A Farm Visit -- What is the value?

[Fred Hempel]

I know there a number of small farming businesses here. Many with very interesting, and unique crops and approaches.

If your farm is like ours, you have people who want to visit. We are constantly dealing with the fact that people seem to under-value farm visits, and we seem to be too willing to give away our time when we can't really afford it.

I blogged about it this morning. I would be curious to hear how other small farms deal with these types of issues.

On one hand, I sometimes think we don't deserve to complain, as we have chosen the farming life and all that comes with it (the freedom, and the financial instability).

On the other hand, I do think that farm visitors under-value visits. They expect free consultations, free handouts and free tours.

Thoughts?

[Heritage]

Fred,

I'm in the cut flower business and receive many requests to visit my fields.

I tell them my insurance policy doesn't cover liability for anyone other than employees (me) and I can't afford to have anyone tripping over a hose, etc, during a visit. I don't have deep pockets and can't afford a lawsuit. People understand.

I would absolutely not allow anyone to walk through my tomato field - the possibility of a smoker mechanically transmitting TMV to my field (however remote) is not worth the risk. I tell anyone wanting to visit the tomato field that the risk of disease transmission is not something I can afford to chance.

Steve

[joseph]

Depends on the nature of the visitor to me... I have people that are long-term collaborators. People that have sometimes helped me plant, or donated seeds, or who pull a weed when they are in the garden. People who provide honest feedback about the progress of my breeding projects and how the vegetables taste today. They are as likely as not to grab a tool and help with whatever project I am currently working on. These people are always welcome.

Then I have people who stop by the fields to buy vegetables. These people are also always welcome. (I have encouraged that behavior over the years.) More often than not, they sit in the car while I pick their vegetables, rather than get muddy, or I schedule a delivery for later in the week. They could just as easily help me pick, or chat at me while I pick. They are very welcome in the field.

Sometimes strangers stop one-time-only and ask for farming advice. I generally feel flattered by the attention, but the second the conversation turns away from the farming question at hand I'm excusing myself to get back to work. These people should be offering me a $5 bill to acknowledge my contribution to their lives.

I regularly get emails from people saying something like: "We'd like to stop by Saturday at 4PM for a farm tour." I decline those every time... I value the freedom of farming, and I am not going to get tied down to keeping an appointment book. It's enough stress to be at the farmer's market at the same time each week. I don't feel any desire to juggle other people's schedules. If the email said, "Can we offer you $50 for a farm tour on Saturday afternoon at about 4PM?" then I'd be more than willing to consider it. $20 wouldn't be enough unless I was already in the field at the desired time.

I try to schedule volunteer work days about twice a year, so that I can get some help with planting and harvest, and so that people can tour the farm.

The worst offenders as far as I am concerned are the lost tourists... Who will not read the street sign that is directly in front of my field that already tells them how to get to where they are asking about. So when they stop, I have to quit what I'm doing, and tromp across the field, and tell them to follow the signs. No hope of any return for my investment in them. I really aught to return the rudeness and ask for a gratuity from these people. And don't get me started on the people that can afford a fancy GPS for their car in order to get directed down a dead end road in order to get lost in my fields. Gugh!

There is a similar phenomena at the farmer's market... Some people see a tomato on the table and want to tell me long stories about the tomatoes that they are growing in their gardens... I don't care. I'm extremely unlikely to grow the varieties that they recommend, and I certainly won't be using their favorite cultivation methods. I'm attending the farmer's market to sell vegetables, not listen to stories from people that are growing their own and will never buy mine.

I don't mind at all if people ask farming questions at the farmer's market, as long as they respect the etiquette that it is a market not a school. If they step back from the table to make room for people that have cash in hand and continue the chat during lull times, then I'm content to talk about farming for as long as they like.

And while we are on the topic of gratuities... Why don't people tip their farmers? In all the years I have farmed there is only one man that regularly gave me tips. It probably goes without saying that he always gets my complete attention and my very best vegetables. And I'll tell other people that I don't have any _____ for sale because I suspect that the tipper might be dropping by again this growing season and that it's his favorite vegetable so I'm saving it for him.

