Join Melissa Fery and Audrey Comerford from Oregon State University Extension as they share their expertise in agricultural tourism (often also called agritourism). Attendees can expect to learn about the concept and to discuss the goals of agritourism; to see examples of what agritourism can look like in different farming environments; and to consider different factors before embarking on an agritourism endeavor. We look forward to seeing you!

Melissa Fery is an Associate Professor for the Oregon State University Extension Service serving small farms in the southern Willamette Valley. She has been supporting Oregon agriculture in the areas of soil quality, small-scale livestock and pasture production, and land stewardship for over 20 years. Most recently she has been working with farmers and ranchers to explore agricultural tourism and on-farm marketing to diversify income and aid in farm succession. Melissa and her family live on a small farm where she enjoys a rural lifestyle, growing plants and raising animals. You can reach her at [email protected].

Audrey Comerford serves as the Agritourism Coordinator for OSU Extension Service in Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties in Oregon. Growing up in the Willamette Valley gave her the opportunity to be familiar with diverse farming activities. Audrey’s efforts strive to bring education and understanding about the benefits of agritourism and farm-direct marketing as an additional revenue source to farmers, tourism groups and government entities. She is part of the OSU College of Agriculture’s Agritourism Working Group and currently collaborates with organizations such as Travel Oregon, Oregon Agritourism Partnership and local tourism offices. She currently lives on a small farm with her husband and raises sheep for fiber. You can reach her at [email protected].

Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. A recording of this session will be archived in Members Only.