By Blake Jackson
Farmers interested in welcoming visitors or expanding their agritourism businesses are invited to attend an educational and networking event hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Agritourism Program Work Team.
Set for Thursday, May 15, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, the event will take place at Clover Brooke Farm, located at 175 Ruskey Lane in Hyde Park, New York.
This hands-on session, organized in collaboration with CCE Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties, aims to support farmers across the Hudson Valley in growing their agritourism ventures.
Whether you are new to the idea or already welcoming guests to your farm, this event offers practical insights and valuable connections.
The workshop will focus particularly on livestock-related agritourism and animal-centered visitor experiences. Hosted at Clover Brooke Farm renowned for its engaging llama, alpaca, donkey, and goat programs attendees will learn best practices in visitor safety, animal care, customer service, and effective marketing strategies.
Highlights of the event include expert presentations from leaders in agritourism and tourism, such as I LOVE NY, Dutchess County Tourism, and the Cornell Agritourism Program Team.
An interactive panel and Q&A session will feature Andrea Parent-Tibbits of Clover Brooke Farm, Melaine Rottkamp from Dutchess County Tourism, and Victoria Balentine of Shady Farm.
Guests will also have the opportunity to network with other farmers, tourism professionals, and service providers, as well as tour Clover Brooke Farm’s successful livestock agritourism programs.
The registration fee is $10, which includes refreshments, all sessions, and the guided tour. Interested participants can register here. For more information, contact Isabella Yannuzzi at imy3@cornell.edu.
Photo Credit: istock-fotokostic
Categories: New York, Crops