FARM SAFARI 



An Agriculture-Tourism Event 



John C. Porter 



Tourism is about a 2 1/2 billion-doIIar industry in New 

 Hampshire. Over two million tourists travel to our 

 state to see its natural beauty and take part in the 

 recreational opportunities it offers. Part of the State's 

 landscape is maintained through the farming activities 

 that keep the fields mowed and nicely green. New 

 Hampshire agriculture is about a 450 million-dollar indus- 

 try. The University of New Hampshire Cooperative Exten- 

 sion is looking to pull together these natural links be- 

 tween tourism and agriculture. 



A "Farm Safari" was planned last summer for canoeists 

 on Saturday, August 5, 1995. This was sponsored by UNH 

 Cooperative Extension to give some interaction between 

 tourists navigating the Merrimack River and the farms 

 bordering the river's edge. This idea was conceived by 

 the Boscawen Farm Management Group, which is a group 

 of dairy farmers in the Boscawen area that meet regularly 

 to discuss current management issues on their farms. 

 Last winter they met with Rob Robertson, a professor of 

 tourism at the University of New Hampshire, to get ideas 

 about how farmers could capitalize on the tourism activi- 

 ties that occur around them. One common denominator 

 among them was the Merrimack River and the many tour- 

 ists that pass by their farmland each summer in canoes. 

 Professor Robertson thought that doing an activity with 

 the canoeists was a good idea, and he expressed an in- 

 terest in involving university students with some future 

 projects related to tourism. 



The purpose of the "Farm Safari" was to get canoeists 

 to take a break in their journey, experience some New 

 Hampshire agriculture, buy some products and services, 

 then continue on their way. This was done in cooperation 

 with a canoe livery service which has a steady clientele 

 of tourists using the river for recreation. It was decided 

 to have the "Farm Safari" offer fresh cooked corn-on-the- 

 cob, ice cream, and horse-drawn hayrides. This was 

 scheduled for a Saturday in August from 10:00 a.m. to 

 3:00 p.m. The YMCA was put in charge of the corn roast 

 and would receive any of the profits from the event. The 



Granite State Dairy Promotion Association provided the 

 ice cream and the owner of the participating farm sup- 

 plied the team of horses and wagon along with a calf in a 

 hutch to be on display. It was held on the side of a com 

 field at the river's edge so it was visible from the water. 

 A tent was rented to be the headquarters for operation 

 and provide a sheltered area for processing the corn, 

 and a portable toilet was set up at the site. 



Newspaper ads were run in advance and flyers were 

 given out all summer at the canoe livery service. The 

 phone rang off the hook at the canoe livery the day be- 

 fore the event. All the canoes were booked and there 

 was a waiting list. Unfortunately, on the day of the event 

 it rained and several people canceled their canoe reser- 

 vations. However, 40 people braved the weather and 

 stopped to enjoy the "Farm Safari". Since it was a rainy 

 day, people enjoyed the shelter of the tent and the hot 

 boiled corn. They seemed to enjoy taking in the local 

 scenery and the agricultural atmosphere along their jour- 

 ney. We offered a $5.00/person package price or they 

 could pay separately for the corn or ice cream. There was 

 good camaraderie as they ate and talked in the tent and 

 it had a nice family atmosphere. 



Upwards of 120-150 people were expected if it had 

 been good weather. It was just a one-shot event, but it 

 showed that there are possibilities for luring tourists onto 

 the farm and capturing some dollars. The lack of people 

 caused the event to run at a loss because of the fixed 

 costs for set-up, but it has possibilities. It got a lot of 

 media coverage, and several in the agricultural commu- 

 nity were watching it to see if it had further application. 

 It got the attention of the farmers along the river, and 

 who knows — there might be another "Farm Safari" held in 

 the future. 



\ohn Porter is Extension Specialist, Dairy, for Hillsboro, Merrimack, 

 Rockingham, and Strafford Counties. His address is 327 Daniel 

 Webster Highway, Boscawen, NH 03303. The phone number there is 

 603-225-5505. 



APRIL ■*■ M AV 1996 



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