I am not involved in commercial growing in any way. I do grow a large garden however with most of the results given away. I simply enjoy gardening and visiting with people.

I especially enjoy introducing new gardeners to something I consider a hobby. If I gardened for income, I'm sure my attitude would be different. I love the minute details of growing various vegetables in a difficult climate. I totally enjoy taking new gardeners through my garden and explaining the basics. I then try to answer all their questions about selecting, planting, feeding, watering, protecting, and harvesting the crops.

I met a guy this morning at the car wash. He said he is retiring in January after thirty years in law enforcement and wants to grow commercially and sell his produce at farmers markets. He knows very little about growing or growing commercially. He has over two hundred acres to grow on so he certainly has plenty of space. I answered every question he asked about choosing varieties suitable for our climate and other subjects. When my truck was finished in the car wash, I congratulated him on his upcoming retirement and left. Thinking about it later, I was embarrassed that I had not given him my name and phone number and invited him to come out to my garden and ask any question he may have.

If I can help someone avoid the mistakes I made as a new gardener, that is my reward and pleasure. My wife and I have also enjoyed the water melons and cantaloupes one guy has supplied us with this summer as a thank you for helping him figure out how to grow in very sandy soil.

Ted

[habitat_gardener]

I'm not a farmer, but I have plots at community gardens and often stop working to answer questions from passers-by about gardening in general or specific plants. Usually I'm happy to talk about plants, but this year, with gardens at 3 different locations, it's been difficult to find time to get to all of the gardens. So I have an inkling of what it's like: a half-hour chat can be pleasant, but it means I won't get to another garden that needs to be watered before dark. Or I won't have time to pick the cherry tomatoes because it's too dark (I have tried using a flashlight, and it's not worth it!), and I won't be able to come back for 2 more days. Or I'll have to get up a couple hours earlier the next day. I often end up giving away some produce or seedling. Once someone I'd never seen before (or since) came by, saw all my tomato seedlings in my cold frames, and asked if I had any great tomatoes. iirc, he got an Earl's Faux and one or two others.

So anyway, it wouldn't occur to me to ask for a farm visit and assume that people would be able to drop everything and cater to me. I'm in northern California and have noticed that the Sunol Ag Park or Baia Nicchia offer open houses and free days at least a couple times a year, so that's when I'd plan to visit, assuming I could afford the extra $$ for gas that week.

I think citing liability issues is a good way to dissuade casual visits, as is having people sign a liability waiver on days when the farm is open.

The $50 for a 4-hour workshop that includes lunch and $20 in produce, seeds, etc., is a great deal! A local organic-gardening store charges over $30 for its 2-hour classes (and averages $15/hr. for longer ones).

[remy]

Here in WNY, we have the National Garden Festival which is a summer long festival of touring gardens. They have a farm tour day. So having a few set days like that I think works out well.
Remy

[Redbaron]

I seem to be getting into tipping wars with my customers. They try to tip me. I then pick some free basil to tip them back. They then buy some more tomatoes. I then tip them some tarragon. Next visit they bring their family special recipes like Gazpacho soup made from my tomatoes and other veggies! One guy and his mother bring fish fresh caught from the local lake! Then I find something to add to their order. And so it goes back and forth.

As far as visits goes, my stand is out front. It is technically a "farm visit" every time. Sometimes they follow me into the fields when I go to get something "special" for them. Sometimes not. But I actually encourage it. I am still small enough to do that.

[NarnianGarden]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

I seem to be getting into tipping wars with my customers. They try to tip me. I then pick some free basil to tip them back. They then buy some more tomatoes. I then tip them some tarragon. Next visit they bring their family special recipes like Gazpacho soup made from my tomatoes and other veggies! One guy and his mother bring fish fresh caught from the local lake! Then I find something to add to their order. And so it goes back and forth.

And that's how it is supposed to be when exchanging goods / services between people
My parents' neighbors are very generous with fresh fish they have caught, and they get loads of apples from the one apple tree that produces like crazy.
When the tomatoes get ready, there will be more than enough to give some around. We'll see how they neighbors like the taste and if there'll be more fresh trout...

