WWW arkcity.net

Vision 20/20 looks to bring tourists

By JEANNE RICHARDSON
Staff Writer

One of the goals of the Vision 20/20 plan for Cowley County is to sustain rural development in the county. To that end, those involved wants to maintain an ongoing collaboration with the Atlanta, Burden, Cambridge, Dexter, Eastern Cowley (ABCDE) group and continue to support the activities in those areas.

There are a number of agri-tourism activities and events in Cowley County, many of which are in the eastern half, and are helping to fulfill one of the goals of Vision 20/20: promoting rural development through expansion of tourism activities that includes new agri-tourism initiatives. According to www.kansasagritourism.org, Agri-tourism is the crossroads of tourism and agriculture: when the public visits working farms, ranches or wineries to buy products, enjoy entertainment, participate in activities, shop in a country store, eat a meal or make overnight stays.

These activities are unique, and many people, whether from the city, small town, or rural area, love to experience the one-of-a-kind activity that agri-tourism offers, according to the same Web site. Some of the activities include things like picking your own apples, finding the best pumpkin in a pumpkin patch, stomping grapes, roping a calf or watching a dairy cow being milked.

Many farmers who start out small may see their business blossom as tourists discover what they have to offer.

Walters Pumpkin Patch in Burns is a good example of a business that started out as just a " you-pick pumpkin patch and has evolved to include peddle boats, an underground slide, gift shops and much more.

They bring in more than 20,000 people in the six short weeks that they're open every year. The draw for most folks, they say, is getting out of the city, making the short trip by car and being able to spend quality time as a family together.

In eastern Cowley County, the communities and farms have been developing agri-tourism enterprises in order to build on and enhance what is already a beautiful area, according to Shannon Martin.

Stone Barn Mercantile in Dexter is open on the weekends or by appointment. The store carries local products, a pumpkin patch open Sept. 22, and a corn maze.

Harvest Time Ministries south of Dexter is a rural setting with a place for reunions, camps, conferences, combined with a bed and breakfast, a cabin, and a 10-hook-up RV campground. They offer a place to fish, hike, bird watch, enjoy a covered wagon ride and see animals.

Hunting preserves and outfitters are in various spots in eastern Cowley County. A guided hunting trip is agri-tourism at its best, and the farmer gets to show off his land and knowledge.

The Farm and Ranch Tour, now in its third year, is held each spring and fall, and includes many farms, businesses and other organizations in eastern Cowley County.

It's self-guided with a map that is furnished, and supper and entertainment is provided on Saturday evening. It gives the participating organizations a chance to get to know people who visit, show off their businesses and promote the rural area.

The Gathering Place, in Dexter, is a homey restaurant with a real down-home flavor. Behind the Gathering Place is a recently added pleasant garden room, an outdoor venue for weddings, receptions and other group activities. Agri-tourism helps to give farmers and ranchers another means of revenue when the farming itself is not sufficient to make ends meet.

In addition, the family learns more about themselves as a business and what is their potential for branching out, according to www.kansasagritourism.org. In an area such as eastern Cowley County, creating and maintaining more agri-tourism entities increases their earnings potential, giving them a sense of pride in their community.