By Scout Nelson
Agritourism is growing across Minnesota as farmers find new ways to increase their income and connect people with agriculture. Farm festivals, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, apple picking, and wedding venues are attracting visitors to farms and rural communities. These activities offer families enjoyable outdoor experiences while helping them understand how farms operate and where their food comes from.
Rick Moore from the University of Minnesota explained the growing interest in agritourism and the value it brings to farmers and rural communities. On October 17, 2026, Fresh Acres farm in Monticello hosted its annual Fall Festival, welcoming visitors to enjoy a variety of family activities.
The event featured a corn maze, a large corn pit, food and coffee trucks, arts and crafts vendors, face painting, bounce houses, a pumpkin patch, and a petting zoo with goats and pigs. An apple cannon, which allowed visitors to shoot apples at targets, was the festival's standout new attraction.
Agritourism refers to activities that bring people to working farms. Although farm visits and apple-picking activities have been popular for many years, this field continues to expand as farmers seek additional sources of income.
The University of Minnesota supports the industry through Extension educator Freya Thurmer, who works with farmers across several counties through the university's Tourism Center.
Agritourism offers many different experiences. Farmers may organize farm tours, school field trips, farm breakfasts, and pizza events. Other businesses allow visitors to pick strawberries and apples, explore pumpkin patches, and attend fall festivals. Some farms provide overnight stays in renovated barns and yurts, while others host weddings in scenic outdoor settings.
Rising production costs and tight profit margins encourage farmers to explore these opportunities. Social media also helps farmers discover successful ideas and learn from businesses in other states.
Agritourism can also help families preserve farms when ownership passes from one generation to the next. Thurmer describes a cattle operation in St. Louis County that has been running for about 100 years. When the farm passed to the owners' son and his wife, they decided to keep the property rather than sell it. They converted the old barn and surrounding land into a wedding venue, creating a new business while maintaining the family farm.
Fresh Acres is another example of how farmers can develop agritourism businesses. Owner Zeke Berg and his wife purchased their 28-acre farm in Monticello about a decade ago. Most of the property had previously been leased for growing row crops, but the couple chose a different path. They started with a corn maze and gradually added more activities, eventually developing the annual Fall Festival into a popular family attraction.
However, running an agritourism business requires time, effort, and careful planning. Weather is one of the biggest challenges because rain, wind, sunshine, and cloudy conditions can affect farm activities and visitor experiences. Berg explains, “We’ve never watched the weather so much as we have in the last nine years,” showing how changing conditions can create stress for farm operators.
Despite these difficulties, Berg enjoys seeing families spend time together and make lasting memories. He says, “It’s fun seeing all the families coming out and letting the kids run and just be kids, and sometimes adults being kids (jumping in the bounce houses or going down the combine slide or into the corn pit) — just having fun and forgetting about schoolwork, forgetting about your career, forgetting about everything else and unplugging for the afternoon.”
Support from agricultural organizations is also important for the growth of agritourism. Thurmer helps lead a statewide working group that brings together organizations committed to supporting farm businesses. She works with the Minnesota Departments of Agriculture and Health, Minnesota Grown, and several nonprofit groups.
These organizations help farmers find resources and guidance on local zoning rules, business plans, food licensing, and visitor safety. Thurmer explains the value of this support by saying, “There’s no shortage of agencies and nonprofits that want to support farmers in our state,” she says. She also describes her work in connecting operators with the right resources: “A lot of what I do is help people find the right support.”
Agritourism also helps visitors develop a better understanding of agriculture. People who have limited experience with farming can learn how pumpkins grow, interact with farm animals, and discover the work involved in producing food and fiber. Picking apples directly from trees can also help visitors appreciate fresh farm products and the effort needed to grow them.
Thurmer highlights these benefits by saying, “If nothing else, [guests] are outside, they’re getting some fresh air, and they’re enjoying tech-free, screen-free activity in rural Minnesota,” she says. She also explains her broader goal: “My hope is that we’re building a broader awareness and appreciation for food and fiber production,” Thumer says.
The benefits of agritourism extend beyond individual farms. Visitors traveling long distances to attend farm events may also spend money at nearby restaurants, shops, and other local businesses. This brings more customers to rural areas and helps strengthen local economies.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-steve-baccon
Categories: Minnesota, Business, Crops, Livestock