Summary: The department’s social media platforms are important tools to communicate about agriculture and agribusiness, plus our department programs and services. For the past three years, we have created year-long series focusing on North Carolina farmers, young farmers and department employees. This year, we will introduce followers to 52 farms and agribusinesses offering agritourism experiences. Join us on Facebook as we #EscapewithNCAg
Today’s Topic with Southern Farm Network’s Mike Davis
- I hope all of your listeners follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, but if they don’t, now is the time to go online and do that.
- Earlier this month, we launched our newest year-long series on farms and agribusinesses that offer agritourism experiences.
- Each week we will highlight a farm or agribusiness and what they have to offer guests. You’ll learn a little about the farm and its owners, but our social media guru will serve as tour guide for what guests can expect at each location.
- We are calling the series Escape With NC Ag and we will introduce followers to places that they will want to check out for themselves.
- We started the series with Raffaldini Vineyard and Winery in Ronda. That’s about 45 minutes from Winston-Salem, so the Piedmont region of the state.
- It was a pretty interesting read because the owners explained how the grapes are allowed to dry for several days, sort of like burley tobacco, before processing begins. That removes some of the water from the fruit, intensifying the flavors.
- In addition to wine tastings and other events, every September, Raffaldini hosts an Italian festival honoring the owners’ Italian roots.
- We have a number of vineyards and wineries in and around the Yadkin Valley area. While we started with Raffaldini, I expect we will highlight other wineries, breweries and distilleries as part of this series, so stay tuned.
- Additionally, North Carolina has a wide variety of agritourism activities at farms – from the traditional corn mazes and pick-your-own fields to cow cuddling and goat yoga. I am excited to highlight our agritourism farms of all sizes during this year.
- The agritourism features will post every Thursday and people can follow along by searching the hashtag EscapewithNCAg. To read past post visit https://blog.ncagr.gov/category/escape-with-nc-ag/
- I hope listeners will check out the series and make their own plans to visit a North Carolina farm or agribusiness this year.