Web site supports 'AgriCultural' tourism planning
This Garner corn maze is a popular agritourism attraction.
Photo by Art Latham
When they threw a big party in Raleigh to kick off Homegrown Handmade's statewide "AgriCultural" tours Web site, North Carolina Cooperative Extension representatives were in the middle of the activity as well they might have been.
Cooperative Extension is one of several partners who've labored to build, launch and improve the site, a project supported by Golden LEAF funds.
"Cooperative Extension actually laid the groundwork for this project more than six years ago with the organization of the SouthEast District AgriCultural Tourism Task Force," said Ed Emory, Extension's director in Duplin County and a major agricultural tourism promoter. "The original group used Extension's programming principles to survey what was needed by folks involved in 'agritourism' and to design educational experiences to meet those needs."
Emory and Dr. Joe Zublena, Extension's associate director and county operations director, represented Extension at the June bash that mainly emphasized that the site now includes all 16 of the originally planned self-directed driving trails, spread across 77 counties throughout the state, except in the far west, where several such trails already existed.
Speaking at the kickoff, Zublena said, "In building the tourism trails, Extension and its partners worked hard to find existing and new enterprises that would help create exciting opportunities for travelers to experience the people, culture and heritage of our communities."
The trails combine "agritourism," a value-added farm venture run for the public's pleasure and education, with cultural tourism, a proven moneymaker. Online visitors access self-directed trails that include rural attractions ranging from art galleries to horse farms, "u-pick" operations to locally owned restaurants that feature North Carolina food products, and many other venues in intriguing combinations.
A recent study by the North Carolina Arts Council, a trails partner, indicates cultural events and hands-on activities motivate visitors to drop travel dollars in our state - $102.28 per person per day, which far exceeds the national average. And compared to all travelers, cultural-events enthusiasts pump more money into our economy: In 2004, the latest year for which statistics were available, that amounted to $13.3 billion.
"While many counties look to develop economically by landing large industries," Zublena said, "developing and retaining local businesses also provides long-term stability and economic vitality to local communities.
"This project," he said, "is an excellent example of Extension's ability to network with other partners to enhance economic development in North Carolina."
For example, Extension employees worked with farmers, families and communities to develop and enhance agritourism alternatives to traditional agricultural enterprises, researched local economies, environmental concerns and quality-of-life enterprises and shared findings with agritourism leaders.
HomegrownHandmade, a not-for-profit alliance of arts and agricultural interests, launched the site three years ago to help pique travelers' curiosity about the Old North State. HandMade in America, which originally developed and marketed western North Carolina rural sites, had earlier provided training in expanding rural tourism systems.
The Arts Council, the state Department of Cultural Resources division that develops, preserves and sustains North Carolina's arts resources, provided links to the state's 2,300 arts organizations and oversees trail criteria and marketing.
"Cooperative Extension and the Arts Council have formed an effective partnership to create and maintain this unique Web-based trail system," Emory noted. "The celebratory kickoff marks a significant milestone in the 'HomeGrownHandMade.com' movement, but there is much more work to be done."
Slowly but steadily, as sites met the rigorous admissions requirements, the number of trails and the sites they include has grown.
According to Linda McGloin, the Arts Council's cultural trails and events coordinator, new trails include:
Extension's Zublena envisions travelers eventually using the Web while they're on the road to seamlessly interface with information about North Carolina's backroads wonders.
"Someday," he said, "if this can be blended with auto GPS services, travelers could pull up the Web site while they're at any gas pump to see what's of interest to see in the area."
-Art Latham
Cooperative Extension is one of several partners who've labored to build, launch and improve the site, a project supported by Golden LEAF funds.
Pottery trails (top) and restaurants serving N.C. food products (bottom) are the kinds of agritourism destinations found on the Web site.
Emory and Dr. Joe Zublena, Extension's associate director and county operations director, represented Extension at the June bash that mainly emphasized that the site now includes all 16 of the originally planned self-directed driving trails, spread across 77 counties throughout the state, except in the far west, where several such trails already existed.
Speaking at the kickoff, Zublena said, "In building the tourism trails, Extension and its partners worked hard to find existing and new enterprises that would help create exciting opportunities for travelers to experience the people, culture and heritage of our communities."
The trails combine "agritourism," a value-added farm venture run for the public's pleasure and education, with cultural tourism, a proven moneymaker. Online visitors access self-directed trails that include rural attractions ranging from art galleries to horse farms, "u-pick" operations to locally owned restaurants that feature North Carolina food products, and many other venues in intriguing combinations.
A recent study by the North Carolina Arts Council, a trails partner, indicates cultural events and hands-on activities motivate visitors to drop travel dollars in our state - $102.28 per person per day, which far exceeds the national average. And compared to all travelers, cultural-events enthusiasts pump more money into our economy: In 2004, the latest year for which statistics were available, that amounted to $13.3 billion.
"While many counties look to develop economically by landing large industries," Zublena said, "developing and retaining local businesses also provides long-term stability and economic vitality to local communities.
"This project," he said, "is an excellent example of Extension's ability to network with other partners to enhance economic development in North Carolina."
For example, Extension employees worked with farmers, families and communities to develop and enhance agritourism alternatives to traditional agricultural enterprises, researched local economies, environmental concerns and quality-of-life enterprises and shared findings with agritourism leaders.
HomegrownHandmade, a not-for-profit alliance of arts and agricultural interests, launched the site three years ago to help pique travelers' curiosity about the Old North State. HandMade in America, which originally developed and marketed western North Carolina rural sites, had earlier provided training in expanding rural tourism systems.
Pick-your-own-produce opportunities await visitors along the tourism trails (top photo). A vineyard trail features North Carolina wines (bottom photo).
"Cooperative Extension and the Arts Council have formed an effective partnership to create and maintain this unique Web-based trail system," Emory noted. "The celebratory kickoff marks a significant milestone in the 'HomeGrownHandMade.com' movement, but there is much more work to be done."
Slowly but steadily, as sites met the rigorous admissions requirements, the number of trails and the sites they include has grown.
According to Linda McGloin, the Arts Council's cultural trails and events coordinator, new trails include:
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In eastern North Carolina:
- High Tide on the Sound Side: Currituck, Camden, Pasquotank and Dare counties
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In the piedmont:
- Burning Rubber and Riding the Rails: Cabarrus, Davie, Davidson, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, Union
- Crossroads, PatriArts and Native Ways: Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Johnston, Robeson
- Heart of the East: Edgecombe, Nash, Pitt, Wilson
- Pictures from the Piedmont: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Lincoln
- Potters' Wheels and Organic Fields: Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Lee, Orange, Randolph
- Scenes of the Sandhills: Anson, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Scotland
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In the foothills:
- Foothills, Vineyards and Old-Time Music: Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin
Extension's Zublena envisions travelers eventually using the Web while they're on the road to seamlessly interface with information about North Carolina's backroads wonders.
"Someday," he said, "if this can be blended with auto GPS services, travelers could pull up the Web site while they're at any gas pump to see what's of interest to see in the area."
-Art Latham