Take the grand tour

Kelli Rodda

Step right up, come on in. The nursery industry is on tour.

This month’s cover story (page 12) highlights agritourism, an activity that’s been popular with farms and vineyards for decades. But nursery and greenhouse growers have a chance to cash in on this endeavor. As growers look for ways to engage the consumer, agritourism provides an opportunity to tell (and show) the story of horticulture.

Growers can make a connection with consumers and show them the steps that go into bringing a plant to market. This idea may seem counterintuitive if you’ve spent years and a few road signs directing the public away from your operation. But think about the impact you could have on a group of consumers when you show them the stages of production from propagation to finished product. Mixing growing media may seem mundane to you, but to a visitor, it could be a fun lesson in science. Show off the talents of your crew. If you’ve got a staff that can stick cuttings in seconds or fill pots and plant trees like that of an assembly line, let your visitors ooh and ah over these skills. If you use automation, show visitors how man and machine work in tandem to get plants to garden centers across the country. These visits also provide an excellent opportunity to explain how the green industry is a good steward of the environment. By all means, give visitors a plant, a pot and some soil. Let them get their hands dirty.

Above all, don’t miss the chance to present visitors (consumers) with the value message of plants. Tell them how plants clean the air; clean water as it makes its way toward storm drains, streams and lakes; boost property values; protect against crimes in neighborhoods; provide food and shelter for pollinators and other wildlife; help combat depression and high blood pressure; and help students and workers concentrate.

Think beyond what consumers will get out of agritourism – consider what it will do for your and your staff. It may boost morale and bring you and your staff closer together. It may also provide a way to employ some of your crew longer than usual. It also provides an opportunity to partner with local companies and municipalities, which could mean more sales.

Agritourism isn’t something you just throw together. It takes planning, preparation and patience. It takes manpower, insurance and money. But when executed properly, it’s likely to pay dividends that will resonate throughout the entire green industry supply chain. For at least one weekend, welcome the public to your nursery and open up dialogue with consumers. You may create a life-long gardener.