By RACHEL WANDREI
We are all looking for unique and authentic adventures to share with family and friends, right? Fortunately, farm experiences across Minnesota await locals and travelers alike. From visiting a winery or picking a bouquet of flowers, to staying on a working farm or attending a fall festival, agritourism — where agriculture and tourism meet — offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a base camp for outdoor excursions, a chance for screen-free family time or a moment to relax and catch up with your inner circle, farm experiences create lasting memories.
For visitors, a trip to a farm is both entertaining and enriching, fostering a deeper connection to the land and our common heritage. For farmers, sharing their stories and way of life helps people learn more about how food and goods get to their homes and helps diversify the farms’ income. When people gather on a farm, good things can grow!
How do you know where to go? Minnesota Grown, a program of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, helps connect consumers with local food, goods and experiences. Its online directory at MinnesotaGrown.com lets you search for farm experiences by activity, location, driving route and more. This free tool is also available in several languages. Adventure awaits — where will the road lead you?
Local Food & Tastings
Spring is the perfect time to celebrate longer days and warmer weather. Minnesota’s farms produce an abundance of delicious foods and beverages, and many have tasting rooms and patios where you can sip and savor, surrounded by the beauty of our Midwest landscape. These make ideal spots for gathering, and many are familyfriendly. Enjoy local cheeses and meats, or taste wine, mead, spirits and cider — including both nonalcoholic and hard varieties — at a winery, distillery, creamery or cidery. Be on the lookout for goodies to take home for yourself or gifts for others. Several farms also offer seasonal on-farm dining experiences, from expanded tasting-room menus to elaborate dinners. And don’t forget about pizza farms!
Fun at the Farm
As agritourism grows, farms are offering more unique experiences. Many farms give tours where visitors can see behind the scenes of farm life and learn more about where our food and goods come from. Workshops engage participants in hobbies like gardening, felting, soap making, wine making or raising your own chickens. Kids, and kids at heart, can get up close to farm animals, learning about their care and uses. Sunflower fields offer picturesque photo ops on late-summer days. And fall festivals offer hayrides, farm games, jump pads, corn mazes and corn pits.
Stay Awhile
For a truly unique getaway, farm stays provide immersive experiences and a respite from daily cares. Across the state are opportunities to stay on a variety of farms, including those that produce berries, honey, flowers, eggs and more. Some stays offer hands-on experiences, such as feeding animals, gathering eggs and picking produce, while others offer a more casual, observational approach. No matter what, expect plenty of chances to cuddle the resident farm dogs.
Pick Your Own
A quintessential agritourism experience is visiting a U-pick farm. Prepare to roll up your sleeves — picking is a hands-on way to connect with the land and where your food comes from. It’s also a great group activity. Go to enjoy the experience, or stock up to fill your pantry and freezer.
Mid-June into early July is the prime season for juicy, sweet and decadent strawberries. Other berry favorites, like raspberries and blueberries, ripen a little later, along with varieties rising in popularity such as Haskaps (also known as honeyberries), elderberries and aronia berries. June also marks the start of the season for the growing trend of pick-your-own flower bouquets.
August brings early apple varieties developed for our local climate, before September’s cool nights produce Minnesota’s signature Honeycrisps — better tasting when grown here than anywhere else — and dozens of other varieties.
As the leaves change and summer gives way to fall, what autumn bucket list would be complete without a trip to a pumpkin patch to pick your perfect jack-o’-lantern along with decorative pumpkins to make your home festive and welcoming? And to round out the seasons, winter features cut-your-own Christmas trees, with many tree farms providing bonfires, hot cocoa and other seasonal treats for a memorable outing.
Farmers’ Markets
While not technically on a farm, a visit to a farmers’ market lets you connect with multiple farms at once! Farmers and producers can share their passion for what’s in season and how to use it, and other vendors may offer baked goods, hot foods and gifts featuring local ingredients. Even when it’s not growing season, you’ll find meats, cheeses, honey, maple syrup and more at markets around the state. Stop by to stock up on the freshest local goods for your getaway, or make the market part of your weekly routine.
Whether at home, on vacation or away on a day trip, you have the opportunity to make lasting memories with a farm outing right around the corner. To ensure the best experience, call ahead or check your destination’s social media pages for current hours and seasonal updates. Get ready to experience the beauty of life on a farm.