Originally Posted by NarnianGarden

And that's how it is supposed to be when exchanging goods / services between people
My parents' neighbors are very generous with fresh fish they have caught, and they get loads of apples from the one apple tree that produces like crazy.
When the tomatoes get ready, there will be more than enough to give some around. We'll see how they neighbors like the taste and if there'll be more fresh trout...

hhhmmm! I think I would trade my garden for some fresh trout. In north Texas, it would be fresh crappie, white perch, or soc-o-let. It's the same fish by different names in Texas, the north east, or Louisiana. It could be catfish also, but I wouldn't trade my garden for anything but fresh trout. Maybe lightly smoked the way they do it in Scandinavia.

Ted

[NarnianGarden]

Smoked is great - the only way to get the traditionally smoked fish is to do it yourself or have a friend who knows how to do it. Supermarkets around here only sell stuff that has been handled with 'smoky aroma'... yuck.

[Tormato]

If I was a farmer, I'd make it a working tour/visit. Visitors would be required to put in the work time lost to the farmer for giving the tour.

The horse riding "industry" around here has changed from just riding (for a fee), to also include feeding, washing, and cleaning out stables while still paying the fee.

Originally Posted by Tormato

If I was a farmer, I'd make it a working tour/visit. Visitors would be required to put in the work time lost to the farmer for giving the tour.

The horse riding "industry" around here has changed from just riding (for a fee), to also include feeding, washing, and cleaning out stables while still paying the fee.

I work spring and fall in a fifteen acre community garden. I don't do mid summer work in the garden. I can no longer take the heat. Most of the volunteers who work in the garden take home a bag of veggies for their labor. Ninety percent of the produce goes to charity food outlets. I'm always amazed at the number of people who will turn out and work their butts off for a bag of veggies. They are also learning all the skills required to grow veggies at home. Since most of the supplies for the garden are donated. The cost for fifteen acres of veggies is pretty low and most of the labor is free.

Ted

[FaithHopeLove]

I'm not a commercial grower by any means either. Here's my two cents:

If I were to have a commercial farm but if I was having problems with visitors I would in essence be open on certain days of the week i.e. Mondays and Tuesdays or whatever would work best for me also for a specific time of the day. I'm not sure if I would charge for a visit, but if your having problems with visitors wearing out their welcome or being pressured to give them seeds, products, ect.. then yes I would charge a fee.


On another note maybe it would be better to do a "group" visit/tour, that way it would be more convenient to you and your operation taking less time from your busy schedule.

[surf4grrl]

We have set tours and very few during the busy season.

On the one hand, you want and need to interact with your customers (and potential ones).

One the other hand, you also need to get paid for your time and expertise. (ask any professors if they teach for free).

Every demographic is different so I'm not sure what is right for you.

I have had folks stealing seeds for new varieties (f4's) and also OP's - to asking me for advice. (during tasting events).

I try to have one or two events per year that are friendly and fun - but maneuver away from advice and free tours.

My time is valuable - it's during my work time whereas those coming are doing so for pleasure on a day off.

During the spring planting season, we had van loads of teenagers with legal issues show up on a regular bases. The community sent them out to fulfill part of their community service probation requirements. They also sent a few deputies to serve as taskmasters. It always worked well with the exception of a few laggards who wanted something for nothing. It's always that way in this world. Many of the kids were amazed to learn where their food came from and the idea that they could accomplish the same thing for themselves seemed to be eye opening. I will always remember one young girl bending over at the waist with a handful of onion seedlings. She was carefully planting one seedling in each small hole and at the same time saying "I don't like onions, but I may try them again".

I mentioned this because most farming and other commercial growing operations need a lot of labor at certain times of the year and less labor at other times. If commercial growers donated a portion of their crops to soup kitchens or food pantries, could they qualify for community service labor during the intense labor periods? Every grower has products that have eye appeal for the commercial outlets. Those products which have low eye appeal are often left in the field to rot. Couldn't the low eye appeal products be gathered for the soup kitchens. I know the Salvation Army soup lines don't care how something looks so long as it is healthy and nutritious.

Ted