A Diversifying and Marketing Strategy for Sustaining Small Farm Agriculture

Final Report for FS06-206

Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2006: $9,976.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2008
Region: Southern
State: North Carolina
Principal Investigator:
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Project Information

Abstract:

Fall Farm Weekends, inviting visitors to our farm for outdoor sales and educational opportunities, were begun as a way to diversify our farming practices and provide another way to market farm products that we and our cooperators could produce. Educational and entertaining aspects: wagon rides, fiber arts demonstrations, and presentations about our apple and other farming operations have proven more successful than sales aspects. Although we had a very small turnout this year, we feel that intense and expanded advertising to take advantage of the tourism industry, which is such a big part of the local economy of our western NC mountains, will make Fall Farm Weekends more successful and a project that could be emulated elsewhere. Hopefully, weather will not be such an enemy in future years.

Research

Participation Summary
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.