Hello and welcome to Agritourism Ideas! This site was created to be a resource for you and your business to help you become more successful in what you do! We look forward to regularly communicating with you through this site and through this blog. We anticipate building relationships with you, our readers and fellow entrepreneurs!
We are Jamie and Mike Stuenzi. We have been involved in the Agritourism industry both here in Pennsylvania, where we currently reside, and in the state of Wisconsin. Because we have been involved in actually establishing and operating an agritourism business, as well as other businesses, we can relate to you as you navigate the ups and downs of business ownership.
As we mentioned in our free e-book, we feel that agritourism goes beyond a creative and fun experience. We are also convinced that your guests “come back to the farm” for more than just entertainment. Many people long to connect with their roots. And many have roots in the country even though they may now live in the city or suburbs. They recognize the value of getting their families into the great outdoors so that they can understand the simpler things in life that the younger family members especially, may have never experienced. There is nothing like seeing a child discover the feel of a live animal for the first time. It is also rewarding to watch people of all ages come alive when they ride on a wagon full of hay and breathe in the fresh air. In the urban or suburban world that most people occupy, those experiences are few and far between.
We want to help you to make your agritourism experience the best that it can be. We want you to find support in your quest to connect people to their roots. For some of you, this may be the beginning of your quest. You came here to find information about starting an agritourism business. You haven’t welcomed your first guest yet, but you’re determined to start out on the right foot. For others, you are here looking for that “shot in the arm” to just keep going. You may feel like you are thriving or maybe just surviving, but you are here to keep improving. We want to be the best source of information and encouragement for your needs, regardless of your situation. We recognize the value of the agritourism industry and we want to make sure it continues to provide valuable memories for families and individuals.
One of our primary missions is to encourage you to focus on giving. When we approach life and business for what when can get, we often never reach our potential. Even though business is designed to make money, the successful business always focuses on what it can give to the customer. We need to focus on giving the best possible experience when people walk through our gates. And that goes well beyond the attractions and events that you offer. It is the personal touch that connects you to your guests that makes them want to return. You will discover that many agritourism venues look very similar when it comes to what they offer. But a business that connects with people through the experience and relates in a personal way will stand apart from the competition.
Our agritourism businesses have allowed us to make an important impact both on the farm and throughout the community. We have made it a point to always give part of our proceeds to charity. It is encouraging to know that the tens of thousands of dollars we have given to worthy causes have benefited people that we may never meet. Instead of being concerned with giving away potential profit, we have learned the value of an outward focus.
We are glad you found us. Our blog may sometimes get philosophical and sometimes it will just be informational, but the primary goal for our site is a partnership -walking together with you through this adventure called agritourism.