A tractor made from hay at Gross Farm in Sanford.
If you’ve seen a pumpkin patch, corn maze or Christmas tree farm only on the big screen of a movie theater, pick up one of our new agritourism maps and get movin’.
Fall is prime time to pick up pick up homegrown holiday decorations and take home memories from North Carolina farms. More than 200 agritourism farms and vineyards offering pumpkin patches, corn mazes, barnyard animal exhibits, hayrides, pick-your-own opportunities, school field trips and more are featured in a new map available at the nine state Welcome Centers, county extension offices, state farmers markets and other spots across the state.
Agritourism refers to value-added agricultural activities on a farm or vineyard that provide entertaining, educational and recreational experiences. The free map, titled “Discover North Carolina Farms: 2009 Guide and Map to North Carolina Agritourism Farms,” includes contact information, seasonal specifications and directions from major N.C. cities for each farm. In addition to these maps, a searchable directory of farms is available online at www.visitncfarms.com, which lists farms by both county and category.
Published by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the guide classifies farms into eight categories: Hayrides/Mazes, Barnyard Animals, Groups/Tours/Food, Choose ‘n’ Cut/Pick-Your-Own, Lodging/Camping, Walking/Riding Trails, Slow Dining/Picnics and Handicap Accessible. These maps were made possible by a grant from the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission and support from the NCDA&CS Marketing Division and Agritourism Networking Association.
Individuals, businesses and organizations can still order maps by calling Martha Glass, manager of the NCDA&CS Agritourism Office, at (919) 733-7887, ext. 276, or by e-mail at martha.glass@ncagr.gov. Maps are available individually, in packages of 25 and in boxes of 300.
Check out the pictures below, or visit the N.C. Agriculture Flickr page to see more photos from agritourism farms across North Carolina.