Spring! in Tennessee Farm Tour
Saturday, June 22
1-5pm
Applications must be submitted by April 17.
If you are a farmer in Washington or Greene County TN and would like a chance to boost your business this spring, please join us for the 2nd Annual Farm Fresh Farm Tour!
This will mark the 2nd year of the Northeast TN Farm Fresh Farm Tour. The 2018 tour was a huge success in Washington County with around 100 visitors spending the day touring 5 farms. As 2018 was our pilot year, we didn’t know what to expect. The community and the farmers loved it!
We would like to expand this year to cover both Washington and Greene Counties, with the hopes of having at least 10-15 farms on the tour.
Take a look at the 2018 Tour HERE
Farmer Testimonials from the 2018 Farm Fresh Farm Tour:
“We’ve gained many new customers from the Farm Tours. The tour allowed us to show people what we have to offer. People have signed up for cooking classes and have rented our pavilion. The farm tour was an excellent marketing tool for us and we will be participating again.” – Margie Kendell, manager of Serenity Knoll Farm & Cooking School
What are the perks for you, the farmer?
Opening up your farm to guests helps educate the public about the local food system, promoting local food across the region.
Participants will learn about what you offer and continue to buy from you or book events at your farm.
Participation in this event is free for you. Organizers are already promoting across the Tri-State Region of Central Appalachia. This includes Northeast TN, Southwest VA, and Western North Carolina.
How it works for farms:
You will receive promotional materials to help spread the word, road signs directing Farm Tourists to your farm the day of the event, and a basic first-aid kit.
We will keep you up to date on the number of tickets sold. This will give us an estimated number of cars to expect. Tickets are sold as car passes – one ticket equals one car pass.
Farm Requirements:
We are asking that all farms have at least two additional support people the day of the event. You will need someone to help park vehicles, someone to welcome visitors, and someone directing tours or demonstrations. You will need a minimum of three people to host visitors during the Farm Tour. We will provide extra volunteers as we can.
It is preferred farms be within reasonable driving distance of other farms, creating farm clusters. Having clusters of farms to visit in an area is more inviting to Farm Tourists.
You will need to offer on farm demonstrations, tours, sell goods, pick your own operations etc. Hosting special events the day of the tour like those listed above entice Farm Tourists to visit your farm.
Parking — you’ll need to be able to accommodate at least 10 cars off the roadway.
Farm Tours are a family friendly event. While we all acknowledge that farms aren’t necessarily playgrounds, look for ways to make your family friendly for the day.
Bathrooms are always a plus, but aren’t necessary. We will be placing porta-potties strategically throughout the tour for your guests.
How it works for Farm Tourists:
Farm Tourists will purchase a car pass for the day. This pass is for an entire car load of guests. Tourist will be able to purchase tickets online and in person at various events and locations. After they make their ticket purchase they will receive a Farm Tour packet in the mail or in person depending on where/how the purchase is made. The packet will include a booklet with a map and all farm information, instructions for the day (what to bring, not to bring pets etc.), and a window pass.
The Farm Tourist determines their own destination as this is a “self-guided” tour.
Early-bird tickets will go on sale Saturday, April 13 at Rocky Mount Historic Site during their annual Woolly Days event.
**If you have questions about the Spring! in TN Farm Tour please contact ARC&D Project Director,
Rachel Wheeler: rachel@arcd.org -Or- by calling our office at (423)979-2581
The Farm Fresh Appalachia Farm Tours are brought to you by the Appalachian RC&D Council, Appalachian Sustainable Development, Jonesborough Locally Grown, and the Northeast TN Tourism Association with support from the USDA.
