realize our very popular experience appeals to a certain niche, young parents with children. At least half of our guests are preschool age. It helps that certain groups in San Francisco are sharing news about our farm on social media like Instagram,” says Gale. The Gales found the COVID-19 pandemic increased public interest and awareness of outdoor experiences. The demand for outdoor experiences remains strong. Farm and ranch owners must take weather, flooding, fires, smoke, road conditions and traffic into account. It takes experience and agility to remain flexible. This helps the Gales accommodate weather-related cancellations. “We do it by offering U-Pick experiences only once a week—reservations are required,” says Gale. “We train and work with volunteers to ensure guests have a good experience. We have a variety of activities, from dissecting an owl pellet to seeing the gardens and the chickens. We also sell a number of products, apples and pears, olive oil, pastry and honey, all made by our neighbors. That way, there’s something for everyone,” says Gale.
From Marin ranches to Sebastopol cideries Agritourism looks different in every county. In Marin County, agritourism tends to center around cattle ranches, particularly west toward the coast. In Napa County, agritourism is closely tied to wine tasting and vineyard tours. Sonoma County has a wide range of agritourism businesses, including lavender farms, vegetable farms, wineries, cideries, dairy production centers, pumpkin patches and Christmas tree farms. Sonoma County Tourism spreads the word about local agritourism offerings in numerous ways. These include the promotion of events on SonomaCounty.com and the sponsorship of events like the Sonoma County Farm Trails’ spring and fall tours. Sonoma County Farm Trails is a nonprofit organization composed of over 220 member ag businesses and ag-related organizations. “Sonoma County Farm Trails coordinates two annual seasonal tours that member farms, ranches, producers and purveyors can join. On the tours, members welcome visitors to their sites to learn more about local agriculture. The tours are funded in part by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. Sonoma County Farm Trails shares event listings with Sonoma County Tourism, which may invite local, regional, state and national influencers and journalists to events,” says Ellen Cavalli, program manager for Sonoma County Farm Trails. The stories conveyed by agritourism businesses in pictures and videos are often posted on websites and in social media.
May 2024
NorthBaybiz 33
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