Join our mailing list for updates on agritourism resources and efforts in Minnesota from the below link.
In 2021, University of Minnesota Extension’s Tourism Center convened a statewide work team to create agritourism resources for the State of Minnesota. The team included:
- Extension’s Departments of Community Development and Agriculture & Natural Resources
- Extension educators from Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
- Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health Center (UMASH)
- The Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
- The Minnesota Department of Health
- Renewing the Countryside
Profiles of Minnesota businesses
One project the group took on was to conduct in-depth interviews with Minnesota agritourism businesses, aiming to understand how they manage common management issues. To get started, the team created a list of potential agritourism businesses that might be interviewed. They decided to include only on-farm experiences, not businesses that hosted overnight stays or food services. Those businesses have a more intense set of regulations that set them apart from agritourism sites that only host farm visits.
The businesses profiled here represent a variety of farm activities, ownership structures, locations, and visitor profiles. Owners reflect a variety of agricultural experiences that affected their decision to invest in agritourism.
Management resources for agritourism
Using information gleaned from these interviews, the team developed the following resources:
- An in-depth look at how these businesses manage safety concerns.
- Five ways the businesses are helping their communities.
- Creative ways the businesses are managing labor issues.
Though each section focuses on a single management issue, it became clear that many aspects of running an agritourism business are entwined. For instance, providing community education becomes an opportunity to find labor, and safety issues require labor solutions.
About the profiled businesses
The project team interviewed four agritourism business owners with a wide spectrum of past experiences. None are doing it alone; each is very connected to their community. Each provides on-farm experiences, but none provide overnight stays or meals/food services.
The following are overviews of the interviewed businesses — their origin story, agritourism and agricultural offerings, and contact information.
|
Location: Menahga, Minnesota. The farm is located just south of Park Rapids and north of Menahga.
Owner: Debbie Yennie
Agricultural product
- Blueberries
Tourism products
- Pick Your Own Berry access
- Pre-picked berries
The origin story
Debbie acquired the blueberry farm in 2011, after it had been dormant for more than 10 years. The crop had frozen two years earlier, and both the former owners and experts thought the chances of it coming back were nil. Over time, with tending and expert advice from a “fruit guru” at Central Lakes College, the plants have rebounded.
The name comes from the Book of Nehemiah, which says we bring our first fruits of our labor every year to the Lord. The farm is rooted in Debbie’s passion for community service.
Visit the First Fruit Blueberry Farm website to learn more.
Location: Lino Lakes, Minnesota
Owner: Steve Kavan
Agricultural products
- Fresh, pre-cut 6-12 foot Christmas trees — Balsam fir, Canaan fir, Fraser fir and White pine
- 100-200 cut-your-own trees
A business goal is to custom-grow trees with special orders.
Tourism products
- A festive setting with a campfire, straw play area, vintage tractor, photo opportunities, light music, and free hot chocolate during the Christmas season.
- The Christmas tree farm is open to the public 6-7 weeks a year.
The origin story
Steve Kavan purchased the farm as a real estate investment. The land was not suitable for development, and the Kavans live close by. Steve saw it as a place where his family could experience land and, to that end, the Kavan’s planted some Christmas trees because it was “something that the kids could help out with for both the growing and the selling.”
The initiative grew as Kavan started attending tree conventions and joined the Minnesota Christmas Tree Growers’ Association, where he learned about the potential.
Visit the Kavan Family Christmas Tree Farm website to learn more.
Location: Park Rapids, Minnesota. The maze is a few miles outside of town.
Owner: Jay and Marlene Pike; their son Nate Pike manages the organic farm near where the maze is located. It is a separate entity, but a collaborative one.
Agricultural products
Fall decor; cucumbers, peppers, squash, farm stand, tomatoes, dried beans, pumpkins, straw / hay bales; organic products.
Tourism products
Corn maze, petting zoo, and wagon/hay rides. The farm creates “walk in the woods” experiences where children can find animals — from a blue bunny to three large “bigfoots” in the woods. Kids also love falling and jumping into an actual corn bin. The agritourism experience is open five to six weekends a year.
The origin story
Jay Pike was raised on a dairy farm, and he farmed with his father for 15 years. He left farming to become a financial advisor. Nate Pike, Jay's son, started the corn maze. Then, Jay and Marlene bought 100 acres of wood and 84 acres of farmland. Their son noted that this land was just two miles out of Park Rapids, making it a more ideal location for the corn maze. With minimal investments, income rose in the first years.
Visit the Pike’s Corn Maze on Facebook to learn more.
Location: Rockwood Township in Wadena County, Minnesota
Owner: Les Schwartz
Agricultural products
- Schwartz Sugarbush brand Pure Maple Syrup and Pure Birch Syrup
- Garden produce. Their high-tunnel growing technology provides fresh veggies throughout most of the summer and fall.
Tourism products
- Giving tours to schools and groups in the spring when the tree sap is running.
- Showing the process of making Pure Maple Syrup and Pure Birch Syrup.
The origin story
Agritourism efforts started after Les Schwartz began making maple syrup. Les was a teacher at the local technical college, and student groups traveled to the farm to see where maple syrup comes from. The farm marries Les’s passion for teaching with his work on his farm.
Visit the Rockwood Maple Farm's website to learn more.
Know of an agritourism business we should profile?
The agritourism businesses profiled here describe just a small snapshot of the agritourism industry in Minnesota. Do you know of another business — yours or someone else's — that Extension should profile? Contact us at [email protected].
Stay current on agritourism
Add my name to your list
Reviewed in 2025