Community & Economic Development

Potential Agritourism Opportunities ... in 2008 were explored during a workshop offered in cooperation with Fulton County Extension. The session provided information on such topics as: U-pick pumpkin patches, farmers' markets, fee hunting, bed and breakfast opportunities, resource assessments, business development plans, marketing basics, liability concerns, and collaborative opportunities. During trips to various farm attractions, consumers are expected to also shop at other local businesses, extending the economic benefits from agritourism beyond the farms involved and into nearby rural communities like Mason County. The featured speaker was John Pike, an economic development educator from U of I Extension's Carbondale Extension Center.