Tourism Continued from Page 1
for U-picks, pumpkin patches and other farm venues as people continue to seek getaways in safe outdoor settings. At RAM Farms in Turlock last week, farmer Ron Macedo was working on his cornmaze, a key feature of his fall pump- kin patch, which he said delivered “the best year ever” in 2020. With people still looking for outdoor activities and enter- tainment, Macedo said he anticipates “another pretty good year” for his farm, which also runs a U-pick flower field in the summer andan ice ink andChristmas tree lot in the winter. “We’re optimistic that things are going to bewell because people still need to get outside and have fun, so we’re excited to fill that niche,” he said. He planted the U-pick flower field and built an indoor, self-serve farm stand several years ago to expand his agritour- ism season—and to “keep people close and excited about RAM Farms” beyond pumpkin season. Now people come ev- ery day to the farm to buy flowers and produce, he said. Not knowing what to expect amid the pandemic lockdown last year, Macedo said he was “very worried” about setting up the ice rink, which takes “a lot of time and money.” But business boomed and he sold out of Christmas trees, so he has expanded the ice rink and plans to add more activities this year, he said. LynetteSonne, founderof FarmsteadEd andtheSanLuisObispoCountyFarmTrail, described the trail’s inaugural Open Farm Day inJulyas“wildlysuccessful,”withsold- out attendance of about 300 guests who toured the region’s farms andparticipated in tastings,workshops andother activities. With people wanting to stay inwide-open spaces, farm stays in the region were sold out theweekendof theevent andcontinue tobe soldout, she noted. Even before the state reopening, Jennifer Tallent, who runs The Grove on
Stanislaus County farmer Ron Macedo, right, helps cut the maze trails in his corn field. The corn maze represents a key feature of his pumpkin patch and agritourism activities in the fall.
41 in Templeton with her mother, Karen Tallent, said she sawanuptick in their ag- ritourismbusiness. She said peoplewere calling to see the venue and the farm, which grows olives for oil, and therewere more inquiries for tours. The farm generally depends on wed- dings and other private events. It hosted just one wedding before the pandemic lockdown last year and didn’t host an- other until this past May. “Folks are coming back and wanting to have their parties,” Jennifer Tallent said. “They’rewanting to have their wed- dings. Theywant to get together, because they’ve had 18 months of seclusion, and they’re finally comfortable.” When their events business dried up last year, the farm hosted more private tours and tour groups, which “really saved us in 2020,” Karen Tallent said. Their vacation rental, which “stayed steadily busy,” provided some income, Jennifer Tallent said. Increased sales of their olive oil in the form of corporate gifts also helped, they said.
Bookings for weddings, special events and farm stays at Hartley Farms in San Miguel, which grows a variety of tree fruits andnuts, are now“back tonormal,” said farmer Barbara Goodrich. But busi- ness this year will not make up for losses sustained in 2020, when the farmhosted zero parties, she noted. “It will take us years to recover from that shutdown, even though this year and next year look to be normal,” she said. Goodrich said even though the farm picked up more business as a farm stay last year, weddings make up “a large chunk of our income.” Withanticipationthat schoolswillnotbe fully back to in-person learning this year, Jeri Seifert,whorunsapumpkinpatchand a choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm in Dixon, said she decided not to open her farm for organized school tours. Instead, she’ll offer smaller private tours for groups that want them. Her farm typically closes to the public during the summer off-sea- son, but she said she decided to open the boutique last week for what she called a
“Christmas in July” sale. It was a way “to get peopleout to the farm,” she said, and to gear up for the fall season by clearing the store of items that haven’t sold. Yolo County farmer Fred Manas, who grows peaches and operates a custom meat-processing facility and meat mar- ket, said much of his agritourism busi- ness depends on school tours, which he has not had for more than a year. In the past, whenever he would send out an email blast promoting a certainpeach va- riety that’s in season, “theywould come,” he said. Students fromUCDavis also use the farm for research and fruit studies or tour hismeat-processing plant, he noted. “But since COVID last year and this year, I haven’t seen any people, because the kids aren’t in school,” Manas said. “There’s just nobody around, no stu- dents. Everything’s on Zoom or some other way.” Solano County sheep rancher Robin Lynde said she has started to open her farm again to some of her farm club members and has taught a couple of small, in-person weaving classes so far this year. Because her workshop is small and people are in close contact, she said she “got nervous” about holding the classes and decided to limit themto peo- ple who have been vaccinated. She’s done some classes through Zoom, but she acknowledged the hands- onnature of weavingmakes virtual learn- ingmore difficult. Other than the classes, Lynde said, she has not held her annual open house for the general public and has hostedno field trips. These in-person events represent a third of her agritour- ism activities, she noted. “Peoplewant to do field trips and I just haven’t really decided what to do,” she said. “We’ll have to see how things look in the next fewmonths.” (ChingLeeisanassistanteditorofAgAlert. Shemaybe contactedat clee@cfbf.com.)
www.californiabountiful.com
A Farm Bureau Production
KVPT/18
Fresno
Sun. 11:30 a.m.
KSBW-ABC/8.2
-Reduce Toxins, pH, Scale, Corrosion, Iron Bacteria -Increase Life & GPM -24/7 Well Treatment -Nitrogen Management “The solution to your water problems.”
Monterey/Salinas Sacramento San Francisco San Luis Obispo
Sun.
6:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 5:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m.
KOVR/13
Sat. Sat.
KGO/7 KSBY/6
Sun.
RFD-TV: Dish Ch. 231, DirectTV Ch. 345 Sun.
8:00 a.m.*
*Times listed are Pacific Time
Our patented, computerized technology changes the molecular structure of water, soil, and tissue.
Now trending
(559) 645-1462 www.waterchangers.com
@cabountiful
10 Ag Alert August 4, 2021
Powered by FlippingBook