Logan County Tourist & Convention Commission hosted an Agri-tourism Luncheon for all local agri-tourism businesses in Logan County. The luncheon was held at the Fourth Street Theater on Wednesday, May 18. Guest speakers at the luncheon were Katie Moyer-Field Rep for Governor Matt Bevin, Jimmy Davenport-Russellville City Council & Acting Main Street Director, Amanda Baker-Logan County Chamber Assistant Executive Director, Leann Martin-UK Cooperative Extension agent, and Tom Harned – LEAD executive director.
Agri-tourism is essentially defined as any agricultural based operation that brings visitors to a town. Many different businesses fall into the category of agri-tourism.
“Logan County is blessed with many such businesses. Logan County Tourism is interested in trying to bring these businesses together to help better promote them and bring visitors to this area specifically to tour their locations,” says Dee Dee Brown, who is office manager for the tourism commission.
“Just a few of the types of businesses that Logan County is blessed to have are farms, beekeepers, cheese makers, dairies, wineries and maple syrup producers. Logan County is rich in agriculture across the board in a vast array. Many of these businesses are often overlooked because locals and visitors are simply unaware that they even exist.”
Surrounding counties have boosted their agri-tourism businesses by hosting Farm Festivals downtown as well as Farm to Table events. These types of events give businesses opportunities to highlight their name and product for the public.
LEAD’s Harned said this is the first time in his eight years working with Logan County’s economy that he has seen all these groups represented at the same time. He said agri-tourism has the potential to bring “new money” into the county. “In many retail businesses, the same money is turned over and over. Tourism brings people from out-of-county and out-of-state in with new money.”
He cited as ongoing agricultural businesses which bring in new money the maple syrup made at Federal Grove Bed and Breakfast, Lost River Creamery, Carriage House winery, Robey Farms and the Adairville Strawberry Festival. People also come to pumpkin patches around the county in the fall, and he suggested someone should go into the live Christmas tree production and sales business.
“Over a million people live within an hour of Logan County,” Harned said. “We need to let them know of the good things we have to offer here.”
Jenn Dana, the new president of the Logan County Farmers’ Market, was in attendance. That group would like for people passing on the 68-80 North Bypass to stop at the market on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. Ideally it will become a destination for out-of-county produce buyers. The market opens for the 2016 season on Saturday, June 4.
Agriculture and Natural Resources agent Martin said the extension office staff is available to answer questions. She encouraged those interested in agri-tourism to visit the Farms Are Fun website.
Baker, who is acting executive director while the Chamber completes the process of naming a successor to Ryan Craig, noted that Logan is the only chamber of commerce in the state that is officially Kentucky Proud, which the official state marketing program for agricultural products.
She said the Chamber is interested in having more farmers as members and will welcome farmers to become members at a minimal fee.
The Logan County Farmers Market is a member of the Logan Chamber.
Moyer represents Gov. Bevin in all things in the region, but she is involved in agri-business herself in Christian County and is interested in the expansion of agri-tourism.
“The luncheon brought together a coalition of several local agri-tourism businesses, Logan County Tourism, Main Street Russellville, the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service and the Logan County Chamber. A steering committee will form from these entities to begin to look into planning future agri-tourism events. Hopefully this will be the beginning of great things ahead for Logan County’s agri-tourism Community,” Brown says.
Logan County Tourist & Convention Commission exists and operates for the sole purpose of promoting Logan County and bringing visitors and tourist to the area. Logan County Tourism was formed in 1999. The office is located on the first floor of the Historic Old Logan County Courthouse, and Brown is the office manager. Current board members include Chairman Janie Gregory, Vice Chairman Peter Patel, Treasurer Laurie Belcher, Dick Dickerson, Pete Lehman, Paula Rainwaters and Barry Kennedy.
Gregory had led the group in preparing a large spread for attendees to enjoy.
Davenport, a Russellville councilman, acted as host while the city is without a Main Street manager. He invited those attending to tour the facility and said it is available for events.
Unbeknownst to those planning the meeting, Kentucky’s agri-tourism director, Amelia Wilson, was in Logan County the same day. She visited Rusty Martin, who constructs furniture from barn wood, and Elaine Turner’s Turner Valley Produce & Crafts, among others.
She pledged support for agri-tourism efforts from the office of Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles.