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Autumn creates surge in farm tourism across America
By Tom Adkinson


farm tourism across america
Sorting apples for cider; image by Tom Adkinson.

ADAMS, Tennessee – Shade Tree Farm and Orchard northwest of Nashville is an example of farm-based tourism that blossoms every year (pardon the pun), especially in autumn. Owners Tom and Sarah Head invite visitors to watch apple cider being made, use ripe pumpkins for backdrops for photos of their children, ride a hay wagon through acres of orchards, learn just how big a tractor is and perhaps enjoy a night of scary stories just before Halloween.

farm tourism across america
Pumpkins and mums in the Autumn sunlight; image by Tom Adkinson.

Across the nation, farmers have created new revenue streams by getting city dwellers out to the land and showing children that food originates somewhere other than the grocery store. Farm visitors can pick strawberries in spring, fill pails with blueberries in summer, pick apples in autumn and wander through cornfield and hayfield mazes as winter approaches. Some farmers offer overnight accommodations, and many states have robust promotional tools to publicize farm visits. Tennessee’s program is called Pick Tennessee Products. A website called AgritourismWorld.com lists farm destinations through the U.S. and abroad.

Trip-planning resources: ShadeTreeOrchard.com, PickTNproducts.org and AgritourismWorld.com

(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s new book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available at CornersOfTheCountry.com.)

Published September 27, 2019









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