Adding the Yum to Your Farm!

Angie Day • October  24, 2025

As we head into the busiest time for many agritourism farms, owners and managers start to look at quick and easy ways to add new offerings to their customers.  One way to increase the per-person spend?  Add snacks!


Biting Off the Next Bite of Consumer Attention?

Food & Beverage may seem daunting, but there are many ways to simplify it.  If you are just getting started, you may want to check out our Concessions 101 webinar.  This gives you the most important things you need to know to start adding food, snacks, and drinks.  If you are wanting to "level up" the experience for your guests, avoid some pitfalls by viewing the webinar titled Food & Beverage: 8 Things I Wouldn't Do.


How to Get Started

One of the easiest ways to get started is by using a pre-made snack that just needs heating up.  The Amish Pretzel Company/Ben's Pretzels has just worked with Gordon Food Service to add both their 5.5 ounce pretzel and their pretzel bites to the GFS line of products.  Who doesn't love a warm, tasty pretzel?!


New Partnership from a NAFDMA Industry Member

In the words of Tiffany from The Amish Pretzel Company:

You may not remember me from the NAFDMA Expo but hopefully you remember sampling the world's best frozen pretzel.


I am happy to let you know, you can now find our products the 5.5 ounce pretzel and the pretzel bites at your local Gordan Food Service (GFS) (NOTE: They do not stock in Florida or Texas) 


96 ct - 5.5 ounce pretzel $124.99

Pretzel bites - $109.99


If you choose to use GFS for your ordering just let your GFS know that you will be ordering so they can plan to stock plenty for your farm.


If this option does not work, you can always reach me to ship directly to you. Tiffany 574-215-8470.


RECENT ARTICLES

By angie October 26, 2025
I left exhilarated, exhausted, and inspired—all at once!
By angie October 26, 2025
In the ever-evolving world of agritourism, planning ahead gives you the competitive edge. From February 5-9, 2026 , the agritourism community will gather in Orlando for the next NAFDMA Agritourism Convention & Expo — an event designed to equip you, your team, and your business with new ideas, strategies, and connections. The Purpose Behind the Event Agritourism isn’t just about attracting visitors — it’s about creating meaningful experiences, extending your season, optimizing your operations, and generating sustainable growth. This convention is built for those who want more than just inspiration; it’s for those ready to act. Whether you’re refining guest experiences, scaling up retail operations, or transforming your farm into a destination, this event gives you the framework and tools to move forward. What You’ll Get Out of It Attendees will benefit in multiple ways: Real-world learning through tours. Visit live operations, see how fellow agritourism businesses are executed, get actionable take-aways. High-impact educational sessions. From marketing and staffing to logistics and guest experience — the sessions are built around what agritourism professionals need today. A dynamic expo floor. Engage with vendors offering tools, services, and technologies tailored for visitor-based farms and agritourism operations. Connections that last. It’s not just the content — it’s the network. Building relationships with peers, mentors, and vendors creates long-term value. Key Event Details Date: February 5-9, 2026 Location: Orlando, Florida Who should attend: Farm owners, agritourism managers, event-venue operators, team members who handle guest experience, marketing, operations. Highlights to plan for now: Pre-select your sessions based on your current biggest opportunities (for example: enhancing your event-venue layout, boosting per-guest spend, improving seasonal extension). Map out your vendor visits in the expo hall ahead of time. Schedule a team debrief after returning — capture key insights and assign actionable next steps. Why It’s Worth Your Investment Running an agritourism business today means juggling operations, budgeting, guest services, marketing, liability, staffing, and more. Events like this give you concentrated time away from the daily grind — a space to refocus, refresh, and return with a plan. For someone who tracks every detail (budgets, vendor counts, sponsorship tiers, etc.), the return on investment isn’t just measurable—it’s transformative. Make the Most of It Bring a colleague or team member who handles a different area (e.g., one for operations, one for marketing) so you cover more ground. Make a photo book of various spaces, highlights, and trouble areas on your farm. Show the photo book with people you meet to share new ideas and get input to areas you are looking to enhance. Before you go, define 2-3 measurable goals you want to achieve post-event. Take notes during sessions and tours with implementation in mind. Use networking breaks not just to chat, but to ask: “What challenge did you just solve that I’m still working through?” Once you’re back, host a team meeting to share what you learned, delegate follow-up tasks, and set timelines for acting on new ideas. Ready to Register? Visit the official event website to explore full registration options, check out tour and session details, and lock in your spot. This is more than a conference — it’s a stepping-stone for your agritourism business to level up. Ready to lean in?
By angie October 19, 2025
If there’s one thing farm guests love to take home—besides memories and maybe a jar of jam—it’s a keepsake that reminds them of the fun they had. Enter branded plushies : the soft, snuggly marketing tool that’s warming hearts and helping farms boost their bottom line. A Hug-Sized Branding Opportunity Branded plushies are more than adorable souvenirs—they’re a creative and profitable way to extend your farm’s reach. By customizing plushies to reflect your farm’s personality—whether it’s your star goat, favorite tractor, pumpkin mascot, or sunflower smiley—you create a tangible connection that guests can carry home. These plushies instantly transform into beloved reminders of your farm experience, keeping your name front and center long after their visit. From Shelf Appeal to Sales Power Farm stores have discovered that plushies aren’t just impulse buys—they’re sales multipliers. Pair them with your own jams, honey, or gift baskets for an easy bundle that raises your per-sale value. Plushies also shine as part of seasonal displays or themed promotions —imagine a “Pick-Your-Pumpkin Pal” or “Berry Best Buddy” during harvest season. They’re equally effective at events: maze admissions, farm tours, u-pick patches, and holiday light shows are all perfect occasions to offer a plush mascot as part of a premium package. Seasonal Excitement & Repeat Visits Limited-edition designs tied to seasonal events—think spring lambs, summer bees, or Christmas calves—create anticipation year after year. When guests know there’s a new plush to collect, they’re more likely to return, increasing your repeat-visit rate and social buzz. Turning Guests into Brand Ambassadors The marketing magic doesn’t stop at the checkout counter. High quality plushies naturally find their way into photos, travel bags, and social media posts. Encourage guests to tag your farm with a branded hashtag for a chance to be featured—free, authentic promotion powered by pure joy. The Takeaway Branded plushies do more than delight—they tell your farm’s story in the sweetest, most huggable way possible. Whether snuggled on a child’s bed or shared online, these customized keepsakes turn happy customers into long-term fans who carry your farm’s spirit wherever they go. Want to learn more or create plushies for your farm? Find out more from The RGU Group on Faire: https://www.faire.com/direct/thergugroup?signUp=direct