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California Agritourism News April 2016
from the University of California Small Farm Program
Happy Springtime! We know you're busy this time of year, so this issue is all about online learning, connecting and marketing. We're looking forward to putting on our first ever webinars soon, with our new partner FarmsReach. We hope you will join us for these and for online conversations with others in the California agritourism community. Please sign up your agritourism operation, list your events, or update your listing on www.calagtour.org.

Thanks for reading and please stay in touch!
Penny Leff, UC Agritourism Coordinator
Agritourism Conversations start soon
Five Lunchtime Webinars & Online Forum
(all webinars will be 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time - there is no charge for participation. Pre-registration is required.)

Thursday May 19 - The Strategy: Identifying, reaching & connecting with YOUR agritourism customers
Presenters: Kristen Skaggs, Farrell Design Group and Al (Farmer Al) Courchesne, Frog Hollow Farm
 
Thursday June 2 - The Invitation: Social Media & Website Success
Presenters: Kristin York, Sierra Business Council and Lauren Gagliano Saline, Suzie's Farm

Online Conversation Forum
Every two weeks, we'll start with a live webinar sharing lessons about an important theme for successful agritourism programs, which will be immediately archived for convenient access during the series. Between the webinars, we'll continue the conversation online in FarmsReach (our partner in this project) with the webinar presenters and other experts answering questions and moderating discussion so that anyone involved in California agritourism can easily share ideas, ask questions of others, and get help.
Emergency Preparedness
Prepare your emergency management plan using "AgritourismReady"

Are you ready for an emergency, caused either by nature or the actions of people, on your agritourism operation? Are your staff trained and ready to prepare, respond and recover when needed?

Ohio State University Extension is excited to bring this curriculum to farm families in Ohio and across the nation. This optimized website was developed for use by the management team in preparing the plan and to educate employees on how to deal with specific emergencies.  It can also be used by educators to teach this curriculum.
Another marketing tool for tour organizers: Vayable

Brentwood tour
This new sharing website features locally designed tours by locals for hire. Might this be useful for someone in your community organizing farm tours, or for a farmer or rancher to market tours and other activities?

(We provide this information solely as a convenience to you, and not as an endorsement of any  operations.) 
"Activists' Toolkit"
A guide for land use changes

This older (2006) guide, published by the Sierra Nevada Alliance, was created to assist conservation groups in protecting Sierra resources. It offers information and advice useful for any group involved in changing land use policies and ordinances. 

published by the Sierra Nevada Alliance
Some Funding Opportunities
  • Value-Added Producer Grants 2016 - a USDA program providing funding to farmers and groups of farmers to create or develop value-added producer owned businesses. Applications due June 24, 2016
  • WSARElogo
    Western SARE Farmer/Rancher Grants - These one- to three-year grants are conducted by agricultural producers with support and guidance from a technical advisor. Individual farmers or ranchers may apply for up to $20,000, and a group of three or more producers may apply for up to $25,000. Proposals Due December 2016
  • Western SARE Professional & Producer Grants - These one- to three-year grants are similar in concept to the Farmer/Rancher Grants with a few key differences. Instead of a producer serving as the project coordinator, an agricultural professional coordinates the project. A farmer or rancher serves as the project advisor. Applicants can seek up to $50,000 and must have at least five producers involved. Proposals due December 2016.
R. Kelley Farm sign
Can they find you on www.calagtour.org?

The online UC Agritourism Directory is visited by more than 3,000 people each month who are searching for California farms and ranch experiences. Listing your operation on the site might help them find YOU.
(Don't forget to upload a picture, too.) 
  
If you are a working California farmer or rancher operating an agritourism business or organizing agritourism events, we invite you to complete the  directory application or the event listing form online. It's all free. If you're already a member, please check your listing and use the update form to send us changes.

(To let us know about your events, please add paleff@ucdavis.edu to your email marketing list or use the event listing form. Please let us know what you've got planned so we can help you promote yourself)

Some useful resources... 
  • Farm Based Education Network - A free international member network established to strengthen and support the work of educators, farmers and community leaders providing access and experiences of all kinds on productive working farms.
  • Toddypond Farm - A Farm Stay U.S. member
    Farm Stay U.S. - A website operated by the U.S. Farm Stay Association for promoting farm and ranch stays in the United States. The site includes resource sections for farm stay operators and for farm stay visitors.
  • Hipcamp Landshare - rural accommodations marketing site - If you are legally permitted to offer camping, cabins, or any kind of farm stay or guest ranch on your land, these San Francisco based folks may be good marketing partners.
  • North America Farm Direct Marketing Association (NAFDMA) - a membership based trade association dedicated to providing endless peer-to-peer learning opportunities, connections and resources, for farmers who are passionate about the business of agritourism and farm direct marketing.  
Please tell us if our new look works for you

We will be very grateful if you can answer a couple of questions here to let us know if this mobile-responsive format is a good change. Thanks very much for a few minutes of your time!

Penny Leff, Agritourism Coordinator | UC Small Farm Program 
530-762-7779 | paleff@ucdavis.edu
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