Backyard Agrarian

Originally published in Leisure Group Travel Magazine, Oct. 5, 2011.

The changing face of the American Food System and of the American Farm, the economic decline, the realization that perhaps we have gotten too far from nature, from subsistence, from self reliance, has inspired many ecologically friendly farms to open their doors (and their fields) to the public, and has inspired many suburbanites and folks from the cities to seek out Farm Vacations, otherwise called Agritourism.

There is work to be done in rejuvenating the planet’s ecosystems, and in healing our own health issues. People have begun to see the connections between environmental health and human health and have begun to realize that the fix, the deep rooted knowledge about how to move forward as a civilization and how to feed ourselves well can be found at permaculture farms, organic farms, and perennial edible ecosystem food forest farms. 

In housing developments across the country, people are ripping out weed cloth and  transforming their once-dead and poisoned landscapes into productive ecosystems that sequester carbon, provide pollinator and bird habitat, and provide the healthiest food for their human families. People are composting, raising chickens, growing fruits and berries, and experimenting.

This resurgence is making people curious to learn more tactics and techniques for sustainable land-based living. People are looking to eco-friendly farms to understand how humans can live together with nature and create the conditions for both to flourish.

But even for travelers who are not home gardeners, farm vacations can provide the most luxurious travel opportunities, the most delicious and freshest food, and the most beautiful settings. For travelers who want to really be taken care of, to be fed well, to spend time in a thriving cultivated natural system, Agritourism can really be the way to go.

Whether you choose Agritourism for its educational or its luxurious qualities, for a volunteer experience filled with hard work on the farm or to sit back and relax or to take a long ride on a horse, there are farm vacation available for just your interests and needs. If you want to learn to compost or prune fruit trees or build a straw bale house, do yoga in an almond orchard, or stay in a yurt surrounded by fresh raspberry bushes, rest assured, there are options popping up across the country and the world. Agritourism provides a vast array of opportunities all geared towards helping you explore your connection to the land and to sustainable, nontoxic and humane food production.

Agritourism also gives travelors the opportunity to financially support a healthy, vibrant sustainable farming future. By helping support eco-friendly farmers, your vacation allows your hosts to continue to progress along their path towards creating a sustainable food system for us all.

At Backyard Agrarian we are working to create better, easier modern methods for travelers and tour operators to find and book farm vacations and retreats for their clients and aspiring Backyard Agrarians. Farm vacations are one of the best ways to rejuvenate, to support a good cause, and to bring home lessons from the farm.

There are so many Agritourism options. Here are a few places to start:  For a truly meaningful furry friend filled farm visit, book a cabin at one of the Farm Sanctuary locations, and spend your getaway hobnobbing with formerly abused farm animals, now flourishing in their healthy and loving setting. For old fashioned charm, acres of lavender fields and historic Santa Fe architecture, try Los Poblanos Inn or for a rigorous course in seed saving, check out the Seed Trust’s annual Seed School. 

If you are an eco friendly farm that invites vacationers to stay with you or if you know of one you want to recommend,
  let us know